Recent News

Attorney Jessica Young was elected to the Board of Directors for Georgia Benefits Counsel.  Georgia Benefits Counsel helps to protect Georgians in LGBT relationships by connecting them with a lawyer who provides basic estate planning documents for however much it would cost a couple to purchase a marriage license in their county of residence.  Services provided by Georgia Benefits Counsel include preparing Last Will & Testament, Advance Directive for Health Care, and Financial Power or Attorney.  GBC is headquartered in Atlanta and travels throughout the state in order to help couples in need of assistance.

For more information visit GBC’s website:  http://www.georgiabenefitscounsel.org/

Langdale Vallotton, LLP is pleased to announce that Partner Pope Langdale, and local attorney, Greg Voyles, successfully resolved what is believed to be one of the larger settlements in the State of Georgia for the condition of fibromyalgia.  This was a heavily litigated case, spanning over 2 years, primarily focusing on the issue of medical causation of fibromyalgia from a traumatic motor vehicle collision.  They enlisted the help of one of the world’s foremost experts, Dr. Daniel Clauw, from the University of Michigan.  As a result of the development of evidence in support of the client’s case, the case was resolved prior to trial for a confidential amount.  Fibromyalgia cases are some of the most difficult cases to litigate as there is no objective signs of injury and the only symptoms of any injury come from the patient’s own complaints of pain.

Attorneys Tina Folsom, Katie Gonos, Jennifer Monroe, and Jessica Young participated in the State Bar of Georgia’s “Ask-a-Lawyer” day at the Goodwill Career & Training Center.  The free advice clinic program is aimed at providing help to local low-income families and seniors.  The General Practice and Trial Law Section partnered with Georgia Legal Services Program and the State Bar of Georgia Pro Bono Project in hosting the event.

The free advice clinics were held in Albany, Augusta, Brunswick, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta Savannah, Valdosta and Woodstock.  Additional locations in Rome, Thomaston and Union County were planned.

Langdale Vallotton attorneys answered various types of legal questions including:  domestic issues, immigration law, landlord/tenant issues, criminal matters, child support, child custody, lemon law, real estate closings, refinancing of a loan, and transfer of real property.

The next “Ask-a-Lawyer day is scheduled for March 15, 2013.  For more information, please see the following link:
http://www.gabar.org/publicservice/Ask-a-Lawyer-Information-for-the-Public.cfm

Langdale Vallotton, LLP Partners Daniel Schert and Pope Langdale successfully resolved a fire loss claim on behalf of a client with a total settlement in excess of $1M.  This was a heavily disputed claim between two insurance companies, both of whom declined to properly adjust the claim.  A number of complicated insurance issues were present in this case, including those of primary and secondary insurance coverage, subrogation, and the complete compensation rule as it impacts an insured in the context of subrogation and property loss.

After deliberating for an hour and a half, a jury returned a not guilty verdict on an indictment charging our client with attempted rape and aggravated sexual battery.  Langdale Vallotton associate, Katie Gonos, and her co-counsel, Zachary Cowart, represented the defendant in the trial.  Had our client been convicted of these serious charges, he would have faced a minimum of twenty five years in prison.  Congratulations to Katie Gonos and Zachary Cowart for a job well done!

Jennifer C. Monroe was recently published in the American Health Lawyers Association’s Enterprise Risk Management Handbook for Healthcare Entities, 2nd Ed.  Jennifer co-authored a chapter entitled Telemedicine and Enterprise Risk Management, focusing on the risk management and regulatory issues associated with healthcare providers, hospitals and health systems using telecommunications technology to deliver healthcare services.  The publication reaches a national readership in the healthcare industry and aims to reduce loss, minimize risk, and create value for healthcare entities.