Insurance Defense
Bacon, Thornton & Palmer L.L.P. defends insurance companies and self-insured companies in cases involving personal injury, product liability, construction defects and accidents, environmental exposure, retailer and employment liability, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, intentional torts, credit liability, workers compensation, employment law and ERISA claims, and insurance coverage.

With special experience representing retail stores, the firm has the experience and resources to investigate claims, and resolve actions quickly, efficiently and economically for clients.

Personal Injury
Bacon, Thornton & Palmer L.L.P. represents corporate clients and insurers in personal injury actions. When someone claims their injury is caused by a client’s negligence, carelessness or wrongful conduct, Bacon, Thornton & Palmer L.L.P. has the experience to investigate the claim to determine if there is any liability at all, review the relevant medical records and incident reports to determine if the accident happened as claimed, coordinate with other insurers and resolve the claim as efficiently as possible.

Product Liability
When a company or manufacturer is named in a product liability suit a quick, aggressive defense is essential to minimize the prospect of being dragged into a long succession of copycat cases. Bacon, Thornton & Palmer L.L.P. represents manufacturers and insurance companies in product liability suits with the goal of obtaining quick, decisive rulings that absolve the company of liability for an injury.

Construction Defects and Accidents
Construction defect suits alleging defective or negligent construction of a home can be brought against the developer, general contractor, subcontractors and anyone else involved in the construction of the home. At the insurance level, litigation can involve actions by the developer or general contractor against the insurance companies that issued endorsements to the sub-contractors, and actions against insurers that have refused to defend. Bacon, Thornton & Palmer, L.L.P. defends builders and insurers in construction defect suits.

Accidents at construction sites can result in claims of negligence, failure to follow safety measures, failure to warn workers of hazardous conditions and others. Bacon, Thornton & Palmer, L.L.P. defends construction companies, property owners, insurance companies and others in cases involving construction accidents.

Environmental Exposure
Bacon, Thornton & Palmer, L.L.P. has extensive experience defending cases involving toxic and other environmental exposures, including asbestos, lead paint and mold cases. The firm defends manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and landowners in cases involving the manufacture, use and disposal of toxic materials and in product liability and premises liability cases. The firm is actively involved in the defense of asbestos litigation pending in Baltimore City and the District of Columbia, and has successfully defended lead paint claims in both jurisdictions.

Retailer / Employer Liability
Bacon, Thornton & Palmer L.L.P. defends retailers and other employers in cases brought by customers and employees. The firm serves as regional trial counsel to a number a nationally recognized retailers in which capacity it has successfully defended numerous claims alleging false arrest or malicious prosecution suits brought by individuals stopped and questioned by loss prevention departments, as well as various personal injury claims. In addition, members of the firm are pro-active in the area of retailer liability, providing training and investigation consulting services to its clientele, and lecturing at national conferences such as the Defense Research Institute.

Motor Vehicle Accidents
Bacon, Thornton & Palmer, L.L.P. defends insurance companies and insureds in motor vehicle accident claims, including determining if claims are legitimate and if coverage exists, defending the denial of fraudulent claims, and subrogation issues. Substantial differences exist in the motor vehicle laws of Maryland and the District of Columbia, including those related to PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage, with which the firm deals with on a regular basis. The firm has extensive skills in litigation, mediation and arbitration to resolve motor vehicle cases promptly and efficiently.

Intentional Torts
Intentional torts including assault, battery, malicious prosecution, false arrest, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress inevitably raise the issue of punitive damages. The attorneys at Bacon, Thornton & Palmer, L.L.P. have helped shape the laws pertaining to punitive damages. The firm has served as trial and appellate counsel in a number of significant reported opinions defining the limitations for any award of punitive damages in Maryland.

Employment Law / ERISA
Bacon, Thornton & Palmer, L.L.P. represents companies and other employers in cases involving claims of sexual harassment, hostile work environment, wrongful discharge, and discrimination. The firm also has extensive experience working on claims that fall under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), a federal law that regulates the employee benefit plans of nearly all for-profit businesses in the United States. ERISA claims litigation is a specialized area of law that requires specific expertise on the administrative claims procedures, and requires litigation in Federal court.