Elizabeth A. Kayatta

"People come to me in the wake of devastating injuries, and it is a privilege to bring justice and closure to my clients so they can start to rebuild their lives."

Meet Attorney Elizabeth Kayatta

Elizabeth Kayatta is an impassioned advocate for her clients with a track record of success in the courtroom.  As a trial attorney at Berman & Simmons, she helps deliver justice for people who have suffered catastrophic and life-altering injuries. Her practice includes cases arising out of medical malpractice, sexual abuse, wrongful deaths, car and truck accidents, falls and dangerous premises, and other serious personal injuries.

Elizabeth has dedicated her career to helping people who have been injured.  She understands that the people she represents are at the heart of her cases, and she has the ability to communicate the magnitude of her clients’ injuries clearly and powerfully to opposing attorneys, judges, and jury members.  She has a reputation as a strategic and fearless advocate for her clients.  She is known for exceptional preparation and attention to detail.

Medical Malpractice Attorney

Elizabeth takes on medical malpractice cases against healthcare providers and hospitals across Maine and Massachusetts. She handles medical malpractice cases involving spinal cord damage, paralysis, surgical error, nerve injury, sepsis, delayed diagnosis, birth injury, women’s health, and other medical errors that caused death or permanent injury.  Elizabeth is also one of the only attorneys in the state who also handles cases arising out of sexual abuse and sexual assault in a healthcare setting.

Sexual Abuse Attorney

Elizabeth is at the forefront of trauma-informed lawyering, which gives her the specialized tools to represent survivors of sexual abuse and assault.  She helps survivors navigate the emotionally-fraught process of seeking justice against perpetrators of abuse and the organizations that enabled the abuse to occur.  She handles sex abuse cases against religious organizations, summer camps, schools, healthcare providers, and individual perpetrators.  Among her achievements, Elizabeth has secured some of the largest sexual abuse settlements in the state.

Wrongful Death Attorney

When a family faces the loss of a loved one, Elizabeth has the expertise to help them achieve justice and closure through a wrongful death lawsuit.  Elizabeth is one of the state’s leading experts on Maine’s Wrongful Death Statute—a topic on which she has regularly presented at legal conferences and submitted testimony to the Maine State Legislature.

Truck and Car Accident Attorney

Many lawyers handle run-of-the-mill car crash cases, but Elizabeth specializes in taking on the most complex motor vehicle collisions.  The cases she handles include the following:

  • Trucking accidents
  • Multi-car crashes
  • Fatal car crashes
  • Commercial vehicle crashes
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Uber, Lyft and other rideshare accidents
  • Collisions with FedEx, UPS, and postal trucks
  • Accidents caused by Doordash, Grubhub, and other food delivery drivers
  • Car crashes resulting in serious injury or disability

Personal Injury Attorney

Elizabeth regularly handles a broad range of personal injury cases, including representing people who were severely injured by falls at dangerous properties, dog and animal attacks, snowmobile collisions, boating accidents, unsafe hotels/AirBnBs, and injuries sustained due to the negligence of another while skiing.  She also takes on cases for people who have been injured due to negligent security or overserved patrons at bars and restaurants.

More About Elizabeth Kayatta

Elizabeth is a Maine native who knew from a young age that she wanted to be a trial attorney. After graduating from Princeton University, she attended Boston College Law School, from which she graduated magna cum laude and with the Order of the Coif distinction.  Within months of her graduation, Elizabeth was in the courtroom trying her first case—delivering victory to her clients with a jury verdict in their favor.

“I enjoy mastering the facts of the case, figuring out who my audience is, and deciding what facts are going to be most persuasive,” Elizabeth said. “It’s my job to show others — whether it’s an insurance company or a jury — how an injury impacted my client’s life and why he or she deserves compensation. That’s a challenge that motivates me on a daily basis.”

 

Education

  • Princeton University, 2008
  • Boston College Law School, 2012

Recognition & Achievements

  • Super Lawyers
  • Best Lawyers in America ― Ones to Watch
  • National Trial Lawyers Top 10

Memberships & Distinctions

  • Maine State Bar Association
    • Co-Chair, Women’s Law Section
  • Maine Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Association for Justice
  • National Crime Victim Bar Association (NCVBA)

Bar Admissisons

  • Maine (2012)
  • Massachusetts (2012)
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maine (2016)
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts (2013)

Results

Elizabeth Kayatta has a track record of success in and out of the courtroom.  She has achieved record-setting results in cases involving medical malpractice, wrongful death, personal injury, and sexual abuse.  Some of her notable successes are below:

 

Elizabeth's Verdicts & Settlements

Personal Injury

  • $20+ Million settlement for fatal trucking accident
  • $10 Million settlement for pedestrian who lost a limb when hit by a car
  • $1.6 Million verdict in case involving ceiling collapse
  • $1 Million settlement for motorcycle crash victim who suffered foot amputation

Medical Malpractice

  • $9 Million medical malpractice settlement for spinal cord injury that caused paralysis
  • $4 Million medical malpractice settlement for misdiagnosis of heart attack
  • $3 Million medical malpractice settlement related to fatal stroke
  • $2.5 Million settlement for a permanent nerve injury caused by a dental procedure
  • $2 Million medical malpractice settlement for delay in diagnosing cancer
  • $1.5 Million medical malpractice settlement for delayed diagnosis and treatment of sepsis
  • $1.5 Million medical malpractice settlement for patient who developed deep bedsore while hospitalized
  • $1.1 Million jury verdict for woman who suffered electrocautery injury during abdominal surgery

Sexual Abuse

  • $3.5 Million settlement for survivor of child sex abuse
  • $1 Million settlement for survivor of childhood sexual abuse

Landmark Wins

$20M Settlement

$20+ Million Settlement for Fatal Trucking Accident

$10M Verdict

Settlement for pedestrian who lost a limb when hit by a car

$9M Settlement

Settlement for Catastrophic Spinal Cord Injury that Caused Paralysis

$4M Settlement

Settlement for Misdiagnosis of Fatal Heart Attack

$3.5M Settlement

Settlement for Survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse

In The News

  • “A Boys’ Club No More: Advice for Women Attorneys Facing Harassment and Discrimination in the Practice of Law,” Presentation to the Maine State Bar Association, January 23, 2025
  • “Lessons from Trauma Informed Lawyering,” Presentation to the Maine State Bar Association, June 27, 2024
  • “Trauma Informed Lawyering,” Presentation to the University of Maine School of Law, November 2, 2023
  • “Trial Essentials: Sexual Abuse Survivor Claims,” Presentation to the Maine Trial Lawyers’ Association, November 16, 2022
  • “Big Advancements in Trauma-Informed Lawyering and Sex Abuse Survivor Claims“, Maine Lawyers Review, February 24, 2022
  • “A Comment Regarding the Proposed Act to Amend the Maine Uniform Probate Code,” written testimony to the Maine State Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary, February 22, 2021
  • “Wrongful Death or Sudden Death: How Probate Code Changes Impact Beneficiaries in Wrongful Death Cases,” Presentation to the Maine Trial Lawyers’ Association, October 4, 2019
  • “Law in the Age of Social Media: How to Make or Break Your Case with Facebook & More,” Presentation to the University of Maine School of Law, March 6, 2019

Client Testimonials

Our client reviews showcase the skills, advocacy, compassion, and work ethic we bring to every case to achieve the best results. Here are just a few about Elizabeth.

The professionalism, competence, and attention displayed by Elizabeth and her team made the traumatic head on collision we experienced this past year much more bearable.

Lorraine M.

Elizabeth and her team proved to be exactly what I needed to navigate the medical and insurance pathways as needed to reach an equitable settlement.

Mark M.

Throughout the entire process Elizabeth and her team was communicative, responsive to my questions, and helpful at every turn.

Kayla C.

Elizabeth is one of the smartest and most passionate attorneys I know. She is quick-thinking, honest, and creative, and I would trust her with my life.

Karlene A.

Excellent experience. I was treated very sincerely and professionally. Many thanks to Attorney Kayatta.

Melissa B.

Elizabeth and her team explained everything along the way, were quick to update and respond if I had questions, and worked diligently to make sure they got the best settlement possible.

Kelly D.