On November 19, 2014, what began as an ordinary lunch break turned into a life-altering event for John Ratzlaff, a Santa Rosa County employee. After slipping on water from a cracked tile at a Church’s Chicken restaurant, Mr. Ratzlaff struck his head and sustained a traumatic brain injury. The fall led to years of debilitating symptoms — including migraines, cognitive deficits, and memory loss — ultimately ending his career and changing the course of his life.

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Crawford of Crawford Law to discuss how he, along with co-counsel Phil Hall, secured a $4 million jury verdict on behalf of Mr. Ratzlaff. The defendant, MSK Enterprises, admitted liability but disputed the extent of damages, arguing the case was worth no more than $250,000. The jury disagreed.

Chris shares his perspective on the challenges of trying a brain injury case, the importance of storytelling in the courtroom, and how he helped the jury see the human toll of a preventable fall.

We hope this episode honors the perseverance of Mr. Ratzlaff and sheds light on the lasting effects of traumatic brain injuries — both in and beyond the courtroom.

Chris Crawford Contact Information

Crawford Law
15 W La Rua St
Pensacola, FL 32501-3933

Office: 850-432-7726

Cell: 850-898-4904

Fax: 850-226-5725

chris@bettercallchris.net

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

In this gripping episode, Landon Stinson sits down with legendary trial lawyer and author Mike Papantonio to discuss his explosive new legal thriller, The Middleman. Papantonio ("Pap") peels back the curtain on the dark alliances between corporate power and government corruption—drawing from real-life courtroom experience to craft a chilling, high-stakes narrative.

We explore:

• The inspiration behind The Middleman
• How fiction reflects today’s legal and political realities
• What Papantonio hopes readers take away about justice, power, and truth

Whether you're a fan of legal thrillers, a fellow trial lawyer, or just someone who cares about accountability in America, this episode delivers sharp insights and bold storytelling from one of the country's most fearless legal minds.

📘 The Middleman is available now wherever books are sold.

Speaker Bio

Mike Papantonio is a senior partner with the law firm of Levin Papantonio. He has received numerous multi-million dollar verdicts on behalf of victims of corporate malfeasance. His award-winning work handling thousands of mass tort cases throughout the nation has helped make Levin Papantonio one of the largest plaintiff law firms in the country.

Mr. Papantonio is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer by the Florida Bar and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is a fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers. He is a member of The National Trial Lawyers (past president), American Board of Trial Advocates, the American Association for Justice, the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, and the Florida Justice Association, where he served on the Board of Directors for five years.

Mr. Papantonio is one of the few living attorneys inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. He is listed in the publications Best Lawyers in America and Leading American Attorney.

Mr. Papantonio is the host of the YouTube show America’s Lawyer with over 900,000 subscribers where he provides in-depth investigations into major corporate and government corruption. He is also the founder and former host of the nationally syndicated radio program Ring of Fire.

Mr. Papantonio’s role on Ring of Fire is featured in the movie, Jesus Camp, which was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Documentary Feature. He also was featured in the award-winning documentaries, Oxy Kingpins (2021), which focuses on the untold story of how a network of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and retailers worked together to orchestrate and perpetuate the opioid crisis that has killed over half a million people in America, The Devil We Know (2018), highlighting the dangers of DuPont’s manmade chemical C8, and Beyond Pollution (2012), regarding the truth behind the largest man-made natural disaster in history, the BP Oil Spill.

Mr. Papantonio has conducted hundreds of recorded interviews with guests including Matthew McConaughey, Al Pacino, Erin Brockovich, Dan Rather, Helen Thomas, Howard Zinn, Arianna Huffington, Mary Chapin Carpenter, David Crosby, Merle Haggard, Morgan Spurlock, Bill Moyers, Rickie Lee Jones, Alanis Morissette, Pete Seeger, Jackson Browne, Chuck D from Public Enemy, Henry Rollins, Ted Sorensen, and Elizabeth Kucinich.

Mr. Papantonio was selected to serve as Lead and Co-Lead in discovery and trial in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL, which has been called “the largest and most complex case in the history of jurisprudence” by the Washington Post. He and his firm have been credited as one of the key negotiators in the $26 billion settlement with America’s “Big Three” drug distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson.

Mr. Papantonio and the firm’s C8 trial team helped secure a $1.2 billion settlement against DuPont, related to

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/

In this episode of On Premises, host Landon Stinson sits down with trial attorneys Andrew Garza and Alexa Mahony, who were part of the landmark trial that secured the highest bodily injury verdict in Connecticut’s history—a staggering $100 million. Together, they walk listeners through a more recent jury trial, sharing how Andrew and Alex strategically used big data to achieve a $9M verdict for their client who was permanently injured due to a laceration at a waterpark in CT.

Andrew and Alexa dive into the power of data in personal injury law, their approach to trial preparation, and the importance of fighting for justice on behalf of vulnerable clients. Whether you’re a legal professional or simply fascinated by high-stakes litigation, this episode offers invaluable insights into how data and strategy can make all the difference in the courtroom.

Speaker Bios:

Andrew Garza

Andrew Garza, co-founder of Claggett, Sykes & Garza, LLC, is a dedicated trial attorney committed to helping personal injury clients. Raised in public housing in Groton, he worked through college and law school in hospitality. Known for leveling the playing field for vulnerable clients, Andrew won a historic $100 million jury verdict in 2022, the highest bodily injury verdict in Connecticut’s history.

In addition to his practice, he teaches aspiring trial lawyers at Keenan Trial Institute, where he earned the 2022 Trial Lawyer of the Year award. Outside of law, Andrew enjoys hosting parties and building furniture.

Alexa Mahony

Alexa Mahony, a trial attorney at Claggett, Sykes & Garza, has secured several multi-million-dollar jury verdicts. A career highlight was being part of the trial team that achieved a $100 million verdict for a catastrophically injured client and his wife. Alexa led the case for the wife, winning $10 million for her loss of consortium claim.

Alexa is dedicated to her clients, with another key achievement being a $1 million verdict for a father and son after a traumatic brain injury caused by a car crash.

She lives in Plantsville with her husband, son, and dog, Ruby. Outside of work, Alexa enjoys yoga, reading at the beach, and spending time with loved ones.

Host Law Firm Website: https://www.beacon.legal/