John H. Cocke, Esq.

After graduating from the University of Virginia Law School in 1975, Mr. Cocke moved to Clarksdale, MS to begin practicing in a general litigation firm. In 1982, Mr. Cocke and Mr. Merkel left that firm and established Merkel & Cocke, P.A., and since that time the emphasis of Mr. Cocke’s practice has progressed more and more toward medical malpractice. At the present time his practice is exclusively devoted to handling medical negligence cases for the plaintiff, either as a result of direct contact by the client or as, more commonly occurs, on referral from other attorneys who are not familiar with the handling of medical negligence cases. Mr. Cocke handles all types of medical negligence cases, but a uniform requirement is that serious injury or death have occurred as a result of the medical mistake.

Mr. Cocke has handled many “brain damaged baby cases,” as well as deaths as a result of the failure to treat in the emergency room setting and the premature discharge of patients after surgery, as well as failure to promptly diagnose cancer.

Mr. Cocke has developed a particular interest in the use of modern technology in medical negligence cases and has spoken at seminars on this subject. The Internet has developed into a very useful tool in conducting medical research and communicating with other attorneys handling similar cases via the Internet is also a major help in the handling of medical cases.

Current Employment Positions:
Partner

Areas Of Practice:

• Medical Malpractice
• Litigation & Appeals
• Professional Malpractice Law
• Personal Injury — Plaintiff

Litigation Percentage:

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:

• Mississippi, 1975
• Tennessee, 1992
• U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1975
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi, 1975
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Mississippi, 1975

Education:

University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1975

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1969 
B.A., Bachelor of Arts 
Honors: With Distinction 
Major: Economics

Representative Cases:

Senatobia Community Hospital v. Orr, 607 So.2d 1224 (Miss. 1992) 

Scott v. Ball, 595 So.2d 848 (Miss 1992) 

Waldrip v. Turley, 1987 WL 30320 (Tenn. App. 1987) 

Dickey v. Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, 146 F.3d 262 (5th Cir. Miss. 1998) 

Williams v. Chism, 164 B.R. 735 (N.D. Miss. 1994) 

Sperry-New Holland, a Div. of Sperry Corp. v. Prestage, 617 So.2d 248 (Miss. 1993) 

Krieser v. Hobbs, 166 F.3d 736 (5th Cir. Miss. 1999) 

Buford v. Howe, 10 F.3d 1184 (5th Cir. Miss. 1994) 

DeLaughter v. Lawrence County Hosp., 601 So.2d 818 (Miss. 1992) 

Drummond v. Buckley, 627 So.2d 264 (Miss. 1993)

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association, 1992 – Present
• Member, Board of Governors
• American Bar Association, 1998
• Co-chair, Section of Healthcare Law

 

Birth Information:
1947

Honors and Awards :
Listed in Best Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, and Super Lawyers.

 

Practicing: Medical Malpractice