About McLaine Merrick
McLaine Merrick spent six years defending major insurance companies before switching to plaintiff-side work. He has tried cases in 10 different Georgia counties to jury verdict and has extensive experience in personal injury, wrongful death, and complex litigation matters. He is admitted to practice in Georgia and in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia.
McLaine earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Harding University in 1996 and his law degree from Georgia State College of Law in 1999. Outside the office, he is an elder in his local church, volunteers in children's ministry and mission work, and helps with food drives in his community. He also takes on pro-bono matters.
Proven verdicts and settlements at Gary Martin Hays & Associates
These results are credited to Gary Martin Hays & Associates. A result appears under an attorney's own name only when a published source names them as counsel on the case.
A 2002 Dodge Ram 15-passenger van carrying 16 women from the We Are Living Proof sober-living program rolled over and caught fire on I-85 at the I-985 split in Gwinnett County on April 24, 2021, killing seven and injuring nine others. Families and survivors sued the van's driver, Chrysler and parent company Stellantis, the group home, and two repair shops, alleging a rollover-prone design, a defective steering system, and a fuel system that let gasoline ignite after impact. The claims settled in 2024 for a combined $162,000,000, described as the largest settlement from a single-vehicle wreck in Georgia history. Families and survivors were represented by several firms, including Shiver Hamilton Campbell and Beasley Allen.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is unique and depends on its own facts.
