This case has been going on for fifteen years. It has even been reversed by the Arkansas Supreme Court on two occasions. After a six day trial, Pulaski County Circuit Court jury has awarded $12 million verdict to a local doctor and medical clinic against Allstate Insurance Company.

Dr. Jon Dodson and Forest Park Medical Clinic sued Allstate over allegations including defamation of character and conspiring not to pay medical claims. The jury spoke loudly. Of the $12 million verdict, $6 million was in actual damages while there was another $15 million awarded as punishment to Allstate.

In this case, Dr. Jon Dodson filed his complaint against Allstate Insurance and two of its agents. He alleged that these agents; Wadell and Runkle, at Allstate’s direction defamed him by representing to claimants and insureds that he provided unqualified physical therapy treatment and this had amounted to fraud. He also alleged that the defamation were made with intent to damage his professional reputation and interfered with his contractual obligation to his patients.

Allstate filed a counterclaim that was later dismissed. The case went to the state Supreme Court and was remanded. Another trial was set after numerous continuances. Later a retrial began only to be granted a mistrial after the first two days on grounds that during the course of the trial, one of the jurors communicated her opinion of the case to other jurors.

Tagged as: Arkansas Supreme Court, Defamation, Jon Dodson, legal nurse consulting