Class Action Filed Against Alabama DHR Vendor’s Falsified Lab Results
Brandy Murrah, the 36-year-old owner of A&J Lab Collections, was arrested last month on two counts of forgery for falsifying drug test results. Murrah’s company is a vendor for the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR), and she had a contract to perform drug and paternity tests on individuals involved in child custody cases or dependency (CPS) court cases in several counties throughout the state.
Murrah was arrested for performing falsified tests on two women, producing positive results for illegal drugs. Because of these false positive tests, these women had their children taken away and put into the foster care system. Both were later re-tested at independent drug testing facilities and medical clinics, and all their tests were negative. Although the independent tests have vindicated them, they still do not have custody of their kids.
Authorities now say that this could be just the “tip of the iceberg”, and they have no idea how many individuals and families may have been affected by Murrah’s wrongdoing. Investigators are now scrambling to find out how many other families have had to deal with the agony of children being wrongly separated from their parents because of falsified lab results.
The two women, Amy Farver and Tiffany Long, are lead plaintiffs in a lawsuit that was filed against A&J Lab Collections and other defendants in the Henry County Circuit Court. Attorneys M. Adam Jones and Jordan S. Davis of M. Adam Jones and Associates are representing the Plaintiffs in this suit, which they have filed to have certified as a class action.
Thousands of drug tests were performed by Murrah and A&J Lab Collections in multiple counties throughout Alabama, and there are countless individuals and families who may have been negatively impacted by receiving false positives on these tests.
If you or someone you know tested positive falsely on a lab test done by Murrah or A&J Lab Collections, you may be entitled to compensation. Call M. Adam Jones and Associates today at 334-581-9238 to discuss your case and join our lawsuit.
A&J Lab Collections Owner Was Hired by the DHR Even Though She Had a Checkered Past
There are a lot of questions that have yet to be answered in the A&J Labs case. For one thing, how was Murrah ever allowed to become a contractor for the Alabama DHR when she already had a criminal history?
In 2013, Murrah was arrested and found guilty of five counts of credit card fraud. She served three years of probation for these offenses. Despite this record of fraud, Murrah was hired by the DHR in several counties to perform some of the most sensitive tests, tests that have major implications regarding the relationships of parents and their children and the ability of individuals to obtain employment.
Law enforcement officials also believe that Murrah somehow profited from the falsified lab results. This would indicate that this case may go far beyond simple negligence. Although we do not yet know exactly why the test results were falsified, A&J Labs clearly acted willfully and wantonly, causing major harm to the plaintiffs in this case.
Damages suffered by the victims of Murrah’s action include loss of custody, visitation, and time spent with children, loss of reputation, loss of freedom, loss of time and expenses dealing with legal matters related to this case, mental anguish, and emotional distress.
Call M. Adam Jones and Associates Today to Join the A&J Lab Collections Lawsuit
What has happened to Farver, Long, and the numerous other victims in the A&J Labs case is one of the most egregious acts that has ever been perpetrated on Alabama families in our state’s history. To think that the Alabama DHR, the very agency charged with protecting Alabama families, would contract with a vendor who had a record of fraud, and this vendor goes on to mess with other peoples’ lives apparently for her own profit. We must ensure that all parties who played any part in this fraud are held fully accountable, so this type of conduct is never allowed to repeat itself.
If you or someone close to you has been affected by this case, call M. Adam Jones and Associates today at 334-581-9238 to discuss your legal rights and options. You may also message us through our online contact form or stop by our Dothan, AL office in person at your convenience.