Experience Matters

Bishop v. Osborn Transp., Inc., 838 F.2d 1173 (11th Cir. 1988)

Bishop v. Osborn Transp., Inc., 687 F. Supp. 1526 (N.D. Ala. 1988)

Willett v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama, 953 F.2d 1335 (11th Cir. 1992)

East v. Long, 785 F. Supp. 941 (N.D. Ala. 1992)

East v. Long, 785 F. Supp. 945 (N.D. Ala. 1992)

Snead v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., No. CV-94-N-0226-M, 1994 WL 774632, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Dec. 22, 1994)

Musick v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 81 F.3d 136 (11th Cir. 1996)

Ex parte Metro. Life Ins. Co., 679 So. 2d 686 (Ala. 1996)

Davidson v. Quorum Health Grp., Inc., 1 F. Supp. 2d 1321 (N.D. Ala. 1997), aff’d sub nom. Davidson v. Quorum Health Grp., 141 F.3d 1190 (11th Cir. 1998)

In re Emp’t Discrimination Litig. Against Ala., 453 F. Supp. 2d 1323 (M.D. Ala. July 09, 2001)

Anderson v. UnumProvident Corp., 322 F. Supp. 2d 1272 (M.D. Ala. Nov. 07, 2002)

Reynolds v. Ala. Dept. of Transp., 295 F. Supp. 2d 1298 (M.D. Ala. Dec. 19, 2003)

Anderson v. UNUM Provident Corp., 369 F.3d 1257 (11th Cir. May 13, 2004)

SCI Ala. Funeral Serv., Inc. v. Lanyon, 896 So. 2d 495 (Ala. Aug. 27, 2004)

Garmon v. Liberty Life Assur. Co. of Bos., 385 F. Supp. 2d 1184 (N.D. Ala. 2004)

Wilcox v. Standard Ins. Co., 340 F. Supp. 2d 1266 (N.D. Ala. 2004)

Oliver v. Coca-Cola Co., 397 F. Supp. 2d 1327 (N.D. Ala. 2005), aff’d, 497 F.3d 1181 (11th Cir. 2007), reh’g granted, opinion vacated in part, 506 F.3d 1316 (11th Cir. 2007), and adhered to in part on reh’g, 546 F.3d 1353 (11th Cir. 2008), and aff’d in part, rev’d in part, 546 F.3d 1353 (11th Cir. 2008)

Oliver v. The Coca-Cola Co., 397 F. Supp. 2d 1318 (N.D. Ala. 2005), aff’d in part, rev’d in part sub nom. Oliver v. Coca-Cola Co., 546 F.3d 1353 (11th Cir. 2008), and aff’d in part, rev’d in part sub nom. Oliver v. Coca Cola Co., 497 F.3d 1181 (11th Cir. 2007), and aff’d in part, rev’d in part sub nom. Oliver v. Coca-Cola Co., 546 F.3d 1353 (11th Cir. 2008)

Williamson v. UnumProvident Corp., 2005 WL 6731769 (E.D. Tenn. Oct. 21, 2005);

Dubose v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., No. 4:04-CV-1473-RDP, 2005 WL 8157967, at *2 (N.D. Ala. Dec. 22, 2005)

Griswell v. Reliance Standard Ins. Co., 209 F. App’x 888 (11th Cir. 2006)

Burroughs v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., 446 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (N.D. Ala. 2006), vacated and remanded, 248 F. App’x 64 (11th Cir. 2007)

Burroughs v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., No. CV 01-PWG-1863-M, 2006 WL 8436671, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Feb. 27, 2006), report and recommendation rejected, No. CV 01-AR-1863-M, 2006 WL 8436689 (N.D. Ala. June 14, 2006), superseded, 446 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (N.D. Ala. 2006), vacated and remanded, 248 F. App’x 64 (11th Cir. 2007), and report and recommendation rejected, 446 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (N.D. Ala. 2006), and vacated and remanded, 248 F. App’x 64 (11th Cir. 2007)

Burroughs v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., No. CV 01-AR-1863-M, 2006 WL 8436689, at *1 (N.D. Ala. June 14, 2006), superseded, 446 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (N.D. Ala. 2006), vacated and remanded, 248 F. App’x 64 (11th Cir. 2007)

Anderson v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., 414 F. Supp. 2d 1079 (M.D. Ala. Feb. 13, 2006) 

Hibbard v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. 3:05-CV-00856-JEO, 2006 WL 8437615, at *1 (N.D. Ala. June 19, 2006)

Watson v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., No. 4:05-CV-1591-RDP, 2006 WL 8436697, at *1 (N.D. Ala. July 21, 2006)

Burroughs v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., No. 01-AR-1863-M, 2006 WL 8436714, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Aug. 25, 2006)

Poonawala v. AIG Claim Servs., Inc., No. 4:06-CV-1990-RDP, 2006 WL 8436586, at *1–2 (N.D. Ala. Nov. 20, 2006)

Burroughs v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., 248 F. App’x 64 (11th Cir. 2007)

Nolte v. BellSouth Corp., 2007 WL 120842 (N.D. Ga. Jan. 11, 2007)

Anderson v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., 2007 WL 604728 (M.D. Ala. Feb. 22, 2007); 

Poonawala v. Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburg, PA, No. 4:06-CV-1990-RDP, 2007 WL 9711329, at *1 (N.D. Ala. June 11, 2007)

Oliver v. Coca Cola Co., 497 F.3d 1181 (11th Cir.), reh’g granted, opinion vacated in part, 506 F.3d 1316 (11th Cir. 2007), and adhered to in part on reh’g, 546 F.3d 1353 (11th Cir. 2008)

Taylor v. Broadspire Servicing, Inc., No. 1:07-CV-00562-MHS, 2008 WL 11407383, at *1 (N.D. Ga. Mar. 18, 2008), aff’d, 314 F. App’x 187 (11th Cir. 2008)

Taylor v. Broadspire Servicing, Inc., 314 F. App’x 187 (11th Cir. 2008)

Golden v. Sun Life Fin., Inc., 2008 WL 2782736 (M.D. Ala. July 15, 2008)

Johnson v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., No. 4:07-CV-2203-VEH, 2008 WL 8869743, at *1 (N.D. Ala. July 31, 2008)

Tebbetts v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Ala., 2008 WL 4080768 (M.D. Ala. Sep. 02, 2008)

Scott v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., No. 4:07-CV-2166-VEH, 2008 WL 11424303, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Oct. 30, 2008)

Scott v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., No. 4:07-CV-2166-VEH, 2008 WL 11424302, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Dec. 4, 2008)

Ruple v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. CV-07-RRA-1298-M, 2009 WL 10703532, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Feb. 4, 2009), subsequently aff’d sub nom. Ruple v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 340 F. App’x 604 (11th Cir. 2009)

Ruple v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 340 F. App’x 604 (11th Cir. 2009)

Burroughs v., Broadspire, 323 F. App’x 730 (11th Cir. 2009)

Allen v. Monsanto Co., 2009 WL 426546 (N.D. Fla. Feb. 20, 2009)

McCay v. Drummond Co., Inc., No. 4:08-CV-1978-VEH, 2009 WL 10691359, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Mar. 2, 2009)

Kirby v. Hartford, No. 4:08-CV-848-VEH, 2009 WL 10703312, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Mar. 6, 2009)

Traywick v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., No. 4:08-CV-1893-VEH, 2009 WL 10703974, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 16, 2009)

Morgan v. Standard Ins. Co., No. CV-08-BE-0504-M, 2009 WL 10703304, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 30, 2009)

Smith v. Life Inv’rs Ins. Co. Of Am., 2009 WL 1743906 (W.D. Pa. June 18, 2009)

Amos v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., No. CV-08-BE-2165-M, 2009 WL 1804989, at *1 (N.D. Ala. June 24, 2009), aff’d, 362 F. App’x 48 (11th Cir. 2010)

Tebbetts v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Ala., 2009 WL 1850537 (M.D. Ala. June 26, 2009)

Allstate Indem. Co. v. Ivey, 653 F. Supp. 2d 1215 (N.D. Ala. June 26, 2009)

Douthard v. Amcor PET Packaging, USA, Inc., No. 4:09-CV-65-VEH, 2009 WL 10703731, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Sept. 3, 2009)

In re Life Inv’rs Ins. Co. of Am., 589 F.3d 319 (6th Cir. Dec. 17, 2009)

Amos v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 362 F. App’x 48, 49 (11th Cir. 2010)

Glover v. Amcor PET Packaging, USA, Inc., No. 4:09-CV-65-VEH, 2010 WL 11614569, at *2 (N.D. Ala. Feb. 4, 2010)

White v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. 4:09-CV-02384-JEO, 2010 WL 11613988, at *1 (N.D. Ala. June 24, 2010)

McCay v. Drummond Co., Inc., No. 2:08-CV-1978-VEH, 2010 WL 11614323, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Aug. 16, 2010)

Ray v. Sun Life & Health Ins. Co., 752 F. Supp. 2d 1229 (N.D. Ala. 2010), aff’d, 443 F. App’x 529 (11th Cir. 2011)

Shepard for Est. of Strickland & Davis Int’l, Inc. v. Strickland & Davis Int’l, Inc., No. 4:02-CV-707-RDP, 2011 WL 13233476, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Jan. 3, 2011)

White v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. 4:09-CV-02384-JEO, 2011 WL 13285742, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Mar. 11, 2011)

Moore v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 2011 WL 2559627 (M.D. Ala. June 27, 2011)

Moore v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 799 F. Supp. 2d 1290 (M.D. Ala. July 13, 2011)

White v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. 4:09-CV-02384-JEO, 2011 WL 13285549, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Oct. 26, 2011)

Ray v. Sun Life & Health Ins. Co., 443 F. App’x 529 (11th Cir. 2011)

Harvey v. Standard Ins. Co., 275 F.R.D. 629 (N.D. Ala. 2011)

Harvey v. Standard Ins. Co., 787 F. Supp. 2d 1287 (N.D. Ala. 2011)

McCay v. Drummond Co., 823 F. Supp. 2d 1221 (N.D. Ala. 2011), aff’d, No. 2:08-CV-1978-VEH, 2012 WL 13089021 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 6, 2012), and aff’d, 509 F. App’x 944 (11th Cir. 2013)

Rutenberg v. Standard Ins. Co., No. CV-10-BE-3214-E, 2012 WL 13026758, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Mar. 23, 2012)

McCay v. Drummond Co., Inc., No. 2:08-CV-1978-VEH, 2012 WL 13089021, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 6, 2012)

Rutenberg v. Standard Ins. Co., No. CV-10-BE-3214-M, 2012 WL 13026909, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 9, 2012)

Huffstutler v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., No. 4:11-CV-3325-VEH, 2012 WL 1424922, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 20, 2012)

Fitch v. Adesta, LLC, No. 4:11-CV-4246-VEH, 2012 WL 1886128, at *1 (N.D. Ala. May 18, 2012)

In re Bakery & Confectionery Union & Indus. Intern. Pension Fund Pension Plan, 865 F. Supp. 2d 469 (S.D.N.Y. June 06, 2012) 

Yarborough v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., 2012 WL3150269 (S.D. Miss. Aug. 01, 2012)

Huffstutler v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., No. 4:11-CV-3325-VEH, 2012 WL 4344735, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Sept. 17, 2012), aff’d, 540 F. App’x 902 (11th Cir. 2013)

Melech v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 2012 WL 4210506 (S.D. Ala. Sept. 18, 2012) 

Karns v. Disability Reinsurance Mgmt. Servs., Inc., 879 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (N.D. Ala. 2012)

Karns v. Disability Reinsurance Mgmt. Servs., Inc., 879 F. Supp. 2d 1298 (N.D. Ala. 2012)

Fitch v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., 913 F. Supp. 2d 1253 (N.D. Ala. 2012)

Harvey v. Standard Ins. Co., 850 F. Supp. 2d 1269 (N.D. Ala. 2012), aff’d, 503 F. App’x 845 (11th Cir. 2013)

McCay v. Drummond Co., 509 F. App’x 944 (11th Cir. 2013)

Harvey v. Standard Ins. Co., 503 F. App’x 845 (11th Cir. 2013)

Huffstutler v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 540 F. App’x 902 (11th Cir. 2013)

Moore v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 949 F. Supp. 2d 1201 (M.D. Ala. June 10, 2013)

Fife v. Coop. Benefit Administrators, Inc., No. 4:12-CV-3602-VEH, 2013 WL 12146736, at *1 (N.D. Ala. July 2, 2013)

Spivey v. Cigna Corp., 2013 WL 4874139 (M.D. Ala. Sept. 12, 2013)

Fife v. Coop. Ben. Adm’rs, Inc., No. 4:12-CV-3602-VEH, 2013 WL 5519720, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Oct. 1, 2013)

Harvey v. Standard Ins. Co., No. 4:13-CV-1674-VEH, 2013 WL 5818429, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Oct. 29, 2013), aff’d, 556 F. App’x 934 (11th Cir. 2014)

Spivey v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 2013 WL 6511919 (M.D. Ala. Dec. 12, 2013)

Blair v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 955 F. Supp. 2d 1229 (N.D. Ala. 2013), aff’d, 569 F. App’x 827 (11th Cir. 2014)

Blair v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 569 F. App’x 827, 828 (11th Cir. 2014)

Melech v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 739 F.3d 663 (11th Cir. Jan. 06, 2014) 

Wilson v. Standard Ins. Co., No. 4:11-CV-02703-MHH, 2014 WL 358722, at *2 (N.D. Ala. Jan. 31, 2014), aff’d, 613 F. App’x 841 (11th Cir. 2015)

Beckham v. Liberty Life Assur. Co. of Boston, 4 F. Supp. 3d 1266 (M.D. Ala. Mar. 18, 2014) 

Alcantara v. Bakery & Confectionery Union & Indus. Intern. Pension Fund Pension Plan, 751 F.3d 71 (2nd Cir. May 01, 2014); 

Blair v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., No. 4:13-CV-1789-VEH, 2014 WL 12821144, at *1 (N.D. Ala. May 12, 2014)

Caudle v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 33 F. Supp. 3d 1288 (N.D. Ala. June 27, 2014) 

Smith v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 33 F. Supp. 3d 1324 (N.D. Ala. July 30, 2014) 

• Successfully argued and won motion requiring insurer to hand over internal documents, procedures, and compensation information

Fife v. Coop. Ben. Administrators, Inc., No. 4:12-CV-3602-VEH, 2014 WL 4470718, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Sept. 10, 2014)

Till v. Lincoln Nat. Life Ins. Co., 2014 WL 6895285 (M.D. Ala. Dec. 05, 2014)

Oliver v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 55 F. Supp. 3d 1370 (N.D. Ala. 2014), aff’d, 613 F. App’x 892 (11th Cir. 2015)

Oliver v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 613 F. App’x 892, 895 (11th Cir. 2015)

Wilson v. Standard Ins. Co., 613 F. App’x 841 (11th Cir. 2015)

Lewis v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Ga., 2015 WL 1475610 (M.D. Ala. Mar. 31, 2015)

Pruitt v. Am. Gen. Life Ins., No. 4:14-CV-1162-TMP, 2015 WL 1524412, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 3, 2015)

Till v. Lincoln Nat. Life Ins. Co., 107 F. Supp. 3d 1240 (M.D. Ala. May 21, 2015)

Melech v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 2015 WL 4744356 (S.D. Ala. Aug. 11, 2015)

Blair v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 167 F. Supp. 3d 1272, 1275 (N.D. Ala. 2016)

Reyes v. Bakery & Confectionery Union & Indus. Int’l Pension Fund, — F. Supp. 3d —- 2016 WL 1109308 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 22, 2016); 

• Successful defense of motion to dismiss class action representing thousands of retirees in a large number of companies.

Gooden v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am. & Unum Group Corp., 2016 WL 3059752, (E.D. Tenn. Mar. 30, 2016)

Lawrence v. Nation, 2016 WL 1576340 (M.D. Ala. Apr. 13, 2016)

Till v. Lincoln Nat’l Life Ins. Co., — F.Supp.3d —- 2016 WL 1631796 (M.D. Ala. Apr. 25, 2016)

Reyes v. Bakery and Confectionery Union and Indus. Intl. Pension Fund, 281 F. Supp. 3d 833 (N.D. Cal. 2017) 

• Approving settlement of class action protecting the retirement benefits of thousands of employees

Campbell v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 283 F. Supp. 3d 1138, 1140 (N.D. Ala. 2017) 

• Successfully obtaining an award of attorneys’ fees after successfully winning favorable a decision on an ERISA claim.

Campbell v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 247 F. Supp. 3d 1255, 1256 (N.D. Ala. 2017) 

• Convincing the court to correct certain aspects of its prior favorable decision finding that the ERISA insurer’s decision was unreasonable

Reyes v. Bakery and Confectionery Union and Indus. Intl. Pension Fund, 14-CV-05596-JST, 2017 WL 1345629, at *1 (N.D. Cal. Apr. 12, 2017) 

• Preliminarily approving a proposed settlement of a class action protecting the retirement benefits of thousands(?) of employees.

Campbell v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 2:14-CV-00623-JEO, 2017 WL 1682587 (N.D. Ala. Mar. 30, 2017)

• Successful argument that the court cannot craft a new decision in order to partially uphold an insurer’s denial of benefits.

Morgan v. Provident Life and Accident Ins. Co., 2:17-CV-00262-SGC, 2018 WL 9617737, at *2 (N.D. Ala. Mar. 8, 2018), adhered to, 2:17-CV-00262-SGC, 2018 WL 9617738 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 2, 2018) 

• Successfully arguing that an insurer should not be able to indiscriminately have public filings sealed from the light of day.

Watkins v. Goodyear Pension Plan, No. 4:17-CV-461-VEH, 2018 WL 1964591, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 26, 2018)

Brooks v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 3:17CV676-MCR-GRJ, 2018 WL 6839058, at *1 (N.D. Fla. July 5, 2018) 

• Successfully arguing that the court should deny ERISA insurer’s request for the case to be remanded due to failure to exhaust

Shultz v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 398 F. Supp. 3d 1188 (M.D. Ala. 2019) 

• Successfully obtaining a very substantial award of attorney’s fees after obtaining favorable decision after lengthy ERISA litigation, both of which are no small feat in Alabama. 

Washburn v. AT&T Umbrella Benefit Plan # 1, No. 4:18-CV-00647-CLM, 2020 WL 705077, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Feb. 12, 2020)

Cofield v. Hartford, No. 4:18-CV-00607-SGC, 2020 WL 2218935, at *1 (N.D. Ala. May 7, 2020)

Parks v. Mut. of Omaha Ins. Co., 5:20-CV-388-CLS, 2020 WL 3791884, at *1 (N.D. Ala. July 7, 2020) 

• Successfully arguing that the court should permit an intentional infliction of emotional distress claim to proceed against a life insurer.

Nunnelly v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., No. 4:19-CV-01383-HNJ, 2020 WL 4691367, at *1 (N.D. Ala. July 9, 2020)

Smith v. Hartford, No. 4:20-CV-00041-CLM, 2020 WL 4815143, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Aug. 19, 2020)

Lemons v. Principal Life Ins. Co., 2:18-CV-01040-CLM, 2020 WL 7352514, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Dec. 14, 2020) 

• Successfully convincing the court to correct its previous ruling and allowing the bad faith claim to proceed to a jury.

Lemons v. Principal Life Ins. Co., 497 F. Supp. 3d 1192 (N.D. Ala. 2020), on reconsideration in part, 2:18-CV-01040-CLM, 2020 WL 7352514 (N.D. Ala. Dec. 14, 2020) 

• Successfully convincing the court that a major insurer had been wrongfully applying the terms of its regular occupation rider to the detriment of its insureds.

Nunnelly v. Life Insurance Company of North America, 2021 WL 2826430, at *1 (N.D.Ala., 2021)

Ex parte Aladdin Mfg. Corp., 305 So. 3d 214 (Ala. 2019), reh’g denied (Mar. 27, 2020), cert. denied sub nom. Aladdin Mfg. Corp. v. Water Works and Sewer Bd. of the Town Ctr., 141 S. Ct. 1258 (2021)