Who We Are

Mr. Blasio formed Western Litigation, Inc. in 1994 and has been responsible for strategically growing the company into an industry leader in the management of litigation and risk for the healthcare industry.

Prior to joining Western Litigation, Inc., Mr. Blasio was engaged in private legal practice in Chicago for eight years, where he specialized in the defense of physicians and hospitals in professional negligence matters and in the defense of insurers in insurance coverage disputes. 

Mr. Blasio graduated cum laude from Lawrence University in 1981 and he received his Juris Doctorate, with Honors, from The George Washington University in 1984. 

Phone: 713-935-8820
E-Mail: robert_blasio@ajg.com

Amy obtained a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Political Science, from the University of North Texas. She graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 1996 and began private practice focusing on first party bad faith and insurance coverage issues. She joined Western Indemnity Insurance Company/Frontier HealthCare as a claims attorney in August 1999 where she managed medical malpractice claims and lawsuits throughout the United States. She began working for Western Litigation, Inc. in May 2000 as a Claims Attorney. In 2005, Amy became one of the WLI's service team leaders, and in 2006 she was promoted to Executive Vice President and continues as one of WLI's five service team leaders.

Phone: 713-935-2424
E-Mail: amy_evans@ajg.com

Sharon graduated with honors from the University of Texas Health Science Center in 1982, with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing, and remains devoted to her nursing career by remaining currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in Texas. She received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1988 and spent several years in private practice specializing in the defense of medical malpractice, toxic tort and products liability litigation. She joined Western Indemnity Insurance Company ("WIIC") in 1993 as Loss Control Specialist and then joined Western Litigation, Inc. in 1994 as an Assistant Vice President. Sharon then returned to WIIC where she developed an expertise in risk and claims management. In 2001, she returned to WLI as a Vice President. In 2006, Sharon was promoted to Senior Vice President and is one of WLI's five service team leaders.

Phone: 713-935-8835
E-Mail: sharon_addicks@ajg.com

Diana received a business degree from Oklahoma State University and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Tulsa. She worked for twelve years in the financial area prior to attending law school. Diana graduated magna cum laude from South Texas College of Law in 1993. She worked in private practice focusing on employment litigation, business litigation, first party bad faith and insurance coverage. Diana joined Western Indemnity Insurance Company/Frontier Healthcare in 1997, managing medical malpractice claims. She joined Western Litigation in June 2001, but left soon thereafter to move to Moscow, Russia with her husband. Diana returned to the U.S. and to WLI in June 2003. In 2006, she was promoted from Vice President to Senior Vice President and is one of WLI's five service team leaders.

Phone: 713-935-2483
E-Mail: diana_christensen@ajg.com

Lee received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1986 after earning a Bachelor's degree in History from Baylor University. During sixteen years in private practice, she was involved in trying medical malpractice, commercial general liability, and employment discrimination cases. She became a senior member in the law firm of Hirsch, Sheiness & Garcia, L.L.C., and she served as the managing member for the firm's four Texas offices. Lee has also served of counsel to the law firm of Mason, Coplen, Shuchart, Hutchins & Banks of Houston, Texas, which specializes in insurance coverage and coverage litigation. She joined Western Litigation Inc. in 2002, and in 2006 was promoted from Vice President to Senior Vice President. Lee is one of WLI's five service team leaders.

Phone: 713-935-8831
E-Mail: lee_shuchart@ajg.com

Vanetia K.  Wetherspoon is a veteran in the insurance claims industry with 25 plus years experience.  She has worked in some form of the insurance industry or in a related area, almost continuously, since taking her first claims position in 1984.   Vanetia’s experience includes claims work in the property and casualty area.   But most notably, she first worked in the medical malpractice arena in 1992, when she started work as a claims attorney for nationwide physician carrier ICA located in Houston, Texas.  From that time, Vanetia relocated to Dallas, Texas to further her professional goals, and she worked as an in-house trial attorney for a large nationwide insurance carrier. She went on to be affiliated with Tenet Health System as a claims attorney.   While there, Vanetia was promoted to handle a challenging nationwide physician claim program.   Due to recognition given her by clients in the  physician program she was working with, Vanetia was ultimately offered the opportunity to take  on a senior claims position with insurance carrier PHICO, and then later she went on to work at TIG Specialty.  At TIG, she was hired in a management capacity to head up a litigation management department, a position which involved her first direct foray into internal and external compliance management.  While there, Vanetia helped to formulate and monitor internal as well as external litigation management compliance, in the form of performance metrics for staff and outside defense counsel, as well as with respect to state, federal and industry related regulatory matters.

Most recently, in Vanetia’s last position before coming aboard with Western Litigation, she was recommended in 2002 to go aboard with ACE USA, a nationwide excess reinsurance carrier based in New York City.  Vanetia was the audit compliance VP, and with ACE for approximately 8 years.  While with ACE she was also instrumental in helping to establish the medical malpractice claims department, helping to build the department from its infancy, overseeing the claims handling of claims staff, as well as helping to institute key policies and procedures from the inception.  Due to Vanetia’s extensive insurance claims and compliance background and breadth of experience, she has now come full circle professionally, and was recently tagged to return to Houston and become a part of the dynamic and fast growing, Western Litigation team.  Her responsibilities include overall leadership of the company’s internal and external compliance and audit department,  including but not limited to .the development and maintenance of internal guidelines for claims handling procedures and performance metrics, and  implementation of quality internal and external control measures  such as developing training procedures for incoming claims personnel; working with management leaders to conduct ongoing assessments of all professional staff and staff education based on identified audit results; and ensuring compliance with HIPAA, Medicare MMSEA reporting and all relevant federal and state regulations.

Vanetia professional accomplishments also include a host of writing achievements within industry related settings on topics of importance to those involved in the field of medical malpractice claims and compliance/regulatory matters.  She has published articles for DRI, the nationwide medical malpractice defense lawyer’s organization, in its professional publication, “For the Defense,” capturing a nomination for the G. Thomas Duffield Award, for one of the five top best articles submitted in any given year. Likewise, she has chaired the annual medical malpractice conference for DRI, as well writing for Mealy’s and other professional publications.  She is a magna cum laude graduate of Southern University in Baton Rouge and of the University of Texas School of Law, as well as a member of the State Bar of Texas. 

Phone: 713-935-2489
E-Mail: vanetia_wetherspoon@ajg.com

Laura earned her Bachelor's degree from Southwestern University in 1990. Prior to attending law school, she helped manage her family's business, American Medical Equipment Company, which is Houston's largest independently-owned home medical equipment company. Laura received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1997. She spent seven years in litigation, concentrating her practice in insurance coverage and defense of cases involving personal injury, medical malpractice, and commercial general liability. Laura joined Western Litigation, Inc. in August 2004 as a Claims Attorney and is currently a Vice President.

Phone: 713-935-8877
E-Mail: laura_cook@ajg.com

Paula began her healthcare career in the accounting department with Healthcare Insurances Services in May, 1989, which was acquired by Gallagher Healthcare in 2003.  In 2004, she moved over to Western Litigation to oversee the accounting department.  Paula has over 20 years of healthcare accounting experience in financial accounting, general ledger, audit and bank reconciliation procedures. Prior experience was working with a CPA firm doing tax returns and general ledger projects.

Phone: 713-935-8866
E-Mail: paula_prestridge@ajg.com

Sara graduated cum laude from Texas Christian University in 1991 and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center in 1994. During Sara's ten years in private practice, she specialized in medical malpractice, commercial litigation, general insurance defense and coverage matters. She joined WLI in November 2001 and, after a brief return to private practice in late 2002, Sara returned to WLI in 2004 as a Claims Attorney and now serves as an Vice President.

Phone: 713-935-8825
E-Mail: sara_kvale@ajg.com

Kathy attended Ohio State University, majoring in Business Administration. Her work history includes 27 years of insurance industry experience, of which 16 years were spent with CNA Insurance Company. Her responsibilities included management and oversight of the large loss claims nationwide to ensure they were timely and properly investigated, reserved and managed aggressively to conclusion. Kathy originally came to WLI in May of 2000, and in September 2002, she left to accept a position with Duke Energy managing their world-wide Self Insured Property and General Liability program. She returned to WLI in 2004 and is an Assistant Vice President.

Phone: 713-935-2422
E-Mail: kathy_franks@ajg.com

Judy graduated from the University of N.C. at Charlotte in 1979 with a B.A. degree in psychology.  After college she obtained her adjusters license and worked for Liberty Mutual in the workers compensation area.  She began working in the accounting department of Healthcare Insurance Services (HIS) in December 1989.  Shortly before HIS was acquired by Gallagher Healthcare, 2003, she began working in the accounting department at Western Litigation.  In addition to her work at Western she sits on the board of a local non-profit which focuses on raising awareness and research funds for metabolic disorders.

Phone: 713-935-8861
E-Mail: judy_owens@ajg.com

Stan graduated from Texas A&M University in 1989 and was a member of the University's Honors Program. Stan received his Juris Doctorate with Honors, cum laude, from the University of Houston in 1993. While in law school, Stan was a research assistant, an editor of a law journal, and a member of The Order of the Barons. From 1993 until 2006, Stan was engaged in civil trial work in Houston, Texas. He worked at national and international law firms defending professional negligence claims, insurance bad faith matters, and representing domestic and international insurers in coverage disputes. In 2006, Stan joined Western Litigation, Inc. as a Claims Attorney.

Phone: 713-935-8821
E-Mail: stan_proctor@ajg.com

Tara graduated with honors from Louisiana State University in 1999 and received her law degree from Loyola University School of Law in 2003. Prior to joining WLI as a Claims Attorney in 2007, Tara was in private practice in New Orleans, where she focused her practice on insurance defense, mass tort and product liability litigation.

Phone: 713-935-2413
E-Mail: tara_burregi@ajg.com

Kelli graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor's Degree in psychology. She received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 2002. While in private practice, Kelli specialized in the areas of tort and insurance defense litigation and represented insurance companies in workers' compensation matters. Kelli joined Western Litigation in 2006 as a Claims Attorney.

Phone: 713-935-2440
E-Mail: kelli_rester@ajg.com

Gabe obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a minor in History, from Texas A&M University in 2002.  Upon graduation, Gabe worked for a U.S. Representative in Washington, D.C., prior to attending law school.  In 2007, Gabe received his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law and began working for an insurance defense law firm, concentrating his practice on medical malpractice defense.  Gabe joined Western Litigation, Inc., in August 2010 as a Claims Attorney.

Phone: 713-935-2432
E-Mail: gabe_sassin@ajg.com

Elisa obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Texas A & M. She graduated from The University of Texas School of Law in 1986. She has over 20 years experience managing medical malpractice claims, first as a litigator and later with Third Party Administrators and an Insurance Company.  She began private practice focusing on defending health care providers in 1986.  She joined Dynamark Risk Management in 1989 where she managed medical malpractice claims and lawsuit throughout the United States. She began working for Toplis and Harding in 1992 as Senior Litigation supervisor continuing her focus on professional liability. She was subsequently named Casualty Department manager. Elisa Joined Alliance Risk Management as Vice President of Claims in 1995 focusing on hospital and physician group liability. She joined CNA as claim specialist in 1999 and was ultimately promoted to Director of the Southern Region. Elisa joined WLI in 2010 as a Claim Attorney.

Phone: 713-935-2417
E-Mail: elisa_cuellar@ajg.com

Sharon graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1992 and received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1999. During Sharon's nine years in private practice, she specialized in medical malpractice, products liability, and toxic torts. She joined WLI in December 2007 as a Claims Attorney.

Phone: 713-935-2419
E-Mail: sharon_miller@ajg.com

Manuel attended the University of Houston with a major in Business Administration. He has over 6 years of experience working for the District Clerks office where he was a clerk for Judges in both the Civil and Family Courts. Prior to joining Western Litigation, Inc. he worked for Campbell, Zukowski, Bresenham & Woods specializing in HealthCare Liability, General Liability and Medical Malpractice. Manuel joined WLI in 2003 as a paralegal and later became a Claims Analyst.

Phone: 713-935-2434
E-Mail: manuel_becerra@ajg.com

Christine graduated from Texas A&M University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science and received her Master of Arts in Fitness and Human Performance from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2005. Prior to joining WLI, she worked for J. Fred Bayliss, P.C., focusing on corporate and real estate law. Christine joined WLI in August 2002 as a Legal Assistant and is currently a Claims Analyst.

Phone: 713-935-8884
E-Mail: christine_bailey@ajg.com

Ericka attended Texas Southern University and later received her Associates Degree from the Center for Advance Legal Studies in 1997.  She has worked as a paralegal/legal assistant for over 13 years and is a current member of the State Bar of Texas – Legal Assistants Division.  Ericka is currently attending California University of Pennsylvania to obtain her Bachelor of Science Degree in Sport Management.  Prior to joining WLI, she worked for the law firm of Kacal, Adams & Law, P.C., focusing on medical malpractice and insurance defense.  Ericka joined WLI in June 2006 as an administrative legal assistant and is currently a Claims Analyst.

Phone: (713) 935-2431
E-Mail: ericka_douglas@ajg.com