Insurance Law Litigation - Insurance Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants Product Liability Litigation - Defendants Transportation Law Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
Edgar M. "Eddie" Elliott IV
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1995 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
A founding member of Christian & Small, Eddie was a long time partner with its predecessor firm, Rives & Peterson, and has been trying cases in federal and state court for more than 30 years. Eddie’s experience includes retail and premises liability, transportation, product liability, pharmaceutical litigation, medical malpractice, and a variety of insurance cases.
He combines his courtroom expertise and knowledge with the best technology available, efficient management of rigorous discovery demands, and an impeccable ability to organize and comprehend massive amounts of documentation. His reputation as a skilled litigator is recognized by his inclusion in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Best Lawyers in America® and Alabama Super Lawyers® in areas including Insurance Law, Transportation Law, Personal Injury Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation.
In addition to Eddie’s extensive experience in virtually all aspects of insurance litigation, he devotes much of his practice to defending commercial transportation carriers, pharmaceutical and drug producers, heavy equipment manufacturers, health care providers and insurance carriers in high-stakes matters involving catastrophic personal injury, professional liability, premises liability, medical malpractice and commercial disputes.
Overview
Birmingham, Alabama
- English
- The University of Alabama, J.D., graduated 1982
- Washington and Lee University, B.A., graduated 1979
- Georgia, 2017
- Alabama, 1982
- Alabama State Bar - Member
- American Bar Association (ABA) - Member, Commercial Transportation Section
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) - Member
- Birmingham Bar Association - Member
- Defense Research Institute (DRI) - Member, Medical Malpractice Committee
- Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel - Member
- International Association of Defense and Corporate Counsel (IADC) - Member
- Transportation Lawyers Association - Member
- Trucking Industry Defense Association - Member
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
- English
- Georgia, 2017
- Alabama, 1982
- Alabama State Bar - Member
- American Bar Association (ABA) - Member, Commercial Transportation Section
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) - Member
- Birmingham Bar Association - Member
- Defense Research Institute (DRI) - Member, Medical Malpractice Committee
- Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel - Member
- International Association of Defense and Corporate Counsel (IADC) - Member
- Transportation Lawyers Association - Member
- Trucking Industry Defense Association - Member
- The University of Alabama, J.D., graduated 1982
- Washington and Lee University, B.A., graduated 1979
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Transportation Law, Birmingham (2019)
- Insurance Law, Birmingham (2012)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Insurance Law
- Litigation - Insurance
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Transportation Law
- Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Food and Beverage Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation
Special Focus:
- Bad Faith
- Coverage
- Defense
- Liability Insurance
- Litigation
- Medical Malpractice
Awards:
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2011-2016 in the fields of insurance law, transportation law and personal injury defense litigation; 2013-2016 in the field of mass tort litigation defense
- AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
- Selected for inclusion in Alabama Super Lawyers® in fields of transportation/maritime, personal injury defense (products and medical malpractice) (since 2008) and 2012-2015 in field of civil litigation defense
News & Media
Additional Information
Case History
Cases
- Life Insurer Lead Counsel
Served as lead counsel for a life insurer accused of fraud in the sale of its life insurance policies by hundreds of its Alabama policyholders. After exhaustive and highly disputed discovery, he successfully negotiated a satisfactory resolution of that statewide litigation for the insurer.
- National and Local Retailers
Represents both nationally-based and local retailers in premises-related litigation. These cases include claims by retail customers allegedly injured by products on display, customers allegedly injured by retail warehouse racking displays, third-party contractors allegedly injured by conditions on retail premises, customers allegedly injured in drive-through service areas, customers allegedly injured by foreign matter in food purchased, attendees allegedly injured at concert events, and customers allegedly injured from trip- or slip-and-fall on fixed or foreign substances.
- National Transportation Carriers
Represents national transportation carriers in litigation ranging from claims dealing with personal and catastrophic injury to matters involving property and cargo damage, labor and employment disputes, and fraud allegations. Obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a national transportation client in a jury case involving a catastrophic collision.
- National Dietary Supplement-Pharmaceutical Drug Litigation
Served as both national coordinating counsel and liaison counsel in national dietary supplement–pharmaceutical drug litigation, in federal and state courts. This was one of only four cases assigned to the Northern District of Alabama by the Federal Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation. Christian & Small appeared in three of those matters.
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