What We Do
Robert J. Lentz
| PH: | 312.635.1836 |
| FAX: | 312.264.0863 |
| EMAIL: | rlentz@nzalaw.com |
Current Employment Position(s):
Partner
Areas of Practice:
Property Subrogation
Property Insurance Coverage
Workers Compensation Subrogation
Warehouse/Transportation Law
Product Liability
Bar Admissions:
Illinois
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
Pro hac vice throughout the United States
Education:
John Marshall Law School, 1989, J.D.
Western Illinois University, 1986, B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
Professional Associations and Memberships:
National Association of Subrogation Professionals
Mr. Lentz's practice includes extensive trial work and focuses on representing insurance companies in large loss subrogation, worker's compensation subrogation, product liability claims, warehouse claims and first-party property matters. He has tried numerous cases to successful jury verdict.
Mr. Lentz has significant experience in the areas of fire causation and fire spread; product design and malfunction; construction losses; transportation and warehouse losses; and worker's compensation subrogation matters. Mr. Lentz has extensive knowledge in dehydration/drying processes; process controls and interlocks; fire suppression systems; dust collection systems; and building design. This knowledge allows him to uncover potential avenues for subrogation that are not readily apparent. For example, he successfully handled a large loss involving an explosion in an animal feed processing facility which the local investigating authority determined was caused solely by operator error. A closer examination of the processing line controls determined that certain safety interlocks were missing, which should have prevented the operator's error. The lack of interlocks and the improper combination of several dust collecting systems were ultimately determined to be the primary cause of a massive dust explosion. Mr. Lentz’s ability to look past the operator's error resulted in a million dollar plus settlement.
In addition to the property losses described above, Rob is very familiar with the worker's compensation laws of a number of states. He frequently represents insurers and employers in matters involving worker's compensation liens. He has handled lien matters from the initial investigation to the filing of third-party actions to lien adjudication hearings.
Rob has conducted thousands of subrogation investigations, many of which have commenced within hours of the loss. The coordination of these investigations include site visitation, the selection and retention of qualified experts, the identification and notification of third-party wrongdoers and the preservation of evidence, all of which are crucial to the successful prosecution of a subrogation action.
