PHELPS LAW FIRM, LLC

Biography:

Phelps Law Firm's founding member is Tom Phelps.  A native of Birmingham, Tom attended Pelham High School where he graduated as Salutatorian in 1998.  Tom then attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he graduated Cum laude, with Honors, in 2003.  He received numerous awards and served as President of Delta Chi Fraternity. 

Tom majored in Journalism, with minors in Economics and General Business Administration.  Tom worked as the Senior Sports Reporter for the University's newspaper, The Crimson White.  In that capacity, Tom served as the lead football beat writer for two seasons.

Tom always aspired to practice law, and he pursued that goal by continuing his education at Samford University's Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham in 2003.  Tom achieved the Dean's List each semester and received the high honor of being selected to serve on the Cumberland Law Review.  Tom was admitted practice law in Alabama in 2006.

Tom practiced with the Birmingham firm, Bradford & Sears, P.C., from 2006 to 2010, representing clients throughout Alabama in matters involving insurance, bad faith, automobile and trucking accidents, construction, contract disputes, premises liability, and intellectual property. 

In 2010, Tom focused his practice on North Alabama when he moved to the Huntsville office of the prominent Birmingham litigation firm, Gaines, Gault & Hendrix, P.C.  Tom's practice concentrated on the defense of insurers and individuals in personal injury matters, including numerous cases tried to favorable jury verdicts throughout North Alabama.

In 2015, Tom sought to expand his practice with the inception of Phelps Law Firm.  He sought to capitalize on his extensive litigation experience while expanding the practice to better meet the needs of clients in North Alabama.  Phelps Law Firm is a boutique firm which combines the vigorous approach to litigation found in larger firms with the client-centered feel of a family law firm.

When away from work, Tom enjoys spending time with his family as well as playing golf and fishing.  On Saturdays in the fall, you probably will find him at Alabama football games.

Representative Cases:

During the course of his career, Tom has represented individuals and corporations on behalf of numerous insurers, including:  State Farm Automobile, State Farm Fire, MetLife, Farmers, Geico, Penn National, Harleysville, Progressive, GMAC, USAgencies, Access General, and others.

In addition, Tom has tried approximately 30 cases to jury verdicts in Alabama courts.  Some of Tom's best trial results are listed below:

• Jackson v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, Circuit Court of Jefferson County, 2012 - Tom successfully defended an insurer in a jury trial with a defense verdict returned in a personal injury case.  The Plaintiff sustained serious leg and pelvic fractures with medical bills significantly exceeding $100,000.  Tom successfully defended the case on the theory of contributory negligence.

• Dean v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, Circuit Court of Marshall County, 2014 - Tom very successfully defended an insurer in an underinsured personal injury case where liability was undisputed.  The Plaintiff suffered a vascular injury to the leg which required surgery.  The Plaintiff requested a verdict of $250,000 but was awarded only $15,000, significantly below the amount the insurer had offered to settle prior to trial.

• Dunn v. State Farm, Circuit Court of Morgan County, 2014 - A jury returned a defense verdict in favor of Tom's client, an insurer, in an underinsured personal injury action, where liability was clear.  The Plaintiff sustained neck and back injuries in an automobile collision and requested a verdict of $225,000.  Tom successfully defended the case on the issue of medical causation.

• Hill v. Cooper, Circuit Court of Lauderdale County, 2015 - Tom successfully defended a young lady who ran a stop sign while talking on a cell phone.  The jury returned a defense verdict in her favor, although the Plaintiff had claimed substantial injuries to her neck, back and wrists.  The Plaintiff subsequently underwent two surgeries and was approved for permanent disabiity.  Even her physician testified that her injuries were related to the collision.  Tom successfully defended the case on the issue of medical causation.

• Smith v. Harrison, Circuit Court of Madison County, 2012 - Tom's client recevied a defense verdict in his favor where the Plaintiff claimed an automobile collision caused a shoulder injury which subsequently required surgery.  The Plaintiff's surgeon testified that the collision was the cause of the Plaintiff's shoulder injury.  Tom successfully defended the case on the issues of liability and medical causation.

• Hall v. Wright, Circuit Court of Madison County, 2014 - Tom successfully defended a client in a personal injury case where liability was undisputed.  Tom's client rear-ended the Plaintiff at a high speed, and the Plaintiff claimed serious back injuries with high damages.  The jury returned a defense verdict.  The case was won on the issue of causation.

• Jones v. Tuck, Circuit Court of Madison Couty, 2012 - The jury returned a defense verdict in favor of Tom's client in a case involving injuries sustained in a collision on Interstate 565.  Tom's client was driving a truck and towing a trailer loaded with a racecar.  The truck rear-ended the Plaintiff's vehicle, knocking the Plaintiff's vehicle off the roadway and into an embankment.  Despite the injuries and damages, the jury found in favor of Tom's client based on the issue of liability.

Tom has served as counsel on approximately 25 other cases tried to jury verdicts across Alabama.  In addition, Tom has handled numerous cases tried before judges rather than juries in the Courts of Alabama.

Not all cases result in trials.  In fact, the large majority of matters are resolved through informal settlement negotiations or through procedures such as mediation and arbitration.  While our goal always remains the same--to win at trial--we are very aware that the client's best interest often is served without incurring the expense and hassle of a trial.  Tom has successfully resolved hundreds of cases through informal means, often achieving results that would have been unlikely or improbable had the case been tried to a jury.

Over the last eleven years, Tom has handled cases involving personal injury, premises liability, trucking, construction, property issues, business and contracts, appeals, domestic relations, workers compensation, and intellectual property.  Regardless of the type of  case, our goal always remains centered on meeting your needs as efficiently--and as effectively--as possible.

Contact us today to see how we can help you.

Get Results.  Call Today.

(256) 975-4320

tom@phelpslawfirm.net

Tom Phelps