Lawsuits concerning wrongful death, bodily injury and property damage claims can arise in virtually any industry or product line. Parker Poe works closely with our clients to provide liability advice and preventative counseling and, in the event of an accident, to bring cases to resolution through trial or negotiation. Our attorneys have extensive experience dealing with the unique challenges presented by catastrophic claims and mass tort litigation.

Experience Highlights

• Litigation – We represent clients in both state and federal courts in North Carolina, South Carolina and other states, in claims involving wrongful death, bodily injury, property damage, business interruption and other economic losses. Our litigation experience includes multi-district and mass tort litigation as well as class action defense.
• Advice and Counseling – We advise clients on risk avoidance and safety issues as well as accident response and investigation immediately following an accident. Preventative measures include advising clients of potential liability issues and compliance with regulatory requirements such as OHSA. In the event of an incident, we partner with clients to prepare and implement protocols. We also counsel clients on the difficult issue of media relations as well as evidence and document retention policies.
• Appeals – We represent clients in appeals in state appellate courts, the United States Courts of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Experience

• Defended the owner of a pedestrian walkway at a sports venue which collapsed resulting in serious injuries to more than 100 people
• Represented manufacturers of prescription drugs, defending personal injury claims in state and federal courts in North Carolina and South Carolina and in multi-district litigation
• Defended a manufacturer of industrial machinery in litigation arising from an explosion at a plant in Kinston, North Carolina, which caused six deaths, numerous personal injuries and completely destroyed the plant
• Defended manufacturers of medical devices and products such as hip prostheses, surgical staplers, sutures and latex gloves in state and federal courts in North Carolina and South Carolina and in multi-district litigation
• Represented an insurer of numerous poultry producers sued as a result of allegations of groundwater contamination resulting in hundreds of lawsuits for wrongful death, personal injury and water supply contamination in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi
• Represented the ownership entity for the Hamlet/Imperial Foods chicken processing plant in litigation arising from a fire which resulted in the death of 90 individuals
• Defended the manufacturer of polyurethane foam in the San Juan (Puerto Rico) Dupont Plaza Hotel fire litigation, which produced thousands of claims and involved the deaths of 99 individuals
• Defended a manufacturer whose facilities used asbestos-containing materials in construction and in certain equipment, who was sued by contractors who worked in the facilities and claimed to suffer from asbestos-related diseases
• Defended electric utilities in claims involving electrocution, electric shock, burn injuries, stray voltage and fire damage
• Represented a waste management company, defending wrongful death and bodily injury claims resulting from accidents involving trucks and other large vehicles
• Represented the owner of a sporting venue where three individuals were killed and others were injured when debris flew into the stands during an event
• Defended the owner of a plant in which a pit furnace exploded, killing an employee.
• Defended a manufacturing facility where a large chemical tank exploded, killing two independent contractor employees and injuring a third
• Represented a major public utility sued by the estate of a worker who was killed when performing underwater maintenance on one of the utility's hydroelectric dams
• Represented the owner of a landfill where a worker was killed in a collision involving a garbage truck
• Defended trucking and transportation companies, defending wrongful death and bodily injury claims resulting from motor vehicle accidents
• Represented an electrical cooperative company, defending a serious bodily injury claim resulting from an accident that occurred while workers were erecting utility poles

News

• Hankins Appointed Trustee Emeriti at Queens University
  April 30, 2013
• U.S. News Media Group Names Parker Poe Top-Tier Law Firm for 2013
  November 1, 2012
• Kevin Chignell Named 2013 TIDA Annual Seminar Chair
  October 3, 2012
• Parker Poe Grows Again with Addition of Four Associates
  September 15, 2012
• Andrew Bennington Selected for Leadership Raleigh
  July 17, 2012
• Lori Keeton Named Chair of MCB Committee
  June 15, 2012
• NCADA Publication Features Article Written by Jason Benton
  Defending the Excessive Use of Force Claim in its Various Forms
  June 9, 2012
• Hankins Appointed to NC State Bar Disciplinary Hearing Commission
  May 17, 2012
• Josephine Hicks Receives Independent Publisher Book Award
  May 10, 2012
• Parker Poe Attorneys Named SC Super Lawyers for 2012
  March 28, 2012
• Kevin Chignell Named Managing Partner of Raleigh Office
  February 15, 2012
• U.S. News & World Report Names Parker Poe Top-Tier Law Firm for 2012
  Firm Ranked #1 in 33 Legal Areas
  November 1, 2011
• Business North Carolina Names 13 Attorneys to 2011 Legal Elite
  Firm Partner Catharine Biggs Arrowood “Top Vote-Getter” for Antitrust
  January 21, 2011
• 61 Parker Poe Attorneys Recognized as Best Lawyers® for 2011
  August 18, 2010
• New Difficulties in Defeating Apparent Agency Claims
  Liability Alert
  September 1, 2007
• Terry L. Wallace Joins Parker Poe's Charlotte Office
  August 29, 2007
• Discovery in the Electronic Information Age Part II
  March 13, 2006
• Discovery in the Electronic Information Age
  March 2, 2006
• Seventeen Parker Poe Attorneys Among "Legal Elite"
  January 20, 2006
• Parker Poe Attorneys Among The Best Lawyers in America
  September 13, 2005
• Insurance and Business Claims Top the List of Large Verdicts and Settlements in North Carolina
  Liability Alert
  April 26, 2005
• Tort Reform in South Carolina
  Liability Alert
  April 26, 2005
• Waiving Attorney-Client Privilege with a Click of the Mouse
  Liability Alert
  April 26, 2005
• North Carolina Rejects Daubert, But Has Anything Really Changed?
  Liability Alert
  April 26, 2005
• North Carolina Courts Graded on Fairness
  Liability Alert
  April 26, 2005
• Parker Poe Attorneys Honored as The Best Lawyers in America and the "Legal Elite" in North Carolina
  February 28, 2005
• Your Insurance Company is Defending a Lawsuit – Defense Counsel Selection in the Tripartite Relationship
  Coverage Concerns
  February 10, 2005
• E-mail: Think Before You "Send"
  Coverage Concerns
  February 10, 2005
• New Precedent in South Carolina on Environmental Cleanup Costs as "Damages" for Insurance Purposes and a New Understanding of the "Sudden and Accidental"
  Coverage Concerns
  February 10, 2005
• Computer Virus Ruled an "Accident" and "Physical Loss" for Insurance Purposes
  Coverage Concerns
  February 10, 2005
• You Are an Additional Insured. Are You Covered?
  Coverage Concerns
  February 10, 2005
• Announcing Parker Poe's 2004 Fall Associates and Special Counsel
  November 4, 2004
• Business Misconduct Claims Continue to Top the List of Largest Recoveries in North Carolina
  Liability Alert
  June 4, 2004
• Recent Changes to Federal Class Action Rules Will Likely Impact Class Actions in the Carolinas
  Liability Alert
  June 4, 2004
• Think Twice Before Hitting "Delete"
  Liability Alert
  June 4, 2004
• Woodson Update – Recent Cases Confirm High Standard for Plaintiffs
  Liability Alert
  June 4, 2004
• Did You Hear . . .
  Liability Alert
  June 4, 2004
• What's in a "Named"? The Additional Named Insured V. Additional Insured Debate
  Coverage Concerns
  February 26, 2004
• Insurance Carrier Required to Defend Contractor for Loss of Use and Equipment-Related Damages, Even Though Caused by "Faulty Workmanship"
  Coverage Concerns
  February 26, 2004
• Pollution Exclusion Tune Played For Board of
  Coverage Concerns
  February 26, 2004
• Court Rules that Damage to Computer Software is "Not Physical Damage to Tangible Property"
  Coverage Concerns
  February 26, 2004
• John Anderson, Chip Holmes, Ray Jones and Scott Leo Have Become Partners in the Firm
  January 12, 2004
• New Insurance Policies Provide Added Protection for Directors and Officers
  September 10, 2003
• Product Warnings: Manufacturers Beware
  January 30, 2002