Vimala B. Ruszkowski has spent her entire career representing both individual and institutional healthcare providers in medical malpractice defense and general liability claims. Clients include physicians in private practice, nurses, hospitals and skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities. She also practices in the area of premises liability defense and legal malpractice defense. Attorney Ruszkowski is devoted to her clients and committed to her craft. She is adept at case preparation and proceedings through settlement or trial. Her strong work ethic, diligence and dedication are evident as she skillfully navigates the details and procedures of each matter.
Practice Areas
- General Litigation
- Healthcare Law and Litigation
- Professional Malpractice
- Medical Malpractice Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Connecticut, 2005
- New York, 2006
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of N.Y, 2008
- U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, 2010
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2014
Education
- Sacred Heart University, B.S. 2001, Biology and Chemistry
- Cum Laude
- The University of Connecticut, School of Law, 2005, with Honors
- CALI Award for Excellence Trial Practice
- CALI Award for Excellence Globalization and the Environment
- Volunteer Tax Preparer for Individuals living in the Greater Hartford Area
Memberships
- Connecticut Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Honors & Accolades
- Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers for Litigation – Health Care, Stamford (2023)
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2022 and 2023 for work in Litigation – Health Care and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Superlawyers, Rising Stars, 2012, 2014-2019, Personal Injury – Medical Malpractice: Defense
Speaking Engagements
- Multiple presentations on medical malpractice and risk management topics for various hospitals, insurance companies, and risk management companies.
Representative Experience
- In July, 2018, Attorney Ruszkowski participated in the trial of a wrongful death action against a Connecticut Hospital, wherein plaintiffs alleged that the Hospital improperly cared for and treated their decedent, who had been admitted to the Hospital’s Emergency Department for opioid intoxication. Plaintiffs asked the jury for in excess of 22 Million dollars for the death of the 28-year-old patient. Attorney Ruszkowski and Attorney O’Connor obtained a defense verdict for the Hospital.
- In 2017, Attorney Ruszkowski won a motion for summary judgment on behalf of a Connecticut Hospital in a federal court case alleging wrongful death and a failure to diagnose stroke. Prior to ultimate disposition of that case on summary judgment, Attorney Ruszkowski also was successful in protecting the Hospital’s peer review documents from disclosure in federal court, where the protections of peer review are not as robust as state court.
- Attorney Ruszkowski has won numerous dispositive motions for defendants, extracting them from protracted litigation.
Community Involvement
- Attorney Ruszkowski is an avid supporter of pediatric cancer awareness and her family actively supports Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s annual Pan Mass Challenge.