JENELLE R. EVANS is a Partner in the firm's Litigation section and is a member of the Products Liability and Casualty Litigation Practice Group.  Her practice focuses on defending personal injury and death cases arising out of products liability, negligence, and wantonness claims.  These claims arise in a variety of different contexts, including electrical cases, automobile accidents, consumer products, and premises owner cases.  Ms. Evans serves as national counsel for a product line manufactured by a generic pharmaceutical company and also serves as Alabama counsel for large corporations in the area of asbestos litigation.  Another significant part of Ms. Evans practice deals with OSHA and its regulations.  She provides counseling and compliance assistance to employers and also defends employers in proceeding before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Representative Experience

• Box v. Alabama Power Company - This was a negligence and wantonness case that was filed in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama. The plaintiffs alleged that their house burned as a result of the negligence of Alabama Power Company. Obtained summary judgment in favor of Alabama Power Company.
• Milam v. Ameron International - This was a products liability case in the Northern District of Alabama. Allen Baker and Jenelle Evans represented the manufacturer of underground piping. Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Ameron and were affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit. The case settled while the Court had the Daubert challenges under submission.
• Rodgers v. Alabama Power Company - This was a case filed in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama in which plaintiff, a contract's employee, alleged negligence and wantonness claims after he fell on Alabama Power's premises. Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Alabama Power.
• Secretary of Labor v. Southern Nuclear Operating Company - The Secretary of Labor sued Southern Nuclear for alleged violations of OSHA's asbestos regulations. Assisted in the discovery process, including depositions, preparing dispositive motions, and a five-week trial before an Administrative Law Judge. Prepared post-trial brief on issues presented at trial. The case settled during the appeal.
• Secretary of Labor v. Wrenn-Brungart - The Secretary of Labor sued Wrenn-Brungart for violations of the forklift standard. Represented Wrenn-Brungart in trial before the Administrative Law Judge. Prepared post-trial brief on issues presented at trial. The Administrative Law Judge found in favor of Wrenn-Brungart on all counts.
• Self v. Alabama Power Company - In this case filed in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama, the plaintiff asserted a wrongful death claim after her husband was electrocuted when he walked a boom line into power lines. The decedent was employed by a subcontractor on a worksite. The case settled on the morning of trial.
• Smalls v. International Fire Protection - Wrongful death case that was filed in Jefferson County, Alabama. Allen Baker and Jenelle Evans defended a sprinkler system inspection company against claims of wrongful death brought by the plaintiff whose child died in a fire. The case settled on the morning of trial.
• Stovall v. Alabama Power Company - This was a negligence and wantonness case filed in the Circuit Court of Walker County, Alabama. The plaintiff alleged that his building was destroyed by a fire resulting from a power surge. Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Alabama Power Company.
• Walls v. Alpharma, Inc. - This was a products liability case filed in the Northern District of Alabama. Steve Casey and Jenelle Evans defended the generic pharmaceutical manufacturer against the plaintiff's claims that her daughter suffered birth defects as a result of the plaintiff's use of lindane during pregnancy. The case involved fourteen medical causation and damages experts. Challenged five of the plaintiff's seven experts and participated in a three-day Daubert hearing in which we cross-examined three of the plaintiff's experts and presented testimony from two of our clients.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Alabama State Bar
  
• Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
  
• American Bar Association, OSHA Committee
  
• Birmingham Bar Association
  
• Defense Research Institute (DRI)
  

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