Thomas S. Tommy Thornton
Health Care Law
Health Care Law
Create an account to contact this attorney
Thomas S. Thornton, III is a shareholder with Carr Allison and a resident in the firm’s Birmingham, Alabama office. He is a member of the Birmingham and Alabama State Bar Associations as well as various legal and industry specific organizations.Tommy serves as chair of the firm’s Retail and Hospitality Practice Group. He has focused his litigation practice on the defense of personal injury, premises liability, product liability, transportation, retaliatory discharge, general liability, as well as catastrophic workers’ compensation matters. He represents regional and national retail, restaurant, hotel, and convenient store chains, as well as national transportation, nursing home and long term care clients, and various insurance and third party administrators.Tommy also serves as National CMS Coordination Compliance Counsel for a number of his national business and insurance industry clients ensuring compliance with the Medicare Secondary Payer and Section 111 Act. These services range from guiding clients through an educational and risk analysis process in conjunction with the establishment of internal claim handling protocols. He also provides support negotiating with local defense and plaintiff’s counsel on litigated matters pending nationally to responding to fines and penalties levied by Medicare.Tommy has served as chair of the Retail Practice Group for the USLAW Network and was an original member of the Medicare Advocacy Recovery Coalition. He provides frequent lectures for various clients, organizations and industry specific trade conferences on topics ranging from best practices and legal updates for defending personal injury claims to Medicare compliance and the defense of workers’ compensation claims. Some of these organizations include regional and national RIMS, National Restaurant Association, Food Marketing Institute, American Hotel and Lodging Association, National Gas Claims and Litigation Association and SIIA.Tommy holds an AV-rating from his peers through the Martindale-Hubbell peer review process and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© since 2016 in the area of workers’ compensation. Thomas S. Thornton, III is a shareholder with Carr Allison and a resident in the firm’s Birmingham, Alabama office. He is a member of the Birmingham and Alabama State Bar Associations as well as various legal and industry specific organizations. Tommy serves as chair of the firm’s Retail and Hospitality Practice Group. He has focused his litigation practice on the defense of personal injury, premises liability, product liability, transportation, retaliatory discharge, general liability, as well as catastrophic workers’ compensation matters. He represents regional and national retail, restaurant, hotel, and convenient store chains, as well as national transportation, nursing home and long term care clients, and various insurance and third party administrators. Tommy also serves as National CMS Coordination Compliance Counsel for a number of his national business and insurance industry clients ensuring compliance with the Medicare Secondary Payer and Section 111 Act. These services range from guiding clients through an educational and risk analysis process in conjunction with the establishment of internal claim handling protocols. He also provides support negotiating with local defense and plaintiff’s counsel on litigated matters pending nationally to responding to fines and penalties levied by Medicare. Tommy has served as chair of the Retail Practice Group for the USLAW Network and was an original member of the Medicare Advocacy Recovery Coalition. He provides frequent lectures for various clients, organizations and industry specific trade conferences on topics ranging from best practices and legal updates for defending personal injury claims to Medicare compliance and the defense of workers’ compensation claims. Some of these organizations include regional and national RIMS, National Restaurant Association, Food Marketing Institute, American Hotel and Lodging Association, National Gas Claims and Litigation Association and SIIA. Tommy holds an AV-rating from his peers through the Martindale-Hubbell peer review process and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© since 2016 in the area of workers’ compensation.
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2016
Eric Brown
I hired Mr. Thornton to represent my small manufacturing company in a complex workers' compensation case involving a significant injury. With nearly three decades of experience and his recognition in workers' compensation law for employers, I was confident in his technical expertise, and that confidence was largely justified. His deep understanding of Alabama state law and the procedural nuances was evident throughout the process. He successfully navigated the claim to a resolution that protected our business interests. However, my experience was a mixed bag. While his legal strategy was sound, there were periods where communication was slower than I would have preferred. Updates sometimes felt reactive rather than proactive, requiring me to follow up for status reports. His vast experience in general practice, including his noted work in product liability and healthcare law, means he handles a high volume of complex cases. At times, I felt my case, while important to me, was just another file in a very busy practice. He is undoubtedly a skilled attorney at Carr Allison, and I appreciate the positive outcome. For straightforward legal matters requiring a seasoned professional, he is a solid choice, but clients should be prepared to manage their own expectations regarding responsiveness and direct client engagement.