Women’s Health Litigation Update:

(Birmingham, AL) Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris Representing Women in Mesh Implant Cases

Click here to review the Press Release.

Cory Watson Expands Asbestos Litigation Division

(Birmingham, AL) Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris shareholder Ernest Cory announced today that the Birmingham, Alabama law firm has expanded its practice of Asbestos and Mesothelioma litigation with the addition of attorney Courtney Sach who joins an asbestos law team headed by shareholders Leila H.Watson and Annesley H. DeGaris.

Click here to review the Press Release.

FDA Black Box Warning for Pfizer Smoking Cessation Drug Chantix®
Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris charges Pfizer knew of potential Chantix dangers

(Birmingham, AL) The FDA has mandated a “Black Box Warning ” requiring Pfizer Inc., manufacturer of Chantix®,  to strengthen warnings about the health risks and dangers associated with using the drug. Chantix® (varenicline) is advertised as an aid to help people quit smoking. 

Click here to review the Press Release. | Click here to review the FDA News Release.

Cory Watson Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Contaminated IV Case
Bacteria-tainted IV Bags Connected to Nine Hospital Patient Deaths, Ten Injuries

(Birmingham, AL) Lawyers at Birmingham, Alabama, law firm Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris have filed suit on behalf of a woman who died after receiving contaminated IV nutrition at a Birmingham hospital.  The wrongful death lawsuit charges Meds IV Pharmacy, LLC, company officials and others caused the death of Lunna Powell who died at Princeton Baptist Medical Center March 5 after being administered IV nutrition contaminated with Serratia marcescens bacteria. Ms. Powell’s death is one of nine reported hospital patient deaths and 10 patient injuries tied to contaminated IV solution.  State health officials have said that Meds IV Pharmacy supplied all of the intravenous (IV) fluid bags in the cases that occurred at six Alabama hospitals.

“The death of Lunna Powell was a needless tragedy caused by the reckless actions of people at Meds IV Pharmacy,” said attorney Leila Watson of Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris.  “By supplying the hospital with IV fluids tainted with deadly bacteria, Meds IV endangered the lives of patients, and in the case of Ms. Powell, they caused her death and they must be held accountable,” said Watson.  The suit was filed April 1, 2011, in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama.

According to Alabama public health officials, patients at Cooper Green Mercy Hospital, Medical West, Prattville Baptist Hospital, Princeton Baptist Medical Center, Select Specialty Hospital and Shelby Baptist Medical Center were given IV fluids tainted with bacteria. The Alabama Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are carrying out a joint investigation to determine exactly how the bacteria contamination occurred.  Public health officials say they believe all of the bacteria-contaminated IV bags have been pulled from the supply chain.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama, law firm recognized nationally for its complex litigation including multidistrict litigation, class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. Cory Watson has an extensive practice in consumer litigation, personal injury law and wrongful death cases.

TV News Coverage
Cory Watson files wrongful death suit in Contaminated IV case

Video 1 | Video 2

SuperLawyers Selects 5 Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris Attorneys

April 28, 2011 (Birmingham, AL) Five lawyers at Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris have been elected to the 2011 edition of Alabama SuperLawyers. Attorneys Ernest Cory and Annesley H. DeGaris were chosen in the category of Personal Injury Plaintiff- Products liability. Attorney Leila H.Watson was named to Alabama SuperLawyers in the Class Actions-Mass Torts category. Attorneys Jason Shamblin and Jerome Tapley were named SuperLawyers Alabama Rising Stars 2011.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama personal injury law firm recognized nationally for its practice in complex litigation including multidistrict litigation, class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. Cory Watson has an extensive practice in consumer litigation, personal injury and wrongful death cases. Additional information is available at www.cwcd.com.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris named to Birmingham Business Journal "Top Law Firms" list 2011

March 11, 2011 (Birmingham, AL)  Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris has been named one of Birmingham’s  “Top Law Firms” for 2011 by the Birmingham Business Journal. The list, published annually, recognizes Birmingham’s largest  law firms .

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama law firm recognized nationally for its practice in complex litigation including multidistrict litigation, class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. Cory Watson has an extensive practice in consumer litigation, personal injury law and wrongful death cases. Additional information is available at www.cwcd.com or on Facebook www.facebook.com/CoryWatsonCrowderDeGaris.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris named to Best Law Firms List by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers in America

August 31, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris has been elected to the U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers in America list of Best Law Firms in Alabama , achieving top rankings in the practice areas of Mass Tort Litigation and Class Actions-Plaintiff . The Best Lawfirms list is published in the October, 2010 issues of U.S. News & World Report.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama law firm recognized nationally for its practice in complex litigation including multidistrict litigation, class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. Cory Watson has an extensive practice in consumer litigation, personal injury law and wrongful death cases.

Ninety Three Thousand Hip Replacement Implants Recalled—Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris representing hip implant patients

August 31, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Attorneys at Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris are representing patients who had hip replacement surgery involving hip implant systems that have been recalled. Johnson & Johnson recalled the ASR™ XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASR™ Hip Resurfacing System hip implant systems made by its DuPuy Orthopaedics Inc. unit.

According to DePuy, approximately one in eight patients who had received the recalled hip implant systems required additional hip replacement surgery because of pain or other problems associated with the implants. Historically, initial estimates and reporting of orthopedic product failures by the manufacturers significantly underestimate the true number of device or implant failures.

The hip implant recall affects an estimated ninety three thousand hip replacement systems; more than 29 different models of hip replacement implants are covered by the recall. The recall comes after medical reporting data revealed potential problems with components of the recalled implants.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris has more than twenty years experience in litigation involving the failure of orthopedic devices, including specific litigation against DuPuy involving knees, hips and orthopedic screws.

$1.5 million Verdict in Hernia Patch Case

August 25, 2010 (Providence, Rhode Island) A jury has awarded a $1.5 million judgment to a North Carolina couple for life-altering injuries Christopher Thorpe suffered as a result of being implanted with a Composix Kugel hernia patch manufactured by Davol, Inc. and its parent company, C.R. Bard, Inc. The August 23 verdict came after a two and a half week trial in United States District Court, District of Rhode Island. Attorneys for Christopher and Laure Thorpe argued that the defendants failed to adequately design and test the hernia patch and then failed to warn doctors and patients of known problems with the patch. Following hernia repair surgery in which the patch was implanted in 2005, Mr. Thorpe has undergone three surgeries to repair extensive abdominal injuries caused by the patch.

"This was a life-altering injury for Chris Thorpe. It could have been prevented had Davol acted responsibly after learning the patches were causing injuries and deaths," said attorney Ernest Cory. Mr. Cory noted the patch was recalled five weeks after Mr. Thorpe’s hernia surgery, and many months after other patch-related patient injuries and deaths were reported.

Mr. Cory and attorney Donald A. Migliori of Motley Rice, LLC represented Christopher and Laure Thorpe in the litigation. Cory Watson attorneys Jon C. Conlin, Stephen Hunt, Richard A. Wright and Patrick W. Samuelson also served on the legal team for the case which is part of multidistrict litigation. Mr. Cory also serves as co-lead counsel in multidistrict litigation pending in Federal District Court in Rhode Island. Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris represents plaintiffs in more than 200 other cases involving injuries similar to those suffered by Mr. Thorpe.

Leila H. Watson named to Best Lawyers in America

August 18, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Attorney Leila H. Watson of the Birmingham, Alabama law firm Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris has been selected for inclusion in the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers in America for her work in Mass Tort Litigation and Product Liability Litigation.

Ms. Watson is a founding shareholder of Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris. She has practiced for more than 25 years in personal injury law and plaintiff tort litigation, handling mass tort and class action litigation at the national level.

Lawsuits filed in Huntsville, Alabama and Los Angeles California

August 3, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) A New York Times investigative report about CT scans and radiation overdoses at hospitals in Huntsville, Alabama and Los Angeles, California raises new questions about radiation safety and medical and government oversight. Lawyers with Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris are representing Huntsville Hospital patients who received overdoses of radiation during CT brain perfusion scans. Click here to read the New York Times Investigative Report.

DeGaris Appointed to Board of Alabama Association for Justice

August 2, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Annesley H. DeGaris of Birmingham, Alabama law firm Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris has been named to the Board of Directors of the Alabama Association for Justice. Mr. DeGaris is a founding partner in the law firm Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris, a leading personal injury law firm that is recognized throughout the United States for complex litigation including class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris Partners with North Central Alabama Race for the Cure

July 29, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Birmingham attorney Leila Watson looks forward to seeing old friends every year at the Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris tent at the North Central Alabama Race for the Cure. Many of those friends were Cory Watson clients in the 1990’s when the law firm represented breast cancer patients and others who were injured by silicone gel breast implants. "We personally got to know hundreds of Alabama women who had breast cancer: we saw them, we talked with them. They were incredible people with so much positive energy," said Watson, "They didn’t feel sorry for themselves." For Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris, the implant litigation launched a campaign for women’s health that continues today with sponsorship of the North Central Alabama Race for the Cure.

The firm’s partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, North Central Alabama Affiliate has continued for more than a decade, and like thousands of Komen partners nationwide, Watson has been able to watch dramatic strides made in breast cancer research and treatment. "Every week you read a medical article about a new development in the fight against breast cancer," points out Watson who notes that very little was known about this disease as recently as the 1970’s. The advances in research and treatment are driven by ongoing financial investment and a reliable base of local and national funding. "Susan G. Komen for the Cure has always been there and we are honored to be part of the Affiliate’s sponsorship network. We look forward to great things to come."

2010 Race date- October 9th . Registration and Race information available at www.komenncalabama.org

Lawyer G. Rick DiGiorgio Featured in WSB TV News Investigative Report on Hot Fuel

July 12, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Attorney G. Rick DiGiorgio of Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris was featured in a July 12, 2010 WSB TV News Investigative report on a controversial consumer and gasoline industry issue known as “Hot Fuel”. DiGiorgio and other attorneys represent consumers in class action lawsuits charging gasoline suppliers are ripping off customers at the pump. Click here to read the WSB TV story.

Mr. Giorgio is a founding partner in the law firm Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris, a leading personal injury law firm recognized throughout the United States for complex litigation including mass torts litigation, multidistrict litigation, class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

DeGaris Named to Trucking Litigation Board

June 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Annesley H. DeGaris of Birmingham, Alabama law firm Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris has been named to the National Advisory Board of the Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America, APITLA . Mr. DeGaris is a founding partner in the law firm Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris, a leading personal injury law firm that is recognized throughout the United States for complex litigation including mass torts litigation, multidistrict litigation , class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

As a senior partner, Mr. DeGaris has an extensive practice in individual personal injury and wrongful death cases covering motor vehicle collisions, defective motor vehicles and ATVs, tractor-trailer accidents and toxic exposures. He has litigated cases against major trucking companies, insurance companies, international chemical manufacturers responsible for toxic spills, aircraft manufacturers, and major pharmaceutical companies.

The Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America, ("APITLA") is comprised of attorneys who have joined together to help eliminate unsafe and illegal Interstate trucking practices and make American highways safer through education, litigation and legislation.

"Hot Fuel" Class Action Lawsuit Tells Big Oil To Change Their Ways

June 16, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris attorney Rick DiGiorgio is featured in an ABC 33/40 TV news report on the “Hot Fuel” class action lawsuit that could affect the price consumers pay for their gasoline. DiGiorgio represents plaintiffs in the litigation that accuses oil suppliers of ripping off consumers at the pump.

Canada Health Warnings for Pfizer Smoking Cessation Drug Champix®

June 9, 2010 (Birmingham, AL) Health officials in Canada have added a Boxed Warning to the Pfizer smoking cessation drug Champix® (varenicline) alerting consumers to the risk of neuropsychiatric side effects. The safety warning from Health Canada notes that patients using Champix® in an effort to quit smoking should be aware that neuropsychiatric side effects have occurred in people who have a history of psychiatric disorders and in people who have not suffered psychiatric disorders in the past. In addition to the Boxed Warning, Health Canada issued a Public Communication noting that Champix® patients who drink alcohol may be at increased risk for neuropsychiatric side effects. The advisory also mentions the risk of allergic reactions and side effects ranging from sleepiness and dizziness to loss of consciousness and seizure.

The Health Canada advisory recommends that “Patients should not engage in potentially hazardous activities, such as driving a car or operating heavy machinery until they know how they may be affected by Champix®.” The Pfizer drug is also under fire in the U.S... Champix® is marketed under the trade name Chantix® in the U.S. and similar health alarms were sounded by the FDA nearly a year ago. The FDA 2009 warning noted that the stop smoking drug had been linked to a number of neuropsychiatric side effects including suicide, suicide ideation, depression and aggression. Pfizer, the manufacturer of Champix® and Chantix®, faces lawsuits in the U.S. and Canada as a result of serious injury and death alleged to be associated with its use.

In the United States, all federal Chantix® litigation has been coordinated in federal court in Birmingham, Alabama before Judge Inge Johnson. Attorney Ernest Cory of Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris has been appointed to serve as Lead Counsel for plaintiffs in this litigation. In Canada, Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris and other counsel have filed class actions against Pfizer on behalf of all Canadian citizens injured by the drug.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama law firm recognized nationally for its practice in mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceuticals, class actions, multidistrict litigation and complex litigation including business and securities litigation and environmental litigation.

Alabama SuperLawyers Selects Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris Attorneys

(Birmingham, AL) Attorneys Ernest Cory and Annesley H. DeGaris of Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris, P.C. have been elected to Alabama SuperLawyers 2010 in the category of Personal Injury Plaintiff - Products liability. Attorney Leila H.Watson was named to Alabama SuperLawyers in the Class Actions-Mass Torts category. Ms. Watson was also named one of the Top 25 Women in the Alabama SuperLawyers 2010 survey.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama personal injury law firm recognized nationally for its practice in complex litigation including multidistrict litigation, class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. Cory Watson has an extensive practice in consumer litigation, personal injury and wrongful death cases. Additional information is available at www.cwcd.com.

Cory Watson Lawyers Selected Top Birmingham Personal Injury Attorneys

(Birmingham, AL) Attorneys Ernest Cory, Leila Watson, Annesley DeGaris and Jason Shamblin of Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris, P.C. have been selected Birmingham Top Attorneys 2010 in a peer-review survey sponsored by Birmingham Magazine. Ernest Cory and Leila Watson were voted Top Attorneys in the Personal Injury law category, Annesley DeGaris was elected a Top Attorney in Environmental Litigation and Jason Shamblin was named a Rising Star in the category that honors attorneys under the age of 40.

Attorneys named to the Birmingham Top Attorneys List in Birmingham Magazine were elected by their peers in one of the largest peer review surveys ever done in the area. More than 900 Birmingham attorneys cast votes in the 2010 survey, according to Birmingham Magazine.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama personal injury law firm recognized nationally for its practice in complex litigation including multidistrict litigation, class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. Cory Watson has an extensive practice in consumer litigation, personal injury and wrongful death cases. Additional information is available at corywatsonlaw.com.

Cory Watson Attorney Jason Shamblin featured in CBS News Rhino Expose

In the swath of Kentucky called the Land Between The Lakes, the Turkey Bay Off-Highway Vehicle Area is a rugged expanse of hills and woodlands crisscrossed by 100 miles of trails. Test drivers came here in July, 2002, to try out the Yamaha Rhino...Read More

Click here to review the Press Release.

Cory Watson Expands Asbestos Litigation Division

(Birmingham, AL) Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris shareholder Ernest Cory announced today that the Birmingham, Alabama law firm has expanded its practice of Asbestos and Mesothelioma litigation with the addition of attorney Courtney Sach who joins an asbestos lawyer team headed by shareholders Leila H. Watson and Annesley H. DeGaris.

"We are proud to add Ms. Sach to the firm as we further expand the Cory Watson’s Asbestos litigation group. Alabama is seeing an increasing number of Mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis cases in large part because asbestos related diseases can have a long latency period. Many people being diagnosed with asbestos related diseases today were exposed to the material thirty or forty years ago," said Cory.

Courtney Sach is a graduate of Cornell University and received her J.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law. Her law practice has been devoted exclusively to asbestos litigation for four years. Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama Personal Injury law firm recognized nationally for its practice areas of Complex Litigation, Mass Torts, Class Actions, Pharmaceuticals, Drugs, Defective Medical Devices, Products Liability, Business and Securities Litigation and Environmental Litigation. The firm has an extensive practice in individual personal injury and wrongful death cases covering motorvehicle collisions, railroad grade crossing accidents, defective motor vehicles and ATVs, toxic exposures, dangerous household products, roadway construction failures, workplace and construction site accidents, building and other structural failures, and insurance and consumer lending fraud.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Melanie McCraney mmccraney@cwcd.com (205) 328–2200

FDA Black Box Warning for Pfizer Smoking Cessation Drug Chantix®

Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris charges Pfizer knew of potential Chantix dangers
(Birmingham, AL)       The FDA has mandated a “Black Box Warning ” requiring Pfizer Inc., manufacturer of Chantix®,  to strengthen warnings about the health risks and dangers associated with using the drug. Chantix® (varenicline) is advertised as an aid to help people quit smoking. 

Click here to review the Press Release. | Click here to review the FDA News Release.

Dellaccio Named Shareholder at Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris

(Birmingham, AL) Attorney Douglas A. Dellaccio, Jr. has been named Shareholder at Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris. The appointment was announced today by Senior Shareholder Ernest Cory. Dellaccio’s practice is focused on personal injury, class actions, environmental law and mass torts.

Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is based in Birmingham, Alabama and is recognized nationally for its practice areas of personal injury, mass torts, class-action and complex litigation.