Braxton Thrash

Braxton focuses his practice on defending insurers, third-party administrators, plan administrators, plan sponsors, and employers in group insurance-related matters involving life, health, disability, and accidental death and dismemberment. He has extensive litigation experience at the federal district and appellate court levels and is well versed in ERISA litigation issues, such as preemption, the standard of review, the scope of discovery, and available claims and remedies. Braxton also has experience defending insurers in life and disability bad faith litigations. Using the firm’s nationwide footprint, Braxton has represented clients in jurisdictions across the country.

Prior to joining Maynard Nexsen, Braxton was a trial and appellate lawyer in the private sector for four years and served two years as a Judicial Clerk for U.S. Magistrate Judge John England, III in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Community & Professional

• Alabama State Bar Association
• Birmingham Bar Association
• Blount Alumni Fellows, Secretary

• Stewart v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., 43 F.4th 1251, 1255 (11th Cir. 2022),
• Campbell v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. 21-5651, 2022 WL 620151, at *1 (6th Cir. Mar. 3, 2022)
• Yocum v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., No. 3:19-CV-761-DJH-RSE, 2021 WL 5854367, at *1 (W.D. Ky. Dec. 9, 2021)
• Cassidy v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., No. 6:19-CV-000201-GFVT, 2021 WL 1857297, at *1 (E.D. Ky. May 10, 2021)
• Fenwick v. Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company, 2021 WL 100549 (6th Cir. Jan. 12, 2021)
• Davis v. Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company, 980 F.3d 541 (6th Cir. 2020)
• Tucker v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. 5:18-CV-194-TBR-LLK, 2020 WL 3453751 (W.D. Ky. June 24, 2020)
• Young v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. CV 6:19-61-KKC, 2020 WL 996448 (E.D. Ky. Mar. 2, 2020)
• Long v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 404 F. Supp. 3d 1012, 1021 (N.D. Tex. 2019)
• Griffin v. Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company, 898 F.3d 371 (4th Cir. 2018)
• Howe v. Barr Eng'g Co., No. 17-CV-3019 (JNE/LIB), 2017 WL 7202130, at *9 (D. Minn. Dec. 6, 2017), report and recommendation adopted, No. 17-CV-3019 (JNE/LIB), 2018 WL 647928 (D. Minn. Jan. 31, 2018)

Recognition

• Listed in Best Lawyers, "Ones to Watch" for Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants (2024 - present)