Publications & Presentations

An article written by Elissa Haynes, Chair of Drew Eckl & Farnham's Appellate practice group and YLD President for the State Bar of Georgia, was recently published to the October edition of the Georgia Bar Journal. "I also recognize that I would not be where I am today if it were not for the countless hours my mentors spent teaching me not only how to practice law, but how to be a leader in the legal profession."Elissa b. haynes, georgial bar journal, october 2021 Aptly titled, "From Mentee to Mentor: Encouraging the Next Generation of Leaders," Haynes details the impact of receiving mentorship on her own career development and highlights the transition from mentee to mentor. ... Continue Reading

OSHA information to keep in mind. OSHA and its 10 Regional Federal Offices along with 28 individual states have state sponsored plans that cover workers: Private Sector Workers — Most private sector employers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions are covered directly through Federal OSHA or through an OSHA-approved state plan.State and Local Government Workers — Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by Federal OSHA, but have may have protections through an OSHA-approved state program.Federal Government Workers — OSHA's protection applies to all federal agencies. OSHA does not fine federal agencies, but monitors ... Continue Reading

Reviewing your Health and Safety Program is key. How often do you review your Health and Safety Program?How do you go about the review?Do you use a checklist to review important aspects of the Program?Do you hire an outside consultant? A review of your program can reveal areas of change in your business and the need to adapt.  There are a number of tools an resources out there to help start this process. Among the many things I would recommend you review are your OSHA 300 logs for injuries, your near misses since the last review, any new equipment or chemicals, and any redesigned spaces in your work environment.  Spending a little time and money reviewing your program can ... Continue Reading

Drew Eckl & Farnham partner and Chair of the Appellate Practice group, Elissa Haynes, was recently featured in an article published by the American Bar Association, "Costly Collisions: A Small-Town Personal Injury Case Sends a Powerful Message to the Trucking Industry." The article discusses the recent rise in popularity of nuclear verdicts, which are "multimillion-dollar damages verdicts significantly higher than expected given the injuries in the case, generally in excess of $10 million," specifically within the trucking and transportation industry. “We are seeing a significant portion of verdicts that are out of proportion,” [Haynes] says. “Juries are not understanding the true ... Continue Reading

Here are a few suggestions and things you might consider having in place should OSHA show up. 1.  Who is going to interact with OSHA?  2.  Is that same person going to coordinate the OSHA investigation and inspection?  3.  Should that person be your safety director?   4.  Would having your OSHA attorney involved in the inspection be beneficial?  5.  What if that person is on vacation or out of the office?   6.  Do you have a back-up? 7.  Where are the documents OSHA will likely want to review located?   8.  Can you easily access your OSHA logs, your safety program, your training ... Continue Reading

I am often asked when a work-related injury needs to be recorded on an employer's 300 log under OSHA regulations, and often find that the reporting requirement for serious injuries is sometimes misunderstood or completely missed.  Remember that for serious injuries, an employer must report to OSHA, not just record the injury in its log.   Employers must report any worker fatality within 8 hours and any amputation, loss of an eye, or in-patient hospitalization of a worker within 24 hours.  Not sure what qualifies as an amputation or a hospitalization?  Check out the link below to the OSHA FAQs for answers to these and other common reporting questions. Reporting ... Continue Reading

"Douglas Burrell, an Atlanta-based partner with Drew Eckl & Farnham and president-elect of the Defense Research Institute (DRI), an organization representing civil defense lawyers and in-house counsel, said diverse mediators can break through cultural differences to aid the resolution of cases... Stalled mediations due to cultural misunderstandings can result in increased claim costs. 'Sometimes, there are subtle cultural clues that people wouldn’t pick up unless you are from that culture,' said Burrell."Carrier Management, Douglas Burrell Partner and Co-Chair of Drew Eckl & Farnham's Diversity Committee, Douglas Burrell, was recently featured in an article published by Carrier ... Continue Reading

Hurricane season has started and injuries are often the unfortunate result of the cleanup of storm-related damages .  A recent alert came across my desk regarding potential hazards associated with cleanup, and I took a particular interest in the comments about using portable generators.  Remember the potential hazards that can result from the use of portable generators.  In order to keep yourself and other cleanup operators safe, remember: 1. DO NOT use generators indoors2. DO inspect your generator before use, including fuel lines3. DO keep your generator away from doors, windows, or vents that can allow fumes into a structure4. DO start your generator before connecting ... Continue Reading