Roger P. Christensen
Of Counsel
Roger joined Christensen & Jensen in 1974, and has spent his entire career specializing in trial practice and civil litigation. Roger spent the first twenty years of his career defending product liability, personal injury, and fire cases. Over time, he added a plaintiff’s practice, representing individuals in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. His success rate at trial has remained consistent, whether defense or plaintiff. As an additional component of his practice, Roger has also enjoyed trying commercial disputes, both in court and in arbitration. Roger is co-chair of the firm’s Fire practice group.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
Personal Injury Defense
Represents defendants in catastrophic personal injury and death actions.
Representative matters include:
- Successfully defended international oil company in multiple cases arising from propane storage plant disaster
- Successfully defended design defect claims against manufacturers of ladder, gas appliance, skid steer loader, trencher, ski bindings, radial arm saw, steam iron, tires, farm equipment, motor home, etc.
Personal Injury Law
Represents plaintiffs in catastrophic personal injury and death actions.
Representative matters include:
- Won $1 million jury verdict for family of customer who fell in open manhole in parking lot
- Won $1 million jury verdict for runaway dump truck victim with post-traumatic stress disorder
- Won $8.1 million jury verdict (the largest in Utah history) in medical malpractice claim on behalf of minor child
- Won large award from arbitration panel for injuries to teenager struck in crosswalk
Business & Commercial Litigation
Represents businesses and individuals in commercial and insurance disputes.
Representative matters include:
- Recovered $20 million in historic fraud case against State Farm, following one of the longest jury trials in Utah history and multiple appeals to the Utah and United States Supreme Courts
- Won multi-million dollar arbitration award in contract dispute
- Represented investor in breach of fiduciary duty claim against real estate brokerage and escrow agent
- Represented developer in claim against title insurer and escrow agent for releasing funds without subordination agreement
- Represented national engineering firm in contract claims relating to $1 billion power plant and transmission line project
DISTINCTIONS
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
- All Utah state and federal courts
- U. S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- Boyle v. Christensen, 2011 UT 20, 251 P.3d 810 (representing pedestrian struck by pickup truck; ended defense tactic of mentioning “the McDonald’s coffee case” to juries)
- Blakely v. USAA Casualty Ins. Co., 633 F.3d 944 (10th Cir. 2011) (representing insured in post- fire claims against insurance company)
- Herrod v. Metal Powder Products, 413 Fed.Appx. 7 (10th Cir. 2010) (representing family of deceased driver in product liability claim)
- Jensen v. Cunningham, 2011 UT 17, 250 P. 3d 465 (addressing issues of first impression under state constitution)
- Christensen & Jensen, P.C. v. Barrett & Daines, 2008 UT 64, 194 P.3d 931 (representing firm in dispute over fee award and claims from rejection of settlement)
- Campbell v. State Farm Mutual Ins., 2001 UT 89, 65 P.3d 1134; 538 U.S. 408 (2003); 2004 UT 34, 98 P.3d 409 (addressing numerous state law and constitutional issues in fraud case with substantial punitive damage award)
- Lee v. Gaufin, 867 P.2d 572 (Utah 1993) (holding unconstitutional statute of limitations as applied to minors)
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
- AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Utah Trial Lawyer of the Year, American Board of Trial Advocates, Utah Chapter, 2005
- Recognized as “Super Lawyer” in personal injury law by Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2007 – present
- Recognized as “Legal Elite” in personal injury, 2006 – present, Utah Business
- Best Lawyers in America, 2006 – present
- Professional of the Year, personal injury law, Strathmore’s Who’s Who, 2008
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Utah Bar Association
- Salt Lake County Bar Association
- American Board of Trial Advocates, 1997 – present
- Utah Association for Justice
EDUCATION
- University of Utah, J.D., 1974
- Order of the Coif (top 10%)
- Utah State University, B.A., Political Science major, Spanish minor, 1971
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- President, California Long Beach mission, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2001-2004
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