R. Heath Atkinson
Heath Atkinson has handled nearly 700 litigated files and has tried over 75 cases in front of a jury during his career at Turner Padget. Included in this volume are hundreds of automobile insurance, premise liability, and coverage cases, along with many trucking and construction cases.
The majority of the litigation Heath handles is split between automobile and trucking defense, and premises liability matters. He has seen everything from the proverbial “slip on a banana peel” to complex questions of liability and damages. He has defended many clients, including Allstate Insurance Company, Assurance America Insurance Company, Bi-Lo, Enterprise Rentals, Food Lion, Geico, Infinity Insurance Company, International Game Technologies, Interstate Distributor Company, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and MI Windows and Doors.
Heath is a native of South Carolina. He was born and raised in Marion, S.C., where most of his family still reside and regularly fuss over him. Heath is a lifelong supporter of the South Carolina Gamecocks and has the lifetime of heartaches to prove it. In addition to an affinity for Gamecock football and a dislike of the color orange, Heath is what his wife and daughter lovingly call a “nerd” for Revolutionary War history and the law.
“By taking time to personally visit with and get to know the adjusters and clients who put their trust in me to defend their cases, I have developed genuine friendships and mutual trust with them. Because of these relationships, my clients know that they can call me at any time to ask about a particular case, or with any general question.”
Representative Matters
Insurance
- As trial counsel for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Heath won a defense verdict in an admitted fault automobile accident case where the plaintiff allegedly had medical bills of over $25,000 that his doctor testified were related to the accident. Heath won by uncovering a subsequent car wreck suit by the plaintiff for the same injuries, which he addressed during cross-examination.
- Successfully defended a convenience store chain in a federal court case in which the plaintiff sought $250,000 for damages when a gasoline hose was ripped from the pump, injured the plaintiff’s shoulder and created the risk of fire.
- Obtained a defense verdict for Food Lion in a case where the plaintiff had nearly $70,000 in medical bills after falling on a grape while shopping.
- Defended a husband in Dillon County, S.C. in a suit brought by his wife for injuries she suffered while riding in the family car with him. The husband decided not to cooperate with the defense and did not show up for the trial. Despite this, the jury returned a defense verdict.
Premises Liability
- Successfully defended Food Lion in a false arrest/false imprisonment case in Georgetown County when a plaintiff asked for over $500,000 in damages.
- Received a dismissal at the summary judgment for a case in which the plaintiff had over $100,000 in medical bills after falling out of a tree on the defendant’s property.