About Ramon Palanca
Ramon Walls Palanca, Jr. has more than 26 years of legal experience representing workers' compensation claimants, personal injury plaintiffs, and criminal defendants in Georgia. He maintained a solo practice from 1999 to 2011, then spent 11 years at a large plaintiff's personal injury firm before joining the Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays, P.C. in 2022. Since 2008, Ramon has focused his practice almost exclusively on Georgia workers' compensation. He holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is that organization's highest available designation. Ramon earned a dual major in Economics and Government from the University of Notre Dame and his law degree from Emory University School of Law, where he was a member of the Honor Court.
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.
