Thomas P. Willingham

Tom Willingham graduated from Cumberland School of Law in 1987 and began his law career as a defense attorney primarily representing automotive manufacturers.  After seeing first hand numerous cases where people were horrifically injured or killed in automobile accidents, Tom felt compelled to change the focus of his legal practice.  Since 1992, he has exclusively represented injury victims, primarily those who have been catastrophically injured or killed in automobile accidents, as a result of a defectively designed automobile. 

Throughout his legal career, Tom has handled automotive product liability case that have involved the following defects:  lack of stability, defective steering system components, defective seatbelt restraints, defective air bags, defective fuel tanks, defective roof structure components, defective brakes, defective door latch components, and cases involving a manufacturer's failure to install rear seat lap shoulder belts.  In short, Tom has been involved in automotive product liability litigation involving virtually every identifiable defect and against many manufacturers, both domestic and foreign. 

Tom's early years of representing automotive manufacturers has given him a unique insight into screening, evaluating, and prosecuting these extremely complex product liability cases.  This background enabled him to reach settlement in favor of his clients in excess of forty million dollars during the last five years.  He has litigated cases against General Motors, Ford, Daimler Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Daihatsu, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi.  He has represented catastrophically injured clients in State and Federal Courts in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida.

Tom has remained an active member of the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association serving on its Executive Committee and has been a Sustaining Member since 1992.  His is an active member of the American Trial Lawyers Association and serves on its Product Liability Section.  He is also intimately involved with the Attorneys Information Exchange Group which is a nationwide group of lawyers who exchange information in automotive product liability litigation.  He is admitted to practice in all State and Federal Courts in Alabama and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Areas of Practice:

Automotive Crashworthiness

Aviation

Consumer Protection

Litigation & Appeals

Medical Malpractice

Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff

Nursing Home

Personal Injury -- Plaintiff

Products Liability Law

Bar Admissions:

Alabama, 1987

U.S. District Court Middle District of Alabama, 1987

U.S. District Court Northern District of Alabama, 1987

U.S. District Court Southern District of Alabama, 1987

U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1987

Education:

Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, 1987 - J.D.

Mercer University, Macon, GA, 1987 - B.A.