Beasley Allen’s Atlanta office has secured a $1.25 million pre-suit settlement for a client who was unfortunately involved in a car crash resulting in serious and permanent injuries.

Atlanta (March 5, 2024) – Beasley Allen’s Atlanta office has secured a $1.25 million settlement for a client seriously injured in a car accident.

The crash occurred in November 2023 at the intersection of Ponce De Leon Avenue and Clifton Road in Atlanta. Our client, an 82-year-old woman, was a passenger in a vehicle hit by another car attempting to make a left turn.

Although our client was wearing a seatbelt at the time, the severity of the crash left her with multiple serious injuries including a broken sternum, broken spinal vertebrae (L2) and exacerbation of existing spondylolisthesis.

“Her 82-year-old body was subject to numerous tests, examinations, and above all – pain. She suffered three days in the hospital wondering if these injuries would permanently take her mobile and active life,” Principal Attorney Ken Wilson said.

In addition to receiving physical therapy for at least 16 weeks, our client faces an increased risk of paralysis if she falls, requiring she have in-home care.

“Our client must put full focus on physical therapy to strengthen herself so she can simply walk without pain like she did prior to this wreck – a goal, given her age, she may never attain. This also took away her confidence in caring for herself alone,” Beasley Allen Attorney Preston Moore said. “While no amount of money can fully undo the harm, this settlement will help our client move forward with the financial support she and her family need to continue her life.”

As part of the settlement, Allstate Insurance Company has agreed to pay $100,000 in medical damages.

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Beasley Allen has secured a $2.75 million settlement for the family of a man killed in a house fire caused by a defective product.

The tragic incident happened on Christmas Day in 2017. The victim had advanced Alzheimer’s and was bed-bound. He was being cared for by his certified nursing assistant in a north Alabama residence.

The fire happened after a short occurred in an electrical component of a medical bed accessory. Unfortunately, the family and caretakers inside the home during the fire could not reach the victim due to the heavy smoke.

Beasley Allen principal attorney Ben Locklar worked tirelessly on this case to hold the manufacturer accountable and bring justice to the victim’s family.

“We are pleased that we were able to secure this settlement for the family,” said Locklar. “Their loss is immeasurable, but we hope this outcome will bring them peace as they look for closure.”

Beasley Allen is a leading law firm fighting for justice for over four decades. The firm is dedicated to helping victims of personal injury and wrongful death and to holding those responsible for their actions.

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We applaud the recent filing of a class-action complaint in California federal court against Ashlynn Marking Group, Inc., for failing to disclose the serious risks of addiction posed by Ashlynn’s kratom-containing products. Sadly, kratom is not only causing users to become addicted, it has killed or caused catastrophic injuries to hundreds, if not thousands. And just like with the risks of addiction, the products provide no information to users on the other deadly risks. Because these products can be bought in convenience stores or online by individuals of any age, it’s not just adults who are suffering.

Identifying the appropriate defendants has been one of the most significant challenges, according to Roger Smith and Ryan Duplechin, who are heading up the kratom litigation for Beasley Allen. These kratom companies take every step to hide their operations and the identities of their leaders. As an example, look no further than a recent, multi-part series in the Tampa Bay Times detailing the lengths to which the individuals and entities involved in bringing O.P.M.S.-related kratom products to market have worked to shield their legal and civil liabilities. Fortunately, business-related or other civil lawsuits filed against Payton Palaio and the various entities he has created shed light on how these entities are organized. But more work needs to be done to hold Payton Palaio and his business associates liable for the heartache they have left in the wake of the kratom explosion.

A class-action complaint has been filed in California federal court against Ashlynn Marking Group, Inc. for allegedly not disclosing the severe risks of addiction associated with its Kratom-containing products.

Kratom is known to cause addiction and has resulted in deaths or catastrophic injuries to hundreds, if not thousands, of users. Additionally, the products do not inform users about other deadly risks. These products are available for purchase in convenience stores or online by people of any age, which means it’s not just adults suffering.

Attorneys Roger Smith and Ryan Duplechin, who are leading the Kratom litigation at Beasley Allen, say identifying the appropriate defendants has been one of the most significant challenges. Kratom companies take every step to hide their operations and the identities of their leaders. The individuals and entities in bringing OPMS-related Kratom products to market have gone to great lengths to shield their legal and civil liabilities, as evidenced in a recent multi-part series in the Tamp Bay Times.

Fortunately, the civil lawsuits filed against Payton Palaio and his various business entities have shed light on how these entities are organized. However, more work needs to be done to hold Payton Palaio and his business associates accountable for the harm caused by the Kratom explosion.

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Lawdragon has recognized 18 Beasley Allen attorneys for their work in the legal community.

In 2024, our firm’s attorneys were recognized among the best in five of Lawdragon’s annual guides.

These guides include The Lawdragon Green 500 – Leaders in Environmental Law, 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2024 Lawdragon Hall of Fame and the esteemed Lawdragon Legends.

Toxic Torts Section Head Rhon Jones was selected for The Lawdragon Green 500, which honors the nation’s leading environmental lawyers.

Managing Attorney Tom Methvin was selected for the 2024 Lawdragon Hall of Fame, which honors attorneys included numerous times in various Lawdragon guides, mainly The Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America.

Mass Torts Section Head Andy Birchfield and principal attorneys LaBarron Boone and Kendall Dunson were recognized as being among the 500 leading Lawyers in America. This distinction recognizes attorneys who embody a restless spirit of the law in America.

LaBarron has also been named to the prestigious 2024 Lawdragon Legends, an exclusive group of only 33 of the country’s most exceptional lawyers. Founder Jere Beasley and Lead Product Liability attorney Greg Allen were inducted into the Lawdragon Hall of Fame in 2017 and 2021, respectively.

Birchfield, Boone, Dunson, Methvin and 13 additional attorneys were selected for the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list.

The full list includes:

• Jere Beasley, Founding Attorney
• Greg Allen, Lead Products Liability Attorney
• Andy Birchfield, Mass Torts Section Head
• LaBarron Boone
• Mike Crow
• Kendall Dunson
• Graham Esdale
• Chris Glover, Managing Attorney – Atlanta
• Larry Golston
• Ted Meadows
• Tom Methvin, Managing Attorney
• Dee Miles, Consumer Fraud Section Head
• Leigh O’Dell
• Cole Portis, Personal Injury Section Head
• Dana Taunton
• Navan Ward, Jr.
• Frank Woodson, Managing Attorney – Mobile

Lawdragon 500 recognition is a distinct honor given by one of the most respected groups in the profession. The Lawdragon editorial team selects honorees through research and submissions, considering criteria such as top verdicts and settlements and leadership roles in class actions.

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Eight attorneys from Beasley Allen Law Firm’s Atlanta office have been named to the 2024 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists for their outstanding achievements and peer recognition.

Managing Attorney Chris Glover was recognized for the 10^th time on the list. Three other attorneys from the office were also named. 

Beasley Allen’s 2024 Georgia Super Lawyers:

• Chris Glover – PI Products: Plaintiff
• Parker Miller – PI Products: Plaintiff
• Rob Register – PI Med Mal: Plaintiff
• Thomas Willingham – PI Products: Plaintiff

In addition, four attorneys were included on the Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list, which recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys 40 years old or younger who have been practicing for 10 years or less. 

Beasley Allen’s 2024 Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Stars are:

• Alyssa Baskam – PI Products: Plaintiff
• Elliot Bienenfeld – Class Action **
• Ben Keen – PI General: Plaintiff
• Ken Wilson – Class Action

**New to the list

The Super Lawyers lists are published in Super Lawyers Magazines, a Thomson Reuters business, and leading city and regional magazines across the country. The Super Lawyers Magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. 

For more information, go to superlawyers.com.

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As progress toward bellwether trials and individual personal injury claims increase, 351 new claims have been added to the litigation. As of December, those claims await a decision from Judge Richard Gergel in the United States District Court of South Carolina.

On Dec. 14, Gergel held a fairness hearing to finalize DuPont’s $1.18 billion settlement for municipality water suppliers. Gergel warned that if DuPont continued to object to settlement terms and conditions, it may lead to decades of subsequent litigation.

Another Fairness Hearing is set for early February 2024 for 3M’s $10.3 billion settlement payout to address similar issues.

Of the parties who filed to formalize the initial personal injury bellwether discovery pool, 25 plaintiffs were selected. Included in those were eight claims alleging hypothyroidism and thyroid disease, four claims of ulcerative colitis, eight asserting testicular cancer and five kidney cancer claims.

In January, Gergel granted the parties’ joint motion to extend the discovery deadlines, giving the parties until Jan. 31 to resolve any outstanding discovery disputes.

We remain positive that the mounting pressure to bellwether trials will encourage a global settlement in 2024.

Beasley Allen lawyers in our Toxic Torts Sections are currently investigating claims related to occupational AFFF exposure where individuals have developed cancer, kidney disease, fertility issues, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, and reproductive issues.

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On September 26, 2023, the Court issued Case Management Order No. 2 (CMO2) and its subsequent Amendment, which provided detailed instructions, deadlines, and directives on how Camp Lejeune litigation will proceed.

The order outlined the steps the parties involved in the litigation must take, including submitting pleadings, discovery requests and other relevant documents.

Since the entry of this order, the Plaintiff’s Leadership has filed a master complaint, which is a comprehensive document that outlines the claims and allegations of all the plaintiffs involved in the litigation. The individual plaintiffs have used a short-form complaint, which is attached to CMO2, for filing purposes.

The court decided that the most efficient way to handle the litigation and resolve all claims was to stage discovery and trials by “tracks.” There are three tracks for claims: Track 1, Track 2, and Track 3.

Plaintiff’s Leadership has assembled a group of plaintiffs who may participate in “Track 1” trials. These trials involve five conditions: bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Trials should begin in 2024 after proper discovery is conducted in accordance with CMO2.

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Trucking & Commercial Vehicles Settlement

$1.5 Million Settlement in Trucking case

For more than 40 years, the Beasley Allen Law Firm has been committed to “helping those who need it most.”  

Our attorneys are highly experienced in handling complex cases in courtrooms throughout the United States. In some situations, specific details are too intimate to disclose. 

We never stop working to bring our clients the justice they rightfully deserve. We can work for you too. Contact us for a free case evaluation. You pay us nothing if we do not win for you. 

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Beasley Allen has filed a lawsuit against Amazon on behalf of a client seriously injured in a central Alabama crash.

In August 2023, our client’s vehicle was hit by an Amazon Delivery Service Program vehicle on Hwy. 14 in Elmore County. As a direct result, the client suffered and continues to suffer permanent injuries from the crash.  

The lawsuit alleges, in part, that Amazon negligently entrusted, supervised, monitored and controlled the truck company and the driver through its delivery service program.

Amazon contracts with outside companies to complete deliveries on its behalf, but a recent investigation by The Wall Street Journal revealed that Amazon regularly contracts with unreasonably dangerous trucking companies. The study further revealed that, “Amazon contractors with problematic scores were twice as likely as other contractors to have a crash while working for the company.” 

“Our client was permanently injured due to negligence in hiring and contracting with unsafe trucking companies,” Beasley Allen Principal Attorney Mike Crow said. “This dangerous practice of hiring unsafe drivers has led to numerous deaths since Amazon began the program in 2015. We intend to seek justice for our client and hold Amazon accountable for their actions.”

The lawsuit seeks compensation for our client’s injuries, related losses and punitive damages against the defendants.

It is a reminder that companies are responsible for prioritizing safety and holding their contractors to high standards. Beasley Allen will continue to push for safer roadways and work to ensure safe roads for the public.

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