A Minnesota family has secured a $6.4 million judgment in a landmark legal malpractice lawsuit against their former attorney who allegedly mishandled their wrongful death case following their 19-year-old son’s tragic death.

Bill and Kristi Anderson pursued accountability for over a decade after their son Jake died from severe hypothermia near the Mississippi River in 2013. The recent Hennepin County District Court ruling found that their former counsel, Robert Hopper, committed professional negligence that prevented the Andersons from likely prevailing in their original wrongful death action against multiple government entities including the city of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minneapolis Police Department, Minneapolis Fire Department, and HCMC Ambulance Services.

Judge Edward Wahl’s decision emphasized that first responders inappropriately declared Jake deceased without attempting resuscitation despite evidence he remained alive, constituting a critical failure in emergency medical protocol. The malpractice verdict acknowledges the family was wrongfully denied their opportunity to present evidence regarding these alleged governmental failures in court.

Despite securing this significant legal malpractice judgment, recovery remains uncertain as Hopper has subsequently closed his practice and surrendered his law license, potentially complicating the collection of awarded damages.