James B. Jim Matthews

James B. Jim Matthews

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

3.0 (1 reviews)
Athens, Georgia
45+ years experience
Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley PC
Updated:

Contact Information

440 College Avenue, Suite 320, Athens, GA 30601
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Bio

Jim handles a wide range of plaintiffs’ personal injury cases. He focuses his practice on product defects, medical negligence, car accidents, and trucking accidents. Jim is actively involved in hernia mesh litigation; the Atrium C-Qur mesh products (he is State Liaison Counsel in New Hampshire) and mesh products made by C.R. Bard, Inc. (he is co-lead counsel in Rhode Island).With more than 37 years of legal experience, Jim has earned a reputation as a seasoned and successful trial lawyer. In the early years of his career he defended hundreds of personal injury cases. He defended hospitals and physicians, trucking companies, and manufacturers of a wide range of products, including tobacco and asbestos products. He also worked on behalf of companies in business litigation matters.Jim eventually decided to switch sides and, in 1990, he began practicing on behalf of plaintiffs. At Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C., he now handles a wide variety of personal injury and wrongful death cases brought by injured victims and their families, as well as plaintiff business litigation. Most of Jim’s clients are referred to him by other attorneys and former clients he has helped in the past.Jim is actively involved in the pelvic mesh and hernia mesh litigation. He is co-lead counsel in the C.R. Bard hernia mesh consolidated litigation in Rhode Island, was lead counsel in the Atrium C-Qur hernia mesh litigation in state court in New Hampshire and was state court liaison to the New Hampshire federal court C-Qur multi-district litigation. He had active roles during the discovery, pre-trial, and trial stages of the Ethicon/Johnson & Johnson Physiomesh hernia mesh multidistrict litigation in Atlanta (which was settled before trial) and the C.R. Bard pelvic mesh MDL in federal court in Charleston, West Virginia (which settled after a win for his client in the first bellwether trial). Jim handles a wide range of plaintiffs’ personal injury cases. He focuses his practice on product defects, medical negligence, car accidents, and trucking accidents. Jim is actively involved in hernia mesh litigation; the Atrium C-Qur mesh products (he is State Liaison Counsel in New Hampshire) and mesh products made by C.R. Bard, Inc. (he is co-lead counsel in Rhode Island).With more than 37 years of legal experience, Jim has earned a reputation as a seasoned and successful trial lawyer. In the early years of his career he defended hundreds of personal injury cases. He defended hospitals and physicians, trucking companies, and manufacturers of a wide range of products, including tobacco and asbestos products. He also worked on behalf of companies in business litigation matters.Jim eventually decided to switch sides and, in 1990, he began practicing on behalf of plaintiffs. At Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C., he now handles a wide variety of personal injury and wrongful death cases brought by injured victims and their families, as well as plaintiff business litigation. Most of Jim’s clients are referred to him by other attorneys and former clients he has helped in the past.Jim is actively involved in the pelvic mesh and hernia mesh litigation. He is co-lead counsel in the C.R. Bard hernia mesh consolidated litigation in Rhode Island, was lead counsel in the Atrium C-Qur hernia mesh litigation in state court in New Hampshire and was state court liaison to the New Hampshire federal court C-Qur multi-district litigation. He had active roles during the discovery, pre-trial, and trial stages of the Ethicon/Johnson & Johnson Physiomesh hernia mesh multidistrict litigation in Atlanta (which was settled before trial) and the C.R. Bard pelvic mesh MDL in federal court in Charleston, West Virginia (which settled after a win for his client in the first bellwether trial). Jim handles a wide range of plaintiffs’ personal injury cases. He focuses his practice on product defects, medical negligence, car accidents, and trucking accidents. Jim is actively involved in hernia mesh litigation; the Atrium C-Qur mesh products (he is State Liaison Counsel in New Hampshire) and mesh products made by C.R. Bard, Inc. (he is co-lead counsel in Rhode Island). He also worked on behalf of companies in business litigation matters. Jim eventually decided to switch sides and, in 1990, he began practicing on behalf of plaintiffs. At Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C., he now handles a wide variety of personal injury and wrongful death cases brought by injured victims and their families, as well as plaintiff business litigation. Most of Jim’s clients are referred to him by other attorneys and former clients he has helped in the past. Jim is actively involved in the pelvic mesh and hernia mesh litigation. He is co-lead counsel in the C.R. Bard hernia mesh consolidated litigation in Rhode Island, was lead counsel in the Atrium C-Qur hernia mesh litigation in state court in New Hampshire and was state court liaison to the New Hampshire federal court C-Qur multi-district litigation. He had active roles during the discovery, pre-trial, and trial stages of the Ethicon/Johnson & Johnson Physiomesh hernia mesh multidistrict litigation in Atlanta (which was settled before trial) and the C.R. Bard pelvic mesh MDL in federal court in Charleston, West Virginia (which settled after a win for his client in the first bellwether trial).

Practice Areas

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Awards & Recognition

  • Lawyer of the Year: Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Greater Atlanta (2026)
  • Recognized: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
  • Recognized: Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
  • Recognized: Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Recognized: Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Practice Area: Medical Malpractice Law
  • Practice Area: Personal Injury Litigation
  • Special Focus: Medical Malpractice
  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Elected Fellow
  • AV® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®
  • Best Lawyers in America®
  • Georgia Super Lawyers®
  • Legal Elite, Georgia Trend Magazine

Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1999

Education

  • Georgia Southern University, BS Econ, graduated 1980
  • University of Georgia, JD, graduated 1983

Reviews

D

Daniel Martinez

2 months ago

Competent handling of my medical malpractice case

Attorney Matthews has undeniable expertise in medical negligence, as his recognition suggests. He secured a reasonable settlement for my case involving a surgical error. However, communication was sometimes slow, with significant wait times for callbacks. While his 45 years of experience from the University of Georgia were evident in strategy, managing client expectations on timelines could be improved. The outcome was fair, but the process felt more distant than anticipated.

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