Medical Products & Devices

Gene Riddle is a founding member and managing partner of Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers, a law firm that employs 9 attorneys with over 160 years of combined legal experience. Gene is quick to stress his family’s deep North Carolina ties. A Stanly County native, he grew up in Aberdeen after moving from Albemarle. He has practiced law in North Carolina since September 1985. Gene’s parents were both educators. His father, a longtime superintendent of Moore County Schools, encouraged him to go to law school after college. Today, Gene believes honesty, integrity and willingness to work hard are the bedrock principles of a good attorney. That is what he and the other lawyers at Riddle & Riddle provide to their injured clients. Gene spends much of his time reviewing cases as well as instructing and supervising attorneys and paralegals. However, he also continues to directly handle cases as the lead attorney and he touches most of the personal injury cases that come into the firm. Gene takes on cases that involve serious personal injury in car accidents, truck accidents, dog bites, premises liability, wrongful death and violations of Constitutional Rights. In every case, Gene’s objective is obtaining an outcome that his client believes is fair. Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers serve in surrounding areas of North Carolina, including Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Charlotte, and more. “The client’s goals are most important,” he says. “That has to be measured by what’s reasonable and what’s fair. Our guiding star is fairness. We’re about fairness. Justice counts.” Gene’s legal accomplishments have earned him several professional honors from his legal peers, including the 2014 Litigator Award. He also has a high AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell as well as designation among the Best Attorneys of America and the American Trial Lawyers Association’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Additionally, he earned membership in the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums, based on verdicts won and settlements reached. Gene and his wife have two daughters and several pets, including a Westie named "Otis” who has been featured in several videos for the firm. Church activities are also an important part of their lives. In his free time, Gene enjoys several sports, including tennis, golf and skiing. *** Disclaimer: An attorney must meet certain requirements to join these organizations or receive these awards. For more information on Membership Criteria for Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, visit our Membership Criteria page. These awards and memberships should not be construed as a promise or guarantee of a similar result. Each case is different and must be evaluated separately.

During the course of his career Attorney Aaron Rihn has helped his clients recover in excess of $40 million dollars in verdicts and settlements. He has tried cases to verdict in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and argued before a number of the highest appellate courts including both the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals and 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Rihn leads the firm in complex litigation matters, including class actions, wage and hour collection actions, pharmaceutical cases, civil rights cases, and other product liability cases, as well as appellate matters. Mr. Rihn was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Federal Prempro MDL. He has been selected as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association, and is a former Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star. Aaron is also a member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multimillion Dollar Advocates Forum. Aaron wanted to be an attorney ever since he saw Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch has likely been an inspiration to generations of lawyers who are the conscious of the nation, and, along with the press, the best and last defense against tyranny. Aaron approaches his practice by getting to know his clients and understanding their motivations and expectations. He is dedicated to treating each and every one of his clients with respect, regardless of their background or education, and is very passionate about the law, and about his clients. Attorney Rihn tries to infuse that passion into everything he does - to resonate with a jury. Aaron grew up in Tarentum, Pennsylvania, a mill town just north of Pittsburgh. Like many other working parents, his free time is spent hopping from extracurricular activity to extracurricular activity with his three children, and he loves every second of it.

Dale L. Trimble, the owner, and principal of The Trimble Firm, P.L.L.C., is one of the few lawyers in the State of Texas who is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Law. Trimble was certified in both these specialties in 1995 and has maintained his certification in both areas since that time. Trimble remains active in trying all forms of civil trial and personal injury matters.

David Dunham is board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has earned Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible attorney rating of AV. Mr. Dunham has been recognized thirteen times as a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly and American Law Media. He has also been featured in the annual editions of the Super Lawyers Business Edition and in ALM’s Texas’ Top-Rated Lawyers. Mr. Dunham’s work in the area of patent infringement litigation has landed him on ALM’s annual lists as a Top Rated Lawyer in IP Law. Mr. Dunham is an experienced trial lawyer whose work on behalf of clients at trial has been recognized by the American Lawyer, VerdictSearch.com and topverdict.com in their annual publications. Mr. Dunham has represented business and individuals in the following industries: semiconductor, automotive products, telecommunications, software, medical devices, wireless, real estate transactions, computer peripherals, recreational equipment, securities, gaming and more.

Founder Jessica Scutt, attorney at law, represents clients in Texas and beyond in a variety of legal matters. Ms. Scutt started her career in the Chicago Housing Authority legal department. That experience informs her legal work as she strives to fight for justice for her clients. Jessica and her team at Scutt Law PLLC are not afraid to take on bullies intimidating our clients. She has fought for her clients' rights against the biggest corporations. In these matters, she has fought to deliver results for her clients in the past–and she will continue to fight into the future. Jessica Scutt is licensed in Texas and Minnesota.

Attorney Edward Kraus is the Managing Partner of Kraus Law Group, LLC in Chicago, Illinois. Since 1999, he has taught Health and Disability Law classes and has represented individuals in many cases involving complex health and disability matters. Previously, Mr. Kraus served as an attorney at the law firm of Plotkin, Jacobs, & Orlofsky, Ltd., focusing on civil litigation and consumer class actions in Chicagoland. Mr. Kraus is the director of the Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic, where he represents those who have suffered from vaccination injuries. He served on the Advisory Commission of Childhood Vaccines from September 2011 to January 2017, where he was one of nine members who provided input regarding the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). Edward Kraus is an active member of the American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. He has also been actively involved on the American Diabetes Association, Health & Disability Advocates, Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines, Department of Health & Human Services, and the Vaccine Committee of the Advisory Council to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Mr. Kraus has been admitted to the Illinois Bar Association, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. District Court, the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He is a proud graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.

When Kurt Arnold represents someone, he’s all in. He’s won billions for his clients. In fact, he has recovered more than $1 billion in a single year multiple times and shattered records with his historic verdicts and settlements. He has helped clients recover losses after major maritime disasters such as the Deepwater Horizon and the El Faro. For Kurt, no fight is too difficult or complicated. He refuses to take “no” for an answer. When something bad happens, Kurt fights for his clients, no matter what. He never backs down, no matter how big the challenge. Kurt co-founded Arnold & Itkin at 25 and has since won more than a dozen jury verdicts and settlements in excess of $100 million, over 100 jury verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million, more than 1,000 recoveries exceeding $1 million, and multiple nationwide product recalls. Kurt’s record-setting verdicts include a $117 million recovery, the largest in single-plaintiff personal injury verdict in Louisiana. He holds a record in Hawaii after securing a $42 million verdict. He broke a U.S. record when he obtained a $44 million verdict on behalf of a single-leg amputee. He’s won record-setting individual recoveries for clients of $92.7 million, $87 million, $81 million, $78 million, and $72 million. Kurt has also achieved record settlements for workplace accidents of $357.7 million and $171 million. Other record-setting results earned by Kurt include: • Largest settlement for an individual burned at a worksite in United States history. • Largest settlement for a wrongful death case in United States history. • Largest settlement for a man killed offshore in United States history. • Largest settlement for families injured in a plant explosion in United States history. • Largest settlement for an undocumented worker in United States history. • Largest settlement for a worker injured in Texas oilfield. • Largest jury verdict for a single amputee in the United States. • Largest jury verdicts in multiple states throughout the country. Kurt consistently receives the legal industry’s highest honors. He has been named to the top 50 Elite Trial Lawyer list by National Law Journal and was recognized by Lawdragon as one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America. He has been named to the Best Lawyers in America® in Admiralty and Maritime Law and Personal Injury Litigation. He was also asked to join one of the most prestigious organizations in the legal profession: The Inner Circle of Advocates. Serious accidents require the best lawyers. When people get hurt or lose someone they love, they call Kurt. To him, every case is personal. He treats his clients like family, fighting hard to get them the result they need to rebuild their lives. Kurt attended the University of Texas, where he graduated with honors at the age of 19. He then attended the University of Texas Law School and graduated in the top 5% of his class. Kurt is licensed to practice in Texas and Pennsylvania, as well as before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and before the U.S. Supreme Court. Kurt lives in Houston with his wife Tara and their children Jaxon and Isla. Kurt and his family attend St. Paul’s Methodist Church and are founders of the Arnold & Itkin Foundation.

Bill grew up in Smithville, Tennessee and graduated DeKalb County High School before attending college at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. Bill went on to law school at the University of Memphis School of Law, where he graduated President of the student body. After graduation, Bill learned to practice law while working with well-respected lawyers in Lebanon, Tennessee. Soon thereafter, he went out on his own and founded Bill Easterly & Associates in Nashville. Bill met Elizabeth Mann in 1994 and they were married a year later. They have two sons, George, a senior at Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia, and Jack, a high school senior at Currey Ingram Academy. Bill has been involved in youth sports programs for many years. He recently retired from coaching baseball, and now serves on the Board of Directors for The West Nashville Sports League (WNSL). The WNSL sponsors youth leagues for baseball, basketball, flag football, and cheerleading. The WNSL has opportunities for children of all ages and skill levels. Please feel free to call us at (615) 244-2222 if you would like more information about The West Nashville Sports League. The WNSL is presently raising funds to design and construct the first Miracle League “FIELD OF DREAMS” complex in Middle Tennessee. The complex will include a custom-designed field to allow players from 4 to 99 years of age with wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility devices to safely move from base to base. The design will also include wheelchair accessible dugouts, restrooms, a concession stand, and picnic pavilion. For more information on the FIELD OF DREAMS, you can call us, or visit www.WNSL.org.

As a young lawyer, Michael spent several years working for two of Atlanta’s premier insurance defense firms. He represented locally and nationally-known trucking companies, automobile insurers, and premises liability insurers in defense of lawsuits filed by accident victims. When Mike made a career move to the plaintiff’s side, his tenure in the large law firm environment and representation of prominent insurance companies provided Mike the experience necessary to obtain hundreds of favorable settlements and verdicts for his personal injury clients. After a decade of practicing law in Atlanta, Michael and his wife Bren decided it was time to move back to Bren’s hometown of Greenville, SC so they could help accident victims in the Upstate area and be a part of a beautiful, growing city. Michael’s experience in Atlanta’s fast-paced environment gives him a big advantage, as he has seen every type of injury and fact pattern and knows how to maximize the value of every case. His verdicts and settlements confirm his ability to get the most out of your personal injury case. Michael Melonakos was born in Monroe, Michigan and graduated from Michigan State University, where he majored in finance and international business and was the president of his fraternity. After graduation, Mike headed down to the University of Georgia for law school, and he’s been in the South ever since. While at UGA Law, Mike served as a notes editor for the Journal of Intellectual Property, was a teacher’s assistant to first-year law students in Contracts, and co-founded the Business Law Society. He credits his work ethic and compassion for our clients to his father and grandparents. When not working for his personal injury clients, Michael volunteers for the Greenville Bar Association. He regularly volunteers at his children’s schools and attends St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The Melonakos Law Firm is a proud sponsor of St. George’s annual Greek Festival here in Greenville, South Carolina. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar, and playing golf.

Jordan Palmer was raised in St. George, Utah. Jordan served a two-year Latter-day Saint mission in Ecuador. After returning home from Ecuador, Jordan played soccer at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, IA. He completed coursework for a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish at Utah Valley University. He was accepted to the University of Oregon School of Law where he completed law school. During law school, he honed his researching skills as a law clerk for Shlesinger & deVillenueve, a personal injury law firm in Eugene, Oregon. It was there the Jordan realized he had a deep passion for insurance law and helping those being treated unfairly by the insurance companies. Jordan is skilled at negotiating with insurance adjusters on behalf of his clients. He understands that people who have been in accidents are tackling difficult physical, financial, and emotional situations. He is committed to helping his client fully recover and make sure that they receive the compensation they deserve. In his downtime, Jordan enjoys being with his wife and two children. He is an avid basketball and soccer player. He loves the outdoors and enjoys the St. George weather.