The Alabama legislature in its most recent session passed House Bill 73 capping any increase in property taxes at Seven Percent (7%) from the prior year’s valuation (the “Cap”). This Cap applies to both residential (Class III defined properties) and commercial properties (Class II defined properties). Governor Ivey signed the bill into law on May … Read More
Partner F. Todd Weston, working alongside his former Chicago colleagues from Foran Glennon, successfully concluded a two-week trial in Etowah County, Alabama with the jury returning a $4.5 million verdict for the subrogated property insurer and insured clients. The claims resulted from a catastrophic fire spreading throughout the defendant’s 60,000-square-foot warehouse. The fire that destroyed … Read More
Discovery Plan Developing a discovery plan is an important part of the overall strategic plan for any case, including TFA cases. With the help of experts, a defense strategy should focus on the plaintiff’s pre-incident and post-incident condition. Pre-incident Condition Obtain the plaintiff’s pre-incident medical/mental health records. Review the plaintiff’s pre-incident education and employment records, … Read More
Christian & Small is pleased to welcome Riley L. Brown as the newest associate in the Birmingham office. Riley’s practice primarily focuses on insurance defense, commercial trucking and transportation litigation, and premises liability. Riley began her career as an associate for an insurance defense firm in Austin, Texas, where she gained experience litigating both first- … Read More
Christina May Bolin was recently named Co-Chair of the Property Insurance Section of the American College of Coverage Counsel (ACCC). She is one of only three attorneys in the State of Alabama to have been invited and accepted into ACCC. The American College of Coverage Counsel (ACCC), established in 2012, is the preeminent association … Read More
Diagnosing a Traumatic Brain Injury There are at least ten separate criteria for diagnosing TBIs. Symptoms commonly include: vomiting or headache lethargy or confusion paralysis, coma, or loss of consciousness dilated pupils or vision changes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) appearing from the ears or nose droopy eyelid or facial weakness loss of bowel control or bladder … Read More
Christian & Small is pleased to welcome 2024 Summer Associates: Katie Applebaum, Savannah Harris, William Philpot, Eric Posas, Sam Rickert, and Stephen Snypes. Jim Pattillo, Summer Associate Partner, stated, “We are very excited to welcome this year’s summer associate class to the firm. This group of future litigators represents diverse backgrounds and experiences. I’m excited … Read More
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final Rule https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/noncompete-rule.pdf banning non-competition agreements. The FTC claims the Rule promotes competition by “protecting the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation”. In support of the Rule, the FTC Chair Lina M. Khan stated: “[n]oncompete clauses keep … Read More
Today, the Alabama Supreme Court released an important opinion in Ex parte State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, SC-2023-0528 (April 5, 2024). The Court held “that the accrual date for a direct uninsured/underinsured-motorist claim against an insurer is the date of the accident.”Ex Parte State Farm at 16. This holding was in response to the … Read More
