A former client is taking aim at Hall Booth Smith PC and one of its attorneys, claiming their mishandling of a wrongful death case at a Georgia shooting range left insurer NOVA Casualty Co. on the hook for $10.6 million in damages. The legal malpractice suit was filed Friday in Georgia state court.
NOVA, a subsidiary of the Hanover Insurance Group Inc., argues that Hall Booth and Brunswick-based partner Steven Paul Bristol fumbled critical responsibilities—including failing to notify the insurer of a lawsuit involving its insured entities—resulting in a catastrophic loss.
The Underlying Shooting Case
The case stems from a 2019 tragedy in which John Vito Salvati was accidentally shot by his stepson, Jack Tirado-Frederick, at an indoor shooting range operated by Quickshot Savannah LLC, a company insured by NOVA.
NOVA says it had a duty to defend Quickshot under its liability policy but was effectively sidelined by the firm it trusted. The insurer alleges Hall Booth and Bristol responded to the lawsuit without informing them, cutting NOVA out of key defense strategies and depriving them of the chance to issue timely coverage positions.
