On August 26, 2024, the Georgia Court of Appeals found that, for direct action purposes, Georgia’s Motor Carrier Act includes rideshare companies. This ruling came in the form of plaintiff’s interlocutory appeal of the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of a rideshare company’s liability insurer for an accident that occurred in June of 2020. Georgia’s Motor Carrier Act allows a plaintiff to add the Motor Carrier’s insurer as a named defendant in a case, which is contrary to the general rule disallowing a direct action against a liability insurer. This is obviously unwelcome news as the Motor Carrier Act is designed for commercial trucking cases and specifically excludes other forms of transportation for hire such as taxis or other forms of ridesharing (such as government authorized carpools). However, it may not be quite as bad as it seems. This ruling does not create any new regulatory framework or requirements for rideshare drivers that would be applicable to trucking companies such as driver logs, pre-trip inspections, and mandatory drug tests after accidents. Further, effective July 1, 2024, the statute under which the Court of Appeals based its decision has changed. Under the new version of the statute, plaintiffs may only join insurers of motor carriers to lawsuits when the motor carrier is insolvent/bankrupt or either the motor carrier or the driver cannot be personally served (O.C.G.A. § 40-1-112(c)). Therefore, under the current version of the statute, a plaintiff may not add a TNC’s liability insurer as a matter […]

Waldon Adelman Castilla McNamara & Prout is proud to have 7 lawyers awarded in the 2025 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. This tradition of recognizing outstanding legal talent through a rigorous peer-review process ensures that the awarded lawyers meet the highest standards of professional excellence. In a saturated market, clients need confidence that the very best in the industry are handling their most critical matters. Our firm was recognized in the practice areas of Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants. For more information on the Best Law Firms rankings, please visit the Best Law Firms website. The Best Lawyers in America (2025 Edition) Jonathan M. Adelman- (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021) Insurance Law Litigation – Insurance Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants  Daniel C. Prout (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2022) Insurance Law Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants  Kevin Reardon (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025) Insurance Law Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch In America (2025 Edition) Sarah W. Britt (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2025) Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants  Rakhi D. McNeill (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2023) Insurance Law Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants  Andrew Panella (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2023) Insurance Law Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants  Alexandra M. Svoboda (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America since 2021) Insurance Law Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Waldon Adelman Castilla McNamara & Prout is proud to announce its commitment to the Mansfield Certification process for the 2024-2025 period. This marks the firm’s ongoing dedication to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Mansfield is a year-long certification process designed to ensure that all qualified lawyers, including women, underrepresented racial and ethnic lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities, have equal opportunities for leadership positions. By participating in this program, Waldon Adelman reaffirms its commitment to creating a more inclusive legal profession. “We are proud to be part of the growing number of law firms dedicated to Mansfield Certification,” says Jonathan Adelman, Partner. “This initiative aligns perfectly with our firm’s values and our commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that fostering a culture of inclusivity is essential to our success and to the success of our clients.” Mansfield Certification involves a rigorous process that requires firms to identify and consider qualified candidates for leadership roles, including partners, committees, and governance boards. The program also emphasizes transparency and accountability, encouraging firms to share best practices and learn from one another. Waldon Adelman strives to create a workplace where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive and contribute to the firm’s success. By participating in the Mansfield Certification process for another year, the firm is taking a proactive step towards achieving this goal.

A link to the article can be found by clicking: GDLA article

Our firm has always strived to provide a work environment where diversity is encouraged.  Not only does a diverse culture benefit us as members of society, it also benefits our clients and the entire legal community.  We are proud to announce that our firm has achieved Mansfield Certification following an 18-month diversity audit.  The Mansfield Certification recognizes the structural changes and actions we have taken to diversify leadership in our firm by broadening the slate of talent considered for internal leadership roles and increasing transparency with written and accessible advancement processes and role descriptions. The goal of Mansfield is to increase and sustain diversity in law firm leadership through a science-driven method that embeds accountability, transparency, and knowledge sharing into our talent practices. We know that with diverse leadership comes more inclusive and equitable decisions that reflect the needs of our diverse workforce for the benefit of our talent and clients.   Mansfield aims to increase and sustain diversity in leadership within firms by expanding the pool of women lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, and underrepresented racial and ethnic lawyers considered for firm governance roles, equity partner promotions, client pitches, Chambers awards, and more.  #Mansfield #MansfieldRule #DiversityLab #MidsizeMansfield

WACHP is pleased to announce that its has name Matt Hurst as a partner.

WACHP is pleased to announce that it has named Ben Harbin as partner.

Please join us in congratulating Rakhi McNeill, Alexandra Svoboda, Casey Brown, Andrew Panella, Daniel Prout, Jr, and Jonathan Adelman on being recognized by their peers for the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in America. This distinction is provided to those who rank among the top 5% of private practice attorneys nationwide.

Our firm has always been at the forefront of tackling the legal, factual, and discovery issues relating to medical funding companies, both on the trial/appellate and legislative fronts.  Georgia’s collateral source rule, Georgia’s very low bar for admitting medical bills into evidence, and Georgia’s lack of regulation has provided fertile ground for medical funding companies.   Please join our partner Ashley Rice as she moderates an Atlanta Bar Association panel on these issues on February 11, 2022, beginning at 8:00 a.m. (Link: Litigation Section Zoom Breakfast – Atlanta Bar CLE Calendar)

WACHP congratulates our partner, Hilliard Castilla, on being sworn in as Judge Pro Tem for the State Court of Fayette County. Hilliard will continue practicing with our firm while serving the fine citizens of Fayette County.