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Joe Stephens has secured multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for injured clients in both landmark trials and smaller cases with limited policy coverage. We prepare each case as if we were going to trial, because insurance companies know that Joe won’t back down until they pay what’s fair.
The results below represent a cross-section of cases handled by The Stephens Law Firm. Confidentiality agreements prevent disclosure of all outcomes, including some of the most favorable.
A Texas jury awarded $10.7 million against a rogue pill mill whose clinic and physician dispensed prescription drugs that caused a patient’s death. The case, tried in Harris County, was recognized in the Verdict Search Texas Hall of Fame. Despite the landmark verdict, the physician had no assets available to satisfy the judgment.
A Texas jury awarded $9.6 million to the family of Melvin Huff, Sr. and Melvin Huff, Jr., who were killed when a tractor-trailer jackknifed into oncoming traffic on Hwy 290. The jury found the driver negligent in operating the vehicle and the fleet owner liable for improper vehicle maintenance. The family received $1,800,000 after fees and expenses.
A Texas jury awarded $7.11 million in damages to Diane Perez after she was injured in a two-car accident with a Yellow Cab. The jury found the cab driver negligent and acting as an employee of Yellow Cab, despite the defense’s argument that he was an independent contractor.
Client Collection Pending.
A Texas jury awarded $6.56 million in damages to the family of Luis Robert Gutierrez, who was shot and killed in a parking lot at the Alamo Quarry Market in San Antonio. The jury found mall management negligent for failing to provide adequate security despite prior violent incidents on the premises.
Settlement reversed on appeal.
A Texas jury awarded $3.8 million in damages to Timothy Ottison, a bicyclist left paraplegic after being hit by Rebecca Hebert’s vehicle while riding along U.S. Hwy 90 in Liberty. The court found Hebert negligent for driving on the shoulder, which caused the accident.
Amount to Client: Confidential.
A Texas jury awarded $3.75 million in damages to Gerald and Mildred Harris, the parents of David Harris, after finding Clara Harris 80% responsible for his death. Clara ran over her husband with her car during a confrontation over his affair. The damages covered loss of companionship, mental anguish, and financial loss.
Amount to Client: Confidential.
Shamal Williams, a trucker, suffered severe neurological injuries, including complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), following a highway accident. He claimed lifelong pain and impairment. The case settled pretrial for $2.45 million, covering future medical care and lost wages. This recovery was in Midland, Texas, a very conservative venue.
Amount to Client: $1,532,915.
A Texas jury awarded $1.83 million in damages to Bobby Jones, a welder who fell 12 feet while working without tie-off protection at Ellwood Texas Forge. The jury found the company negligent for failing to provide a safe working environment and proper fall protection, which caused the fall.
Settlement reversed on appeal.
A Texas jury awarded $1.275 million to Monica Jones, who was injured in a collision when Qinglai Wang ran a stop sign and struck her SUV in Katy. The jury found Wang negligent, and Jones’ injuries included herniated discs and a fractured tibia.
Amount to Client: $534,368.
A Texas jury awarded $1.2 million to Brad Alan Wilson after his four-year-old son was killed in a rear-end collision involving a Bishop Energy truck. The truck driver was found 60% responsible for the crash, with the trucking company also held liable for gross negligence.
Amount to Client: $405,000.
A Texas jury awarded one million dollars to Devin Finke after his hand was crushed by the rotating drum of a concrete truck. Finke sued the manufacturer, Continental Equipment, alleging a design flaw, as the unguarded “pinch point” caused his injury.
Amount to Client: $335,928.
A jury awarded $907,009 in a coverage dispute with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company after a rental car accident. The plaintiffs argued the rental car was a substitute for a broken-down vehicle, and the jury ruled in their favor.
Settlement Reversed on Appeal.
The case settled for $850,000 from the trucking company and an additional $50,000 from the City of Houston, a total recovery of $900,000 on a case that would have been extremely difficult to prove if the claims had been handled separately, as each defendant would have pointed to the other.
A jury awarded $765,000 in a sideswipe accident case. The plaintiff, Yasira Sonnier, claimed that the defendant, Marquita Kinnel, failed to yield the right of way during a merge. The jury found in favor of the plaintiff, who suffered herniated discs in her neck and shoulder tendinosis.
Amount to Client: $195,579.
A jury found Mark Swaim ineligible to claim $500,000 from his lover Keith Hodgson’s life insurance, ruling that Swaim intentionally caused Hodgson’s death. Hodgson’s parents, represented by The Stephens Law Firm, alleged Swaim killed Hodgson to collect the insurance. The jury agreed, preventing Swaim from receiving the proceeds.
Amount to Client: $268,043.
A 26-year-old gymnastics instructor and her 14-year-old sister were rear-ended by a distracted pickup truck driver while returning home from practice in Baytown. The crash totaled their car and left both with serious neck and back injuries, chronic pain, and forced them to give up gymnastics. After the driver falsely claimed they stopped suddenly on the freeway, Attorney Joe Stephens discredited his story during depositions and secured a $500,000 policy limits settlement.
A client suffered a herniated disc in his neck after a car wreck and required surgery. Although the at-fault driver carried only a $30,000 policy, insurer Fred Loya refused to pay even the limits, initially offering just $12,000. Attorney Joe Stephens filed suit and continued increasing demands as the case progressed. On the eve of trial, Fred Loya replaced its legal team, and the new attorney convinced the carrier to offer $325,000. The client ultimately accepted the settlement, more than 10 times the original policy limit.
An 80-year-old man tripped over a poorly installed floor receptacle while waiting for service at a dealership, falling face-first and suffering a broken shoulder and nose. He required surgery and was left unable to enjoy the active lifestyle he had before the injury, including singing, recording music, building computers, and barbecuing. Although the case was worth more, he chose to settle for $215,000 to avoid years of litigation and receive compensation during his lifetime.
Client was injured in a motor vehicle accident and referred from another law firm. The at-fault driver carried only a $30,000 policy, and the insurer was known for refusing to pay limits. Despite that history, Joe pushed the case all the way to the courthouse. Client suffered neck and back injuries, underwent injections, and was referred to a surgeon as a potential surgical candidate. The case settled for $100,000, more than three times the policy limits.
Injury Case involving Fred Loya, forced into appeal after the insurer refused to pay a clear claim. An elderly driver ran a red light and crashed through an intersection, then denied ever leaving the stoplight. Fred Loya backed his story, until an investigator produced photographs showing him squarely in the middle of the intersection.
Despite the evidence, the carrier resisted accountability. Faced with the truth, Fred Loya was left with only two options: appeal the decision or finally pay what was owed.
Client was rear-ended by a negligent motorist while traveling in normal traffic conditions. The impact caused physical injuries requiring medical treatment. Despite the at-fault driver’s limited available coverage, Attorney Joe Stephens negotiated a $70,000 settlement on the client’s behalf. Client received $40,794 after fees and expenses.
Client was rear-ended by a negligent motorist, sustaining injuries that required medical evaluation and treatment. Operating within the constraints of the at-fault driver’s minimal insurance coverage, Attorney Joe Stephens recovered the full $30,000 policy limit on behalf of the client. Client received $21,964 after fees and expenses.
