Articles from Baron & Budd, P.C.

The nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that six of the firm’s shareholders have been selected to the 2025 edition of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Russell Budd, Scott Summy, Roland Tellis, John Fiske, Mark Pifko, and Dan Alberstone have been recognized by Lawdragon for the significant impacts they have made on the legal profession and for their successes over the last year.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd announced the U.S. Department of Justice has obtained an $8.4 million settlement with Food City in a lawsuit brought by a whistleblower alleging violations of the False Claims Act and the Controlled Substances Act. The whistleblower in this case, a former Food City pharmacy employee, was represented by Baron & Budd.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that it has selected Devan Tatlow and Braden Fleagle as the winners of the Mesothelioma Cancer Victims Memorial Scholarship. Each winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship paid directly to the financial aid accounts at their universities.

Today, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it has filed a complaint in intervention in a whistleblower lawsuit brought under the False Claims Act (FCA) by Baron & Budd against CVS Pharmacy for their harmful opioid dispensing practices.

Baron & Budd, P.C. is proud to announce its recognition by Best Law Firms for 2025. The prestigious legal guide, published by The Best Lawyers in America, has named Baron & Budd for excellence in plaintiff work in Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas/Fort Worth and Baton Rouge, La.

Today, the national law firm Baron & Budd announced that it has selected Avery Gray as the winner of the Mesothelioma Cancer Victims Memorial Scholarship. She will receive a $2,500 scholarship paid directly to the financial aid account at her university.

Baron & Budd, P.C., is pleased to announce that 18 of its lawyers have been named among the nation’s top attorneys by The Best Lawyers in America, published by BL Rankings, LLC. Notably, the firm also received special distinction for having the highest number of personal injury attorneys honored in Dallas.

The nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd is honored to be among those recognized by the American Association for Justice (AAJ) with the prestigious 2024 Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award for the firm’s role on the Plaintiff Executive Committee (PEC) for the National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL 2804.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd announced the U.S. Department of Justice has obtained a settlement against Rite Aid in a groundbreaking lawsuit brought forth by whistleblowers alleging violations of the False Claims Act and the Controlled Substances Act. The whistleblowers in this case are former Rite Aid pharmacy employees represented by Baron & Budd. The settlement provides that the government will be paid $7.5 million and have an allowed, unsubordinated, general unsecured claim of $401.8 million in Rite Aid’s pending bankruptcy case.

Baron & Budd is proud to announce that shareholder Burton LeBlanc has been selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. LeBlanc represents individuals and public entities who have been harmed by corporate wrongdoing in the firm’s Baton Rouge, Louisiana office. The Litigation Counsel of America is a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only. Fellows are selected based upon excellence and accomplishment in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation.

Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that Scott Summy, shareholder and leader of the Environmental Litigation Group, has been named to Law360’s 2024 Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar. The recognition goes to influential members of the plaintiffs bar who have had significant achievements over the previous year.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that shareholder and leader of the Environmental Litigation Group, Scott Summy, has been named to the Forbes list of America’s Top 200 Lawyers. The list recognizes “the finest practitioners in the profession – lawyers with stellar track records in their specialties, those who have broken barriers to emerge as leaders in their fields, and attorneys most respected by peers and clients.”

The national law firm Baron & Budd, P.C. is pleased to announce that shareholder Holly Werkema has been named to the 2024 class of Compassionate Counsel honorees. This distinction is awarded annually by The Milestone Charitable Foundation to a select group of trial lawyers across the country who are innovative in their pursuit of justice.

Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that shareholder and leader of the Environmental Litigation Group, Scott Summy, was honored by his alma mater Texas Tech University Law School with the prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award.

Baron & Budd is proud to announce that today the federal court overseeing litigation against the manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) approved a settlement requiring DuPont to pay $1.185 billion to public water systems across the United States that detect PFAS chemicals in their drinking water supplies. Baron & Budd represents dozens of public water systems in litigation consolidated before Judge Richard Gergel in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. Shareholder Scott Summy is court appointed co-lead and class counsel for the historic PFAS cases against DuPont and 3M company. He also crafted the settlement structure to address PFAS nationwide for public water systems.

Baron & Budd is pleased to announce the firm has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report in the 2024 Best Companies to Work For: Law Firms list. The U.S. News Best Companies to Work For: Law Firms list ranked firms using data from several external sources considering six different metrics.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that the firm’s Environmental Litigation Group (ELG) has been named for the second time to Law360’s Practice Group of the Year. The award honors law firms with significant litigation wins and major deals that resonated throughout the legal industry in the past year.

The nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that four of the firm’s shareholders have been selected to the 2024 edition of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Russell Budd, Scott Summy, Roland Tellis, and John Fiske have been recognized by Lawdragon for the significant impacts they have made on the legal profession and for their successes over the last year.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that it has selected Taylor Hay as the winner of the Mesothelioma Cancer Victims Memorial Scholarship. She will receive a $2,500 scholarship paid directly to the financial aid account at her university.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd announced it is representing Henrico County, Virginia in a newly filed case against pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) alleging the defendants inflated the price of insulin and other diabetes medications. Henrico County is a self-insured government entity that provides private health insurance benefits to its employees.

The nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd represents Arlington County, Virginia in a newly filed case against pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Arlington County is a self-insured government entity who provides private health insurance benefits to its employees. In the lawsuit, Arlington County alleges that the defendants inflated the price of insulin and other diabetes medications.

Today, the nationally recognized attorneys at Baron & Budd announced a $1.4 billion nationwide settlement agreement with retail pharmacy giant Kroger concerning the company’s role in the opioid epidemic. Baron & Budd’s President and Managing Shareholder, Russell Budd, played a lead role in negotiating the settlement. When added to the previous settlements obtained from opioids manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies, this $1.4 billion settlement with Kroger brings the total national settlement value to nearly $61.4 billion.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C. alongside Diab Chambers LLP and Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks filed a lawsuit on behalf of Maui County against Maui Electric Company, Limited, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawai’i Electric Light Company, Inc., and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. for civil damages caused to the County’s public property and resources caused by the Maui Fires, including fires in Lahaina and in Kula. The lawsuit was filed in the Second Circuit under the case number 2CCV-23-0000238.

Today, the Honolulu law firm Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks, along with the national law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C., and Diab Chambers, LLP, filed the first reported lawsuit for damages on behalf of a victim of the Kula Fire. The lawsuit, which was filed in Honolulu’s First Circuit Court, names Maui Electric Company Ltd., Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawai’i Electric Light Company, Inc., and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. as Defendants.

Baron & Budd, P.C. is pleased to announce that nine lawyers have been included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that it has selected Sara Pross and Grace Garza as the winners of the Mesothelioma Cancer Victims Memorial Scholarship. Each winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship paid directly to the financial aid accounts at their universities.

The nationally recognized attorneys from Baron & Budd, P.C. alongside Cossich, Sumich, Parsiola & Taylor, LLC, and Crooks Law Firm S.C., have filed a class action lawsuit against Ahlstrom Rhinelander LLC and 3M Company for their roles in contaminating private well drinking water in Oneida County. The suit was filed on August 9, 2023 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin (Case no. 3:23-CV-546).

Today, the nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd announced that 3M Company has agreed to pay up to a record $12.5 Billion nationwide class settlement with public water systems that detect PFAS chemicals in their drinking water supplies. The lawsuits allege that 3M and several other companies manufactured and/or sold products containing PFAS, despite being aware of the chemicals’ propensity to contaminate the environment and pose potential health risks to humans, including the development of cancers.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd, alongside Dixon Diab and Chambers LLP, announced a $7.25 million settlement with Roseburg Forest Products on behalf of the City of Weed to resolve claims from the 2022 Mill Fire, which caused extensive damages to public resources. The settlement funds will compensate the City for damaged infrastructure. The City of Weed has fewer than 3,000 residents with an annual operating budget between $3.5 million to $4 million.

Today, the nationally recognized attorneys at Baron & Budd, with shareholders Daniel Alberstone and Mark Pifko serving as co-lead counsel along with Peter Mougey and Jeff Gaddy from Levin, Papantonio, Rafferty; Anthony Majestro from Powell & Majestro; and Luis Robles of Robles Rael Anaya, announced a record-breaking $500 million settlement agreement with pharmaceutical giant Walgreens concerning the company’s role in the opioid epidemic that has ravaged the State of New Mexico. This Walgreens settlement in New Mexico is one of the largest separate settlements obtained from a single opioid defendant in the country and the largest settlement obtained from a single defendant by the attorney general in the State’s history.

The national law firm of Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that President and Managing Shareholder Russell W. Budd has been recognized as a 2023 Trailblazers Plaintiffs’ Lawyer by The National Law Journal. The award recognizes legal professionals who have made a significant impact on the practice or policy in their area. The selection committee remarked that they were impressed by Budd’s long career as a plaintiff’s attorney handling cases ranging from asbestos to opioids.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm of Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that Shareholder Roland Tellis has been appointed co-lead counsel in a Multi-District Litigation class action lawsuit against vehicle manufacturers Hyundai and Kia.

The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced its False Claims Act Settlements and Judgments summary for fiscal year 2022. According to the DOJ, the total number of settlements exceeded $2 billion which is the second-highest number of settlements and judgments in a single year.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of the City of Hemet against Southern California Edison for damages resulting from the 2022 Fairview Fire. The lawsuit alleges that Edison’s equipment was the cause and origin of the Fairview Fire, which caused significant damages to public and natural resources in the City of Hemet.

Yesterday, Baron & Budd filed a lawsuit on behalf of five public entities against Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) for damages resulting from the 2022 Mosquito Fire. The lawsuit was filed in San Francisco Superior Court and includes as co-plaintiffs Placer County, El Dorado County, El Dorado Water Agency, Georgetown Divide Public Utilities District, and Georgetown Divide Fire Protection District. The lawsuit alleges that PG&E’s equipment was the cause and origin of the Mosquito Fire, which caused significant damages to public and natural resources in El Dorado and Placer Counties.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced a $24 million settlement with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) on behalf of ten public entities affected by the historic 2021 Dixie Fire, which caused extensive public and natural resource damages. The Dixie Fire started on July 13, 2021, when PG&E equipment malfunctioned and ignited the fire, burning approximately 963,309 acres in Plumas, Lassen, Butte, Shasta, and Tehama Counties.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm of Baron & Budd announced the U.S. Department of Justice has decided to intervene and take primary responsibility litigating a whistleblower lawsuit filed against Rite Aid for violations of the False Claims Act and the Controlled Substances Act. The whistleblowers in this case are former Rite Aid pharmacy employees represented by Baron & Budd.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm Baron & Budd, P.C. announced a combined $191.2 million recovery for the State of New Mexico from settlements regarding opioid litigation against four of the nation’s largest retail pharmacies, Albertsons, CVS, Kroger, and Walmart. Baron & Budd serves as counsel for the State of New Mexico in the litigation.

Baron & Budd, P.C.’s Anna Rol has been named to the 2023 class of Compassionate Counsel honorees. In its inaugural year, this distinction is awarded annually by The Milestone Charitable Foundation to a select group of lawyers across the country who are innovative in their pursuit of justice.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that it has selected Isabella Toth and Soraya Chinloy as the winners of the Mesothelioma Cancer Victims Memorial Scholarship. Each winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship paid directly to the financial aid accounts at their universities.

Today, the national law firm Baron & Budd, P.C. announced final approval of a nationwide class action settlement with Monsanto Company, Pharmacia, LLC, Solutia, Inc., and Bayer arising from environmental contamination caused by PCBs. The $537.5 million settlement provides cash payments to a class of 2,442 government entities across the country.

The nationally recognized attorneys from Baron & Budd, P.C. alongside Hutchens Law Firm LLP, are investigating claims of potential water contamination in Guilford County near the Piedmont Triad International Airport. The County recently sent letters to homeowners regarding water contamination testing on well water systems in the area.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm of Baron & Budd announced a $22 million settlement in a lawsuit filed against Essilor Laboratories of America, for violations of the False Claims Act, alleging the company provided kickbacks and other incentives to eye care providers (ECPs) in exchange for pushing its expensive lens products on consumers. Some of the most common ECPs and retailers that utilize Essilor products include Visionworks, Vision Source, LensCrafters, Pearl Vision, Sunglass Hut, and many others.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that it has selected Alanna Thornton and Carolyn Simbirdi as the winners of the Mesothelioma Cancer Victims Memorial Scholarship. Each winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship paid directly to the financial aid accounts at their universities.

Today, the national law firm Baron & Budd announced that it is dedicating significant resources from its whistleblower practice to investigate allegations of customs fraud.

The nationally recognized attorneys at Baron & Budd are investigating water contamination claims at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Onslow County in southeastern North Carolina. For decades the water supply at the base was contaminated by dangerously high levels of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds.

The nationally recognized law firm of Baron & Budd recently obtained a record-breaking judgment in a mesothelioma case in the state of Louisiana. A jury found Level 3 Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co.) and twenty other Louisiana-based companies liable for giving the Plaintiff mesothelioma and awarded the victim an extraordinary $36.7 million in damages.

Today, the national law firm Baron & Budd announced that it is dedicating significant resources from its whistleblower practice to investigate allegations of Electronic Health Records (EHR) fraud. To combat EHR fraud, help from individuals with inside information is needed.

Today, the national law firm Baron & Budd announced that it is dedicating significant resources from its whistleblower practice to investigate allegations of cybersecurity fraud.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced it is investigating claims regarding a potential defect in roof tar underlayment. Signs of a faulty roof underlayment include a tar-like substance dripping from the roof or an oozing of tar at the seams of the roof.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced it is representing the victim and family of an Ohio teen who was critically injured in a single vehicle crash involving a 2020 Vanderhall Venice 3-wheel vehicle. The victim and his passenger suffered injuries in the crash that occurred on April 23, 2022 on I-275 in Union Township, OH.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that it helped the Department of Justice secure a $2.8 million settlement against Hensel Phelps Construction Company in a False Claims Act case involving allegations of small business subcontracting fraud. In what is believed to be historic timing, the DOJ intervened and settled the qui tam matter a mere 21 days after the complaint was filed.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced it is representing the family of a Houston man who was fatally injured in a single vehicle crash involving a Vanderhall Carmel vehicle. The victim was a husband and father to two children.

The national law firm Baron & Budd announced it is currently investigating claims regarding a potential defect in certain Polaris Ranger, Ace, and RZR off-road vehicles.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that it helped secure a historic $48.5 million settlement against TriMark USA, LLC and related entities—the largest amount ever recovered in the history of False Claims Act litigation involving allegations of small business fraud. The recovery eclipses the previous record settlement involving small business fraud—$37 million against Atlantic Diving Supply and related entities—which also resulted from a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Baron & Budd.

Today, the national law firm Baron & Budd announced it is investigating claims regarding a potential defect in the Vanderhall Venice, Laguna, and Carmel 3-wheel autocycles that may cause the vehicle to crash uncontrollably.

Today, the nationally recognized attorneys from Baron & Budd alongside Dixon Diab & Chambers filed a lawsuit against PG&E on behalf of Plumas County, Butte County, Lassen County, Shasta County, and Tehama County for injuries and damages caused by the Dixie Fire, which started on July 13, 2021 and burned more than 963,000 acres throughout five counties.

The Wildfire Recovery Attorneys are investigating claims that the Dixie Fire, which started in Butte County, was ignited by a power company. According to reports from fire officials, the fire started on July 13, 2021 near the Cresta Dam. High winds, hot temperatures, and low humidity allowed the wildfire to spread quickly throughout five counties.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd, as part of the plaintiffs’ steering committee, announced a $1.8 billion settlement with Southern California Gas Company and its parent company Sempra Energy over personal injury and property damage claims related to the 2015 Aliso Canyon natural gas blowout.

Baron & Budd Shareholder Burton LeBlanc was honored with the Stalwart Award during the Louisiana Association for Justice (LAJ) Fall Conference. The Stalwart Award is given to those who have exhibited extraordinary service to the Association and the legal profession.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced that it has selected Makenna Thomas and Jackson Sherman as the winners of the Mesothelioma Cancer Victims Memorial Scholarship. Each winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship paid directly to the financial aid accounts at their universities.

Baron & Budd, P.C. is pleased to announce that 5 lawyers have been included in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

Today, Baron & Budd announced two settlements with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) for a total of $43.36 million on behalf of seven public entities affected by the 2019 Kincade and 2020 Zogg Fires. Sonoma County, City of Santa Rosa, Town of Windsor, City of Cloverdale, and City of Healdsburg settled their 2019 Kincade Fire claims for a collective $31 million, while Shasta and Tehama Counties settled their 2020 Zogg Fire claims for a collective $12.36 million.

Today, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced it is investigating claims that some banks and lenders may be exploiting the Paycheck Protection Program by issuing fraudulent loans in exchange for illegal kickbacks.

Today, the nationally recognized law firm of Baron & Budd announced the State of California has decided to intervene in a whistleblower lawsuit filed against eye glass lens manufacturer, Essilor Laboratories of America, for violations of the California Insurance Frauds Protection Act, alleging the company provided kickbacks and other incentives to eye care providers (ECPs) in exchange for pushing its expensive lens products on consumers.