On November 19, 2014, what began as an ordinary lunch break turned into a life-altering event for John Ratzlaff, a Santa Rosa County employee. After slipping on water from a cracked tile at a Church’s Chicken restaurant, Mr. Ratzlaff struck his head and sustained a traumatic brain injury. The fall led to years of debilitating symptoms — including migraines, cognitive deficits, and memory loss — ultimately ending his career and changing the course of his life.

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Crawford of Crawford Law to discuss how he, along with co-counsel Phil Hall, secured a $4 million jury verdict on behalf of Mr. Ratzlaff. The defendant, MSK Enterprises, admitted liability but disputed the extent of damages, arguing the case was worth no more than $250,000. The jury disagreed.

Chris shares his perspective on the challenges of trying a brain injury case, the importance of storytelling in the courtroom, and how he helped the jury see the human toll of a preventable fall.

We hope this episode honors the perseverance of Mr. Ratzlaff and sheds light on the lasting effects of traumatic brain injuries — both in and beyond the courtroom.

Chris Crawford Contact Information

Crawford Law
15 W La Rua St
Pensacola, FL 32501-3933

Office: 850-432-7726

Cell: 850-898-4904

Fax: 850-226-5725

chris@bettercallchris.net

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

In this gripping episode, Landon Stinson sits down with legendary trial lawyer and author Mike Papantonio to discuss his explosive new legal thriller, The Middleman. Papantonio ("Pap") peels back the curtain on the dark alliances between corporate power and government corruption—drawing from real-life courtroom experience to craft a chilling, high-stakes narrative.

We explore:

• The inspiration behind The Middleman
• How fiction reflects today’s legal and political realities
• What Papantonio hopes readers take away about justice, power, and truth

Whether you're a fan of legal thrillers, a fellow trial lawyer, or just someone who cares about accountability in America, this episode delivers sharp insights and bold storytelling from one of the country's most fearless legal minds.

📘 The Middleman is available now wherever books are sold.

Speaker Bio

Mike Papantonio is a senior partner with the law firm of Levin Papantonio. He has received numerous multi-million dollar verdicts on behalf of victims of corporate malfeasance. His award-winning work handling thousands of mass tort cases throughout the nation has helped make Levin Papantonio one of the largest plaintiff law firms in the country.

Mr. Papantonio is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer by the Florida Bar and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is a fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers. He is a member of The National Trial Lawyers (past president), American Board of Trial Advocates, the American Association for Justice, the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, and the Florida Justice Association, where he served on the Board of Directors for five years.

Mr. Papantonio is one of the few living attorneys inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. He is listed in the publications Best Lawyers in America and Leading American Attorney.

Mr. Papantonio is the host of the YouTube show America’s Lawyer with over 900,000 subscribers where he provides in-depth investigations into major corporate and government corruption. He is also the founder and former host of the nationally syndicated radio program Ring of Fire.

Mr. Papantonio’s role on Ring of Fire is featured in the movie, Jesus Camp, which was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Documentary Feature. He also was featured in the award-winning documentaries, Oxy Kingpins (2021), which focuses on the untold story of how a network of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and retailers worked together to orchestrate and perpetuate the opioid crisis that has killed over half a million people in America, The Devil We Know (2018), highlighting the dangers of DuPont’s manmade chemical C8, and Beyond Pollution (2012), regarding the truth behind the largest man-made natural disaster in history, the BP Oil Spill.

Mr. Papantonio has conducted hundreds of recorded interviews with guests including Matthew McConaughey, Al Pacino, Erin Brockovich, Dan Rather, Helen Thomas, Howard Zinn, Arianna Huffington, Mary Chapin Carpenter, David Crosby, Merle Haggard, Morgan Spurlock, Bill Moyers, Rickie Lee Jones, Alanis Morissette, Pete Seeger, Jackson Browne, Chuck D from Public Enemy, Henry Rollins, Ted Sorensen, and Elizabeth Kucinich.

Mr. Papantonio was selected to serve as Lead and Co-Lead in discovery and trial in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL, which has been called “the largest and most complex case in the history of jurisprudence” by the Washington Post. He and his firm have been credited as one of the key negotiators in the $26 billion settlement with America’s “Big Three” drug distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson.

Mr. Papantonio and the firm’s C8 trial team helped secure a $1.2 billion settlement against DuPont, related to

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

In this episode of On Premises, host Landon Stinson sits down with trial attorneys Andrew Garza and Alexa Mahony, who were part of the landmark trial that secured the highest bodily injury verdict in Connecticut’s history—a staggering $100 million. Together, they walk listeners through a more recent jury trial, sharing how Andrew and Alex strategically used big data to achieve a $9M verdict for their client who was permanently injured due to a laceration at a waterpark in CT.

Andrew and Alexa dive into the power of data in personal injury law, their approach to trial preparation, and the importance of fighting for justice on behalf of vulnerable clients. Whether you’re a legal professional or simply fascinated by high-stakes litigation, this episode offers invaluable insights into how data and strategy can make all the difference in the courtroom.

Speaker Bios:

Andrew Garza

Andrew Garza, co-founder of Claggett, Sykes & Garza, LLC, is a dedicated trial attorney committed to helping personal injury clients. Raised in public housing in Groton, he worked through college and law school in hospitality. Known for leveling the playing field for vulnerable clients, Andrew won a historic $100 million jury verdict in 2022, the highest bodily injury verdict in Connecticut’s history.

In addition to his practice, he teaches aspiring trial lawyers at Keenan Trial Institute, where he earned the 2022 Trial Lawyer of the Year award. Outside of law, Andrew enjoys hosting parties and building furniture.

Alexa Mahony

Alexa Mahony, a trial attorney at Claggett, Sykes & Garza, has secured several multi-million-dollar jury verdicts. A career highlight was being part of the trial team that achieved a $100 million verdict for a catastrophically injured client and his wife. Alexa led the case for the wife, winning $10 million for her loss of consortium claim.

Alexa is dedicated to her clients, with another key achievement being a $1 million verdict for a father and son after a traumatic brain injury caused by a car crash.

She lives in Plantsville with her husband, son, and dog, Ruby. Outside of work, Alexa enjoys yoga, reading at the beach, and spending time with loved ones.

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

In this episode of On Premises, host Landon Stinson sits down with Atlanta-based attorney Michael Neff to discuss a landmark premises liability trial in Georgia. Neff represented Joshua Martin, a young man who suffered permanent brain damage after being brutally assaulted by a group of teenage gang members who were also employees of Six Flags.

Neff provides an in-depth look at the case that rocked the theme park industry, unpacking the investigation, the courtroom battle, and the unprecedented $35 million settlement awarded to Martin. He also explores the broader implications of the case, including corporate responsibility and the need for increased safety measures at public venues.

Speaker Bio

Mike Neff founded Neff Injury Law in April 1996. After a successful solo career, Mike added Dwayne Adams, Susan Cremer and Shane Peagler to the firm. Mike has been lead counsel in trials where the jury returned verdicts totaling over $100 million.

In 2011, 2012, and 2013, Mike was lead counsel in three record-setting verdicts in Georgia, according to CaseMetrix: a $9 million verdict in a negligent security and rape case; a $2.79 million verdict in a grocery store fall case where the client developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome; and a $35 million verdict against the amusement park Six Flags in a premises liability case.

In 2017, Mike was lead counsel in two trials that resulted in a total of $54 million in verdicts against an international car rental company, its agents, and an employee who stole a car and catastrophically injured two women.

Neff Injury Law is based in Atlanta and currently has cases pending in Georgia, Arizona, and California involving wrongful death, sexual assault, premises liability, trucking and bus wrecks, and products liability.

Mike is the author of Premises Liability: A Guide to Success and Premises Liability: A Guide Through Trial, both published by Trial Guides. He is active in the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and is member of the Executive Committee for AAJ’s Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group and AAJ’s Inadequate Security Litigation Group. In 2014, Mike was elected Chair of AAJ’s Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Litigation Group. He is recognized as an Advocate by the National College of Advocacy and has served on the Executive Committee of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. In 2023, Mike was appointed the first chair of AAJ’s Premises Liability Section.

Mike is also the founder of the National Association of Premises Liability Attorneys (“NAPLA”), an organization for attorneys seeking justice for those injured or killed on the premises of another person or business. NAPLA’s mission is to educate attorneys, build community, and promote safety.

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

In this episode we interview trial lawyer Kurt Zaner and discuss how he obtained the largest premises liability verdict in Colorado history for his client. The case, Warembourg v. Excel , 471 P.3d 1213 (Co. Ct. App. 2020), ultimately resulted in an opinion by the Colorado Supreme Court which is now the leading case on spoliation of evidence in the state of Colorado.

Link to Appellate Opinion

Link to Kurt's Website

SPEAKER BIO
"Kurt Zaner has dedicated his legal career to representing folks against the modern-day Goliaths. In battling corporations that refuse to take responsibility, Kurt enjoys the challenge of standing up for people that seemingly have the odds overwhelmingly stacked against them.

A sought-after national speaker, Kurt frequently lectures on his winning trial techniques, effective legal writing strategies, and iconic discovery tactics that force top-value settlements. Kurt has secured the largest premises liability verdict in the history of Colorado ($16,000,000.00) and recently secured one of the largest personal injury verdicts in Federal Court for $30,000,000.00.

He has appeared on Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and every local media outlet including the Denver Post and local CBS, ABC, and Fox affiliates. He is a published author of Federal and State case law, including Colorado law establishing the right to punitive damages for victims of drunk drivers; he also authored legal articles on distracted driving as well as articles on ancient Roman trial methods.

As a trained stage actor, Kurt credits much of his trial success to his theatrical training in college and in Los Angeles prior to law school.

After graduating law school near the top of his class and receiving the American Bar Association’s and American Law Institute’s Best Graduate Award – awarded to the one student of the graduating class who best represents a combination of scholarship and leadership – Kurt went on to clerk for United States District Judge Ken Marra.

Working side by side with a Federal Judge on one of the largest caseloads in the country, Kurt learned the art of persuasive advocacy both through legal writing and courtroom theatrics.

Most importantly, he learned how cases are won from behind the bench.

Prior to co-founding Zaner Harden Personal Injury Lawyers, Kurt practiced with some of the best-known trial lawyers in the country. Kurt has successfully represented hundreds of clients across the State of Colorado, trying and winning cases at every level of Colorado State Court, including several million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements."

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

Andrew Harris is at the cutting edge of critical appellate issues in premises liability law. In this episode Andrew discusses summary judgment in slip and fall cases under Florida law.

SPEAKER BIO

"Attorney Andrew A. Harris is the founder and owner of Harris Appeals, P.A., in West Palm Beach, Florida. Board certified in appellate practice by The Florida Bar, Andrew has more than 15 years of legal experience, and provides unmatched appellate representation to a diverse range of clients throughout Palm Beach County and South Florida.

Over the course of his legal career, Andrew has successfully handled more than 300 appeals while providing invaluable trial support in hundreds of cases in state and federal courts across the region.

He has extensive experience drafting motions and preparing his clients’ cases for trial, as well as offering unmatched litigation support and post-verdict remedies.

As a result, Andrew has achieved significant success advocating on behalf of those he serves and has built an outstanding reputation helping clients appeal adverse rulings and obtain the justice they deserve.

In recognition of his professionalism and success in court, Andrew has been designated as an emerging leader in his field and won top rankings by a number of legal industry entities. In addition, he has received so many positive testimonials from current and former clients that personal referrals make up a significant portion of his workload.

A 1999 graduate of Florida State University, Andrew attended the George Washington University National Law Center, where he obtained his Juris Doctor in 2002. He is an active member of the Florida Justice Association, the Palm Beach County Bar Association and The Florida Bar, and he serves on the Board of the Palm Beach County Justice Association.

Born in West Palm Beach, Andrew is married to Adele Small Harris, a trust, estates, and probate attorney in Palm Beach County. Andrew and Adele reside in Palm Beach Gardens with their human daughters, Anne and Alexandra, and their canine daughter, Arlie. Andrew is most proud of being a #girldad to all three of his strong and sassy daughters."

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

In this episode we interview trial lawyer Rachael Gilmer of Levin Papantonio Rafferty on the $5.6MM she helped obtain for Jack Massey.

Mr. Massey was an underage minor in 2017 when he was invited to a party at The Retreat Gainesville. At the party he was permitted to consume alcohol and was provided alcohol, then dove or flipped into a swimming pool, sustaining a traumatic spinal cord injury that left him a partial Quadriplegic.

ABOUT RACHAEL GILMER:
"
Rachael Raymon Gilmer is a civil trial lawyer and shareholder at Levin Papantonio Rafferty. She currently manages the motor vehicle department at the firm and focuses her practice on car accidents, wrongful death, trucking accidents, brain injury, and severe injuries related to premises liability. She is licensed in both Florida and Alabama and pursues personal injury cases from both states. Rachael has tried numerous cases to verdict, including multiple wrongful death and serious injury MVA claims. She was also part of several tobacco trial teams for Levin Papantonio Rafferty.

Rachael has earned an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell. Her reputation has also consistently landed her on the list of Super Lawyers, The National Association of Distinguished Counsel and Best of the Bar. She is regularly asked to speak at the Florida Justice Association conferences and has taught several trial prep classes through the FJA as well. Rachael has presented at the People’s Law School for the past 9 years and enjoys any opportunity to share her professional experiences with others while also learning from the participants.

As much as Rachael enjoys practicing law and being in the courtroom, family comes first. Rachael is married to Albi, and they have two sons who keep her bouncing between the law office and a sports field. Rachael is also on very involved in the local community serving as a Trustee for the Episcopal Day School and First United Methodist Church. She is also a Mentor for Big Brother Big Sister Beyond School Walls Program and is actively involved in Pensacola Fiesta Forces, Bill Bond youth baseball, and FUMC Youth Council. Rachael and her husband are also supporters of their local PACE Center for Girls.

Rachael received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama and her undergraduate from the University of Florida. She is admitted to practice in the State Courts of Florida and Alabama as well as the Florida Federal Courts, including the United State District Court, Northern District of Florida.

Rachael is a member of the Florida Justice Association, the Alabama Justice Association, the American Association for Justice, and the Florida Association for Women Lawyers."

Levin Papantonio Rafferty
316 South Baylen St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 435-7159
rgilmer@levinlaw.com

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

Go behind the scenes with trial lawyer Michael Haggard as he shares how he obtained two $100M jury verdicts for victims of non-fatal drownings in South Florida. Haggard also discusses the legislative changes enacted as a result of these two cases, and others, to deter dangerous properties and products that lead to drownings.

Full Bio
"Compassionate, empathetic and a fervent advocate for victims of crime, Michael Haggard has dedicated his career to the pursuit of justice on behalf of his clients in the courtroom securing unprecedented awards and as an activist who continuously lobbies for permanent solutions and change through local, statewide and federal legislation. Specializing in pool drowning, negligent security, wrongful death, unsafe premises and products liability, Haggard has established himself as a powerful force in the legal community as the Managing Partner for The Haggard Law Firm.

After spending time as a Public Defender and working with a small personal injury firm before joining The Haggard Law Firm, Haggard was named a partner in 2001, secure in the belief that every case holds equal importance and could mean the opportunity to award a family resolution to a devastating incident.

He soon captured national headlines as the only plaintiff’s personal injury attorney to secure three separate $100 Million verdicts on behalf of individual clients. Haggard secured two consecutive $100 Million verdicts on behalf of children involved in pool accidents.

To learn more about Haggard’s extensive experience as a trial lawyer for drowning victims visit aquaticattorney.com.

Several years later, a third $100 Million verdict was awarded by a jury in a negligent security case, deemed the largest of its kind for that genre of case law.

...

Devoted to his clients, Haggard has received numerous awards for his time and dedication earning him recognition as one of the most highly regarded personal injury attorneys in the country. In 2017 he was awarded the Florida Justice Association’s highest honor, the Perry Nichols Award, and was named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers of America. He has also been honored to receive the Advocate of Justice Award from the National Crime Victims Bar Association received the Lifetime Achievement selection to America’s Top 100 Attorneys®, has been twice named a Most Effective Lawyer by the Daily Business Review, is a member of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and is annually recognized as a Florida Trend Legal Elite Lawyer, a Florida Top 100 Super Lawyer, and one of the Best Lawyers in America.

Professional achievements aside, Haggard is also fiercely dedicated to a myriad of worthy causes. Believing that as an attorney he has an obligation to give back to the community, he serves on the Advisory Council for the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and sits on the Board of Directors for the National Crime Victim Bar Association where his knowledge and background of representing victims of violent crimes, including sex crimes (more info here: abuseguardian.com/sexual-assault-lawyer/florida), is put to good use. Additionally, Haggard is a current member of the MADD Barristers Council, the National Center for Victims of Crime, and ASIS – the world’s largest organization for security professionals.

Closest to his heart, however, Haggard sits on the National Board of the Polycystic Kidney Foundation. Passed genetically, this disease has affected many members of his family, as well as Haggard himself.

Outside the office, Haggard is not only a philanthropist but also a dedicated father. He enjoys spending time with his wife Bekki, coaching his son’s football team and attending his daughter’s track meets."

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/