Attorneys

Joel O. Wooten Jr.
Columbus, Georgia

Partner
phone	(800) 233-4086 (Toll Free) (706) 322-1990
fax	(706) 323-2962
email	Email Me

JOEL O. WOOTEN, JR. B.B.A., Magna Cum Laude, 1972, University of Georgia; J.D. 1975, University of Georgia. Member, University System of Georgia Board of Regents, 1999-2006, Chair 2004-05, Vice Chair 2003-04; President, Columbus Lawyers Club, 1988-89, Executive Committee, 1984-93; President, Columbus Younger Lawyers Club, 1984-85, Executive Council, 1980-83; Younger Lawyers Section, State Bar of Georgia, Executive Council, 1983-97, and Chair, 1990-91; General Practice & Trial Section, State Bar of Georgia, State Bar Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee, Member 1993- 2007, Co-Chair 1997-1999, Chair 1999-2007; Vice Chair, State Bar Federal Courts Liaison Committee 1999-2007. Recipient of the Tradition of Excellence Award from the State Bar of Georgia, 2000. Fellow Lawyers Foundation of Georgia; Chair, Conference of State and Local Bar Leaders 1991-92, General Practice Section, American Bar Association; ABA National Constabar Leader of the Year Award 1993; Chairman, Russell Moot Court Competition; Executive Committee, University of Georgia Moot Court Board. Vice-President, University of Georgia Young Alumni Council, 1981-83; Board of Managers, University of Georgia Alumni Society, 1981-83 and 1989-91; University of Georgia Law School Association Council, 1997-99; Board of Directors, Georgia Center for Law in the Public Interest, 1992-93; Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law; GTLA Vice-President, 1994-97; Member, American Bar Association; State Bar of Georgia; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Federal Bar Association; American Judicature Society; Roscoe Pound Foundation; Georgia Trial Lawyers Association; and Columbus Trial Lawyers Association. Admitted to practice in Georgia, Joel has served as lead counsel in numerous cases including medical malpractice, product liability and motor vehicle cases. He has experience handling all types of litigation including class action, commercial, pharmaceutical, toxic tort and environmental cases.

Areas of Practice:: Environmental; Class Action; Toxic Tort; Product Liability; Motor Vehicle; Commercial Litigation; Negligence; Pharmaceutical; Medical Malpractice

Litigation Percentage:: 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:: Georgia, 1975; U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia, 1976; U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 1990; U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1981; Georgia Court of Appeals, 1975; Supreme Court of Georgia, 1975

Education:: University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia, 1975
J.D.
Honors: Chairman, Russell Moot Court Competition
Honors: Executive Committee, Moot Court Board; University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 1972
B.B.A., Banking and Finance
Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Honors and Awards:: Georgia Trend - 100 Most Influential Georgians, 2005; James Magazine - Most Influential Georgians, 2005; Georgia Super Lawyers 2007; Recipient, Tradition of Excellence Award, State Bar of Georgia, 2000; Fellow, Lawyers Foundation of Georgia; National Constabar Leader of the Year Award, American Bar Association, 1993; Who's Who in America; Who's Who in American Law

Professional Associations and Memberships:: University System Georgia Board of Regents, 2004 - 2005; Chair; University System Georgia Board of Regents, 2003 - 2004; Vice Chair; University System Georgia Board of Regents, 1999 - 2006; Member; Columbus Lawyers Club, 1988 - 1989; President; Columbus Lawyers Club, 1984 - 1993; Executive Committee; Columbus Younger Lawyers Club, 1984 - 1985; President; Columbus Younger Lawyers Club, 1980 - 1983; Executive Council; State Bar of Georgia, Younger Lawyers Section, 1983 - 1997; Executive Council; State Bar of Georgia, Younger Lawyers Section, 1990 - 1991; Chair, Executive Council; State Bar of Georgia, General Practice & Trial Section; Chair 1990-1991, Executive Council 1983-1998; State Bar of Georgia, 1993 - 2007; Member, Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee; State Bar of Georgia, 1997 - 1999; Co-Chair, Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee; State Bar of Georgia, 1999 - 2007; Chair, Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee; State Bar of Georgia, 1999 - 2007; Vice Chair, State Bar Federal Courts Liaison Committee; State Bar of Georgia, 1995 - Present; Bar Center Committee; State Bar of Georgia, 1999 - Present; Advisory Committee on Legislation; ABA Conference of State and Local Bar Leaders, 1991 - 1992; Chair; American Bar Association, General Practice Section; University of Georgia Young Alumni Council, 1981 - 1983; Vice-President; University of Georgia Alumni Society; Board of Managers, 1981-1983 and 1989-1991; University of Georgia Law School Association Council, 1997 - 1999; Georgia Center for Law in the Public Interest, 1992 - 1993; Board of Directors, Founding Member; Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, 1994 - 1997; Vice President; American Bar Association; Member; State Bar of Georgia; Member; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Member; Federal Bar Association; Member; American Judicature Society; Member; Roscoe Pound Foundation; Member; Georgia Trial Lawyers Association; Member; Columbus Trial Lawyers Association; Member

$17,716,401 Verdict / Auto Product Liability / Ford Explorer Rear Restraint System / Lap Only Seat Belt

12/18/2009 Wheeler v. Ford Motor Company, et al., State Court, Clayton County, Georgia.

Plaintiffs Lynn and Douglas Wheeler won their design defect and failure to warn claims against Ford Motor Company relating to the 2002 Ford Explorer. On Christmas morning 2005, 58 year old Lynn Wheeler was on her way to church with her family. Lynn Wheeler was seated in the rear center seat of her son’s 2002 Ford Explorer, wearing the lap-only seat belt Ford installed for that seating position. Two of Lynn Wheeler’s grandchildren were in child seats on either side of her. As they entered a curve on Noah’s Ark Road, a 2-door Eagle Talon coupe driven by John C. Stanley crossed the centerline and struck the Explorer head-on.

$5,470,000 Verdict/Wrongful Death

10/23/09 Pitts v. A&G Trucking. Inc., et al., State Court of DeKalb County, Georgia.

Plaintiffs, four minor children, recovered for the death of their father, who was killed by a dump truck driver while the decedent was working as a "spotter" or "flag man" on the runway expansion at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport. According to eye-witnesses, the driver of the dump truck was talking on her cell phone or CB radio and was given a stop signal by the deceased.

$45,000,000 Settlement | Credit Insurance/Consumer Rights Class Action

10/31/07 Toole v. J.M.I.C. Life Insurance Company, Superior Court of Muscogee County, Georgia

Plaintiff Toole represented a class of people who prepaid J.M.I.C. Life Insurance Company premiums for credit life and disability insurance policies when they purchased vehicles. J.M.I.C. Life Insurance Company contractually promised to refund any unearned premium if class members paid off the insured loans before the five-year term had expired, but failed to do so when they paid off the insured loans early.

$105,500,000 Verdict | Defective Automobile

11/23/04 Flax v. Daimler Chrysler Corporation and Louis A. Stockell, Jr., Circuit Court for Davidson County, Tennessee

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Any person who foreseeably could have been injured by a defective product can recover for his or her injuries, as long as the product was sold to someone...

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Columbus
105 13th Street
P.O. Box 2766
Columbus, GA 31902
FAX 706.323.2962
706.322.1990
1.800.233.4086

Atlanta
2719 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30324
FAX 404.321.1713
404.321.1700
1.800.242.2962

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With offices in Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia, the attorneys at Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP represent the seriously injured throughout Georgia, including the cities of Atlanta, Columbus, Marietta, Smyrna, Roswell, Gainesville, Peachtree City, Forest Park, Riverdale, Lagrange, Macon, and Savannah. Our lawyers have handled accident and defective product claims nationwide, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming.