Notable Cases

Personal Injury/Wrongful Death

On behalf of surviving spouse, achieved settlement in confidential amount for burns and subsequent death following explosion and fire secondary to breached gas distribution line.

Personal Injury/Trucking Accident.

$1.5 million recovery on behalf of a family that was severely injured when the operator of a tractor trailer ran a red light causing a T-bone collision. After further investigation, it was determined that the operator of the tractor trailer had been distracted by his cell phone conversation.

Class Action.

On behalf of a putative class of electric service customers of Georgia Power, pursued refund suit for overcharges and to enforce tariff against public utility. See Georgia Power Co. v. Cazier, 321 Ga. App. 576 (2013); Cazier v. Georgia Power

Class Action – Teachers’ Retirement.

Represented plaintiffs in a class action challenging suspension of contributions to employees’ tax-sheltered annuity plan, leading to a court-approved settlement of $117.5 Million for the class. See DeKalb Co. Sch. Dist. v. Gold, 307 Ga. 330 (2019).

Class Action – Credit Life Insurance Litigation

Homeowner obtained a home refinance loan where the lender included more credit life insurance than was necessary to pay off his mortgage. Successful class action litigation challenged these predatory lending tactics to rob homeowners of the

Class Action – Health Insurance Renewal Premium Increase Litigation

A policyholder purchased small group health insurance before he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The company unlawfully increased the premiums because of the diagnosis. Successful class action litigation provided 5,000 Georgia

Class Action – Home Depot Data Breach Litigation

In a multidistrict litigation case involving the exposure of personal financial information of more than 40 million customers, Barnes Law Group served as Liaison Counsel with lead responsibilities for pursuing the consumer case claims in

Class Action – Payday Lending Litigation.

Successfully pursued several class action lawsuits against payday lenders who charged more interest than the law allows. His efforts in this litigation resulted in payday lenders being required to refund up to $44 million in unlawful interest and

Class Action/Unfair Premium Rating Practices.

On behalf of a class of Georgia consumers, won class certification and obtained a $12 Million settlement against insurance company in suit alleging unfair premium rating practices for group health insurance. American Medical Security v. Parker, 284

Employment/Wrongful Discharge.

For former chief executive officer, won dismissal of indictment in long-running prosecution alleging corporate malfeasance, successfully asserting defenses of statutory business judgment, consent/ratification, and statute of

Employment/Wrongful Discharge.

In Re: Equifax, Inc., Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, No. 1:17-MD-02800-TWT (ND Ga.) (data breach class action resulted in settlement fund of $425 million)

In Re: Home Depot Data Breach Litigation, No. 14-MD-2584-TWT (ND Ga.) (data breach class action resulted in settlement fund of $13 million)

In Re: Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. Data Security Litigation, No. 1:17-CV-1035-AT (N.D. Ga. 2017) (putative data breach class action was certified as a settlement class for $2 million)

Elaine Ann Gold, Amy Jacobson Shaye, Heather Hunter, Roderick Benson, et al, v. DeKalb County School District and DeKalb County Board of Education, CAFN: 11CV3657 (class action against the Board of Education over pension contributions settled for $117.5 million)

Fast Sign Company, Inc. v. American Home Services, Inc., CAFN: 2003-CV-77276, Superior Court of Fulton County ($459 million judgment for TCPA violations)

Greene v. Cash America, Inc. (CAFN: 2004A7104-6, State Court of Cobb County, Georgia) ($34 million class action settlement for payday lending violations)

Business Litigation/Accounting; Negligent Misrepresentations

Following a 5-week trial in a Cobb County case alleging improper accounting oversight and negligent misrepresentations, won appellate opinion affirming the $10 Million verdict for the plaintiff. PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP v. Bassett, 293 Ga.App. 274 (2008).

Business Litigation/Lender Liability

Member of trial team winning $75 million verdict in lender-liability case against financial institution for developer-client.

Business Litigation/Triple Net Lease

On behalf of landlord, successfully argued appeal involving interpretation of long-term, “triple net” lease for commercial property. NW Parkway v. Lemser et al, 309 Ga.App. 172 (2011)

Business Litigation/Racketeering

On behalf of a restaurant franchisor, was part of a trial team that won a defense verdict in federal court, vindicating the client and his firm against allegations of fraud, racketeering and claimed damages exceeding $20 Million. Peterson v. Sprock, 2009 WL 631219 (N.D. Ga. 2009)

Business Litigation

First Center, Inc. v. Delta Comm. Credit Union (CAFN: 10-1-7119-40, Superior Court of Cobb County, GA.) ($75 million judgment for commercial lending litigation)

Product Liability/Trailer Sway/Vehicle Rollover

In a highway rollover and trailer sway case, a Texas physician and his family were towing a 30-foot travel trailer with a Ford SUV near Birmingham, Alabama. A passing semi caused the travel trailer to begin swaying, causing a violent rollover crash that killed the physician and a passenger. Successfully represented the surviving spouse and children in a products liability claim against the manufacturers of the SUV, the travel trailer and the ineffective anti-sway device

Roof Crush/Vehicle Rollover Litigation

$1.5 million recovery on behalf of a family that was severely injured when the operator of a tractor trailer ran a red light causing a T-bone collision. After further investigation, it was determined that the operator of the tractor trailer had been distracted by his cell phone conversation.