Related Practices
Biographical Information
Rod Cate has an extensive trial and litigation practice. The majority of his trial practice relates to medical malpractice defense. Mr. Cate has tried numerous medical malpractice cases to verdict, representing obstetricians, neurologists, psychiatrists and emergency room physicians. His medical malpractice area runs the full gamut of medical issues and specialties.
Mr. Cate’s practice also includes representation of chemical companies in chemical exposure cases. He has considerable experience in class action and mass tort defense and has successfully consolidated competing class actions before the Judicial Panel Multidistrict Litigation. He has also tried cases involving consumer fraud issues and tractor-trailer collision.
Mr. Cate is a member of the Mobile County Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar Association, the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association, and Professional Liability Defense Federation. In addition, he writes and speaks on the topics of insurance, bad faith and medical related issues.
Mr. Cate is the author of “Get Back Up,” detailing his life journey from a wheelchair to getting back up on his feet literally and never looking back. He is also the host of the Rocket Motivation podcast.
Admissions
- Alabama State Bar, 1992
- U.S. District Courts for Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama
Education
- J.D., M.B.A., University of North Carolina, 1992
- B.A., Davidson College, 1988
Additional Information
Civic and Professional Affiliations
- Alabama State Bar Association
- Mobile County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Representative Cases
- Medical Malpractice Trials
- Plomp v. Graves, Baldwin Co. Cir. Ct. (treatment of encephalitis)
- Reynolds v. Tongco, Mobile Co. Cir. Ct. (failure to diagnose subdural hematoma)
- Qualls v. Simmons, Monroe Co. Cir. Ct. (placental abruption, stillborn infant)
- Tillman v. Rogers, Mobile Co. Cir. Ct. (shoulder dystocia, delivery of infant resulting in Erb’s palsy)
- Dunnam v. Ovbiagele, Mobile Co. Cir. Ct. (discharge of mental patient who committed suicide)
- Reported Decisions
- Acceptance Insurance Company v. Brown, 832 So.2d 1 (Ala. 2001) (bad faith)
- First Family v. Rogers, 736 So. 2d 553 (Ala. 1999) (arbitration)
- Union Security Life Insurance Company v. Crocker, 727 So.2d 1 (Ala. 1998) (punitive damages)
- Williams v. Northwest Financial, 723 So. 2d 97 (Ala. Civ. App. 1998) (insurance fraud)
Awards
- Martindale-Hubbell® AV Rated
- Best Lawyers In America©, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, 2012—2025
