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Walter M. Mason

Walter M. Mason

Background & Contact Information

Walter Mason is a trial attorney who represents individuals and families in high-stakes cases of medical malpractice, wrongful death, civil rights, and catastrophic injury. Known for his strategic judgment, tenacity, and courtroom skill, Mr. Mason has helped recover millions of dollars on behalf of clients whose lives were upended by preventable harm. He guides each case from investigation through verdict or settlement, and is regularly called upon to handle some of the most complex and consequential injury cases in the region.

Email Address: wmason@dkow.com
LinkedIn Profile
800.404.8520
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Education and Academic Distinctions

Juris Doctor, S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah

  • Graduated fourth in class
  • Note and Comment Editor, Utah Law Review
  • Order of the Coif inductee
  • Intern for Justice John A. Pearce, Utah Supreme Court
  • Quarterfinalist, national moot court competition
  • Awards for top performance in:
    • Torts
    • Civil Procedure
    • Constitutional Law
    • Statutory Interpretation
    • Legal Writing

M.B.A., David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah

  • Emphasis on strategic management and finance
  • International business coursework in Tokyo, Japan
  • Human rights consortium at University of Oxford, England

Prior Legal Experience and Advocacy Work

Before joining DKOW, Mr. Mason practiced law at Anderson & Mason with renowned civil rights attorney and former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. Together, they brought bold and consequential litigation advocating for victims of constitutional violations and systemic abuse. Highlights of that work include:

  • Securing justice for a woman denied life-saving medical care while in custody at the Salt Lake County Jail
  • Representing an innocent bystander shot by a police officer
  • Successfully challenging restrictive provisions in Utah’s medical cannabis law
  • Prevailing in a First Amendment challenge against the State of Utah
  • Contesting warrantless NSA surveillance in federal court

These cases deepened Mr. Mason’s commitment to principled, aggressive litigation on behalf of the marginalized and harmed.

Practice at DKOW

At DKOW, Mr. Mason handles a broad range of serious injury and wrongful death cases, with a particular focus on:

  • Medical malpractice
  • Surgical errors and delayed diagnosis
  • Birth injury and fetal death
  • Catastrophic vehicle and trucking collisions
  • Defective products and inadequate warnings
  • Civil rights violations involving government misconduct

He also manages the national opioid litigation on behalf of 18 of Utah’s 29 counties, securing tens of millions in settlements from manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies for their role in the opioid epidemic.

Notable Cases and Appellate Work

Mr. Mason has briefed and argued matters before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Utah Supreme Court, and the Utah Court of Appeals. Those cases include:

  • Feasel v. Tracker Marine LLC et al, 2021 UT 47, in which Mr. Mason helped establish the legal standards that apply in Utah to determine whether product warnings are adequate.
  • Smith v. Volkswagen SouthTowne, 2024 UT App 33, in which Mr. Mason protected the right of a plaintiff to obtain interest on a judgment (in this case, that interest was over $400,000).
  • Mitchell v. Roberts, No. 21-4055 (10th Cir. 2022), in which Mr. Mason advocated for the rights of victims of child sexual abuse to bring claims against the perpetrators.

Recent Notable Victories

Ongoing

  • Opioid Litigation – $62 million on behalf of Utah counties

2024

  • Confidential Award – Two-week medical malpractice arbitration
  • $4.5 million – Birth injury settlement
  • $4.1 million – Wrongful death settlement
  • $3.6 million – Medical malpractice settlement
  • $1.2 million – Medical malpractice settlement
  • $1.1 million – Bicycle injury settlement

2023

  • $10.1 million – Medical malpractice settlement
  • $10 million – Product liability settlement
  • $2.75 million – Medical malpractice settlement
  • $1.7 million  – Wrongful death settlement

Testimonials

“Walter represented me in a medical malpractice case. My wife and I immediately felt good about him. He was always professional and polite. He was really good about educating us on the situation and explaining things for us in a way that didn’t feel condescending at all. We settled the case before we went to trial and felt very good about everything Walter was able to do for us. We felt like he cared, and just overall was a very nice, genuine guy who was there to help us in matters we were not capable of doing ourselves. Walter called when he had questions about details to make sure he had it right, so he could be as prepared as possible. He worked very hard on my case and was very well educated in his field. I always felt 100% confident in him and I feel very thankful to him and the DKOW firm.

Walter is an outstanding attorney! He is mild-mannered and very easy to talk to, but he knows when to dial it up in order to showcase his client’s case. He can be aggressive when needed and when this happens, his talents as an attorney are not to be underestimated. In our case, the deponent was clearly befuddled as Walter expertly dismantled all his responses. Walter will stand by you and your family. He understands you are going through trying times and cares very much about your well-being.”

Les

“The Law firm of DKOWH was great to work with our family when we needed a great attorney. They exhibited professionalism, and strong expertise as well as care and compassion for our family. I would strongly recommend them. Walter Mason in particular was fabulous.”

Sharon Cook

“Walter is an outstanding attorney! He is mild mannered and very easy to talk to, but he knows when to dial it up in order to showcase his client’s case. He can be aggressive when needed and when this happens, his talents as an attorney are not to be underestimated. Walter will stand by you and your family. He understands you are going through trying times and cares very much about your wellbeing.”

Russell Hanson

“I am very fortunate to have retained Walter Mason at the law firm of Dewsnup King Olsen Worel Havas for a malpractice law suit and claim of injury.
Walter was very thorough, leaving no stone unturned. It’s through his attention to every detail that allowed us to make a strong case through this difficult process.

Walter and his staff kept me informed at every turn as he worked his way through the complicated case and it was his diligence that led to a successful outcome for me.

I am very satisfied with the work that Walter did for me and I would recommend him without hesitation.”

Christopher Smart

“The absolute BEST team of lawyers and firm around!! We worked with several lawyers from this firm Colin, David, and Walter who helped us resolve our case. Not only are they top notch at their jobs, but they all became like family to us. We can’t thank them enough! They are extremely knowledgeable, personable, and aggressive when needs be. They always communicated with us every step of the way. They truly have their clients best interest at heart and we highly recommend them!

This law firm holds a group of very experienced attorneys who provide a high end level of client services. They treat their clients very very well. I was very impressed and happy with the professionalism and care this office provided.Their experience showed from start to finish. They do not cut corners anywhere. I would highly recommend this firm.”

Darcie Alldredge

Selected Media:

Summit County stands to receive chunk of $17 billion opioid settlement

Summit County stands to receive chunk of a $26B opioid settlement. But the fate of the deal is up in the air.

Links:

Selected Presentations:

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