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 Company, 339 Ga. App. 506 (2016); Georgia Power Company v. Cazier, S17G0706 (Ga. Supreme June 18, 2018).
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 equity in their home. The settlement of the case required the lender to refund homeowners up to $13.5 million for illegal insurance premiums and other charges.
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 policyholders with refunds of up to $14 million.
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 the litigation. The BLG team secured preliminary approval of a $20 million nationwide class action settlement that will compensate class members for out of pocket losses due to fraud, provide free credit monitoring for customers and reform Home Depot’s data security measures.
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 finance charges on small loans of $500 or less.
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 Ga. 102 (2008).
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 limitations. State v. Brown, Georgia Court of Appeals Case No. A18A0389 (Dec. 6, 2017); State v. Brown, 293 Ga. 493 (2013); Brown v. State, 322 Ga. App. 446 (2013).
Medical Device/Bad Drug Litigation: Successfully pursued and recovered multidistrict litigation claims for a number of faulty medical devices and recalled drugs, including the Medtronic pacemaker, DuPuy hip implant and Vioxx drug MDLS.
Medical Malpractice – Birth Injury. In an Atlanta birth injury case, medical providers failed to determine that a baby was in breach presentation while the mother was in labor, resulting in the child’s severe oxygen deprivation, brain damage and development of cerebral palsy. BLG secured a recovery that will provide lifelong financial security for the family to meet the special needs and medical expenses associated with the brain injury.
Medical Malpractice/Bowel Perforation. In a bowel perforation case, a resident of North Carolina underwent a routine colonoscopy in Georgia. Mr. Bevis and his team successfully represented the widow in a suit alleging that the surgeon ignored the signs and symptoms of a bowel perforation that caused the patient’s death.
Medical Malpractice/Gastic Bypass. Successfully prosecuted wrongful death action against surgeon and hospital, involving issues of medical malpractice and negligent hospital credentialing, achieving pre-trial settlement in confidential amount.
Medical Malpractice/Gastic Bypass. On behalf of a surviving spouse, successfully prosecuted wrongful death action against surgeon and hospital, involving issues of medical negligence, informed consent, and negligent hospital credentialing, achieving settlement for family in confidential amount.
Nursing Home Negligence/Bed Sores. A resident of South Georgia died as a result of an infected bed sore she acquired while in a nursing home. Mr. Bevis and his team successfully established that the medical standard of care required more aggressive wound care treatment and management that would have prevented the resident’s death.
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.
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. In a roof crush and stability case, a Wisconsin woman was driving a Nissan SUV when it slipped on black ice and rolled down an embankment, pinning her inside the vehicle and rendering her a quadriplegic. Successfully sued the manufacturer contending the roof was not strong enough to withstand a foreseeable rollover crash, securing a recovery that will provide lifelong financial security, and the payment of medical expenses associated with the spinal injury and paralysis.
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.
Special Litigation/Victims of Terrorism. On behalf of two families of victims of terrorism in Iraq in 2004, tried case to judgment in excess of $400 million against a state-sponsor of terrorism and successfully argued federal appeal. Gates v. Syrian Arab Republic, 646 F.3d 1 (DC Cir. 2011). In the same case, successfully pursued enforcement proceedings and defended appeal, culminating in decision on matter of first impression regarding federal anti-terrorism law. Gates v. Syrian Arab Republic, 755 F.3d 568 (7th Cir. 2014).
Special Litigation/Pastoral Confidentiality. On behalf of fellow attorney, overturned adverse award of more than $1 Million of attorney’s fees in appellate opinion that re-examined Georgia law regarding confidential relationships between pastors and congregants. Brewer v. Paulk, 296 Ga.App. 26 (2009).
Special Litigation/SPLOST. On behalf of taxpayer, obtained writ of mandamus against Cobb County school board regarding proper use of proceeds from special purpose local option sales tax for educational purposes. Johnstone v. Thompson, 280 Ga. 611 (2006).
Special Litigation/Leak of Confidential Information. For former DEA agent, secured dismissal of lawsuit alleging improper leak of confidential information from DEA database. Ashcroft v. Randel, 391 F.Supp.2d 1214 (N.D. Ga. 2005).