Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm in Houston, Texas is proud to announce the achievements of Toby Fullmer. Toby Fullmer has been recognized by Texas Monthly magazine as a Rising Star. Learn more about Toby Fullmer and what it means to be a Rising Star -
Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm's Very Own Rising Star
Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm "is accustomed to taking on armies of lawyers and winning. They have the experience and the resources to fight major manufacturers and others who cause injuries."
— Jamie O'Rourke, INSIDE HOUSTON
Read excerpts from the Inside Houston interview
News on Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm's Settlements and Verdicts
- A harmless looking but defectively designed bottle cap on a soft drink bottle flew off and caused this injury. The verdict was appealed to the United States Supreme Court and is the highest verdict against Alcoa for an injury from this defectively designed product.
The Houston Chronicle reported:MAN AWARDED $1.3 MILLION IN EXPLOSION OF BOTTLE CAP "A 39-year-old Houston salesman who lost the sight in his right eye when the cap of a soft-drink bottle blew off and struck him was awarded $1.3 million by a district court jury...
"James E. Alm, of 10011 Greentree, was opening a 32-ounce bottle of 7-Up when the twist-off cap suddenly blew off an struck him in the right eye.
"Doug Matthews, Alm's attorney, said Alm lost 75 percent of the vision in his right eye. Matthews said that Alcoa [the manufacturing company] knew its capping system produced caps with weak threads and should have put warnings the bottles." -
Even though he had not had a back operation, the nerve damage in this client's lower back prevented him from returning to his job as a railroad engineer. It is one of the highest verdicts for a non-operated back injury in the country.
The Palestine Herald-Press reported:JURY AWARDS RAILROAD WORKER OVER $950,000 IN INJURY "A Garden City man injured in 1995 while working as a locomotive engineer was awarded more than $950,000 this week in a civil trial.
"An Anderson County jury deliberated about four hours Wednesday before finding that James W. "Dub" Johnson was injured by the negligence of the Union Pacific Railroad.
"The 20-year railroad employee was awarded $20,000 for past medical care; $118,000 for past and future mental anguish and physical pain; $65,000 for past loss income; $725,000 for loss of future earnings capacity; and $60,000 for past and future physical impairment.
"Johnson was represented by Doug Matthews of Houston..." -
We've handled a number of fuel tank fire cases and other crashworthiness cases against virtually every automobile manufacturer in the U.S. and elsewhere. This case resulted in the production by the defendant of a so-called "Value Analysis" in which the manufacturer compared the cost of deaths from burn injuries of its cars against the cost of improved safety. This "Value Analysis" continues to be used in evidence in these cases around the country.
The Houston Chronicle reported:PLAINTIFFS, GENERAL MOTORS SETTLE SUIT OVER CRASH FOR $3.5 MILLION "Judith Jampole waited in her 1976 Vega parked off U.S. Highway 59 near Wharton as her husband walked toward the car after seeking mechanical help for the sputtering engine.
"But before Stanley Jampole made it to the car he saw a station wagon careen off the highway and ram into the rear of the Vega, causing an explosion on impact and the death of his 47-year-old wife.
"The April 14, 1979, event spurred a lawsuit against General Motors, alleging that a faulty fuel system in the Vega allowed the gas tank to easily rupture. This week the company settle out of court with the Jampole family for $3.5 million.
"The family's attorney, Doug Matthews, said the amount, to be paid in one payment, is one of the largest settlements made by G.M." -
Ralph Nader wrote "Unsafe At Any Speed" about the defective design of the Corvair, but this is believed to be the highest verdict ever for injuries from a defective Corvair against the manufacturer.
The Houston Chronicle reported:AREA MAN WINS $2.4 MILLION SUIT IN CORVAIR WRECK "The Supreme Court said that it could find no reversible error in the ruling of a Harris County Court of Civil Appeals, which has upheld a jury's finding that the accident was the result of both design and manufacturing defects in the right rear suspension of the automobile.
"He [Harold L. Bryant] was crossing the Magnolia Bayou Bridge when, according to an eye witness, the right rear corner of his car dropped, the motor cover on the rear-engine car popped up and the car swerved off the road. It dropped to a grassy area below the bridge.
"Bryant suffered brain stem damage, resulting in paralysis and loss of memory.
"Bryant, 48, has been in a Michigan nursing home for some time, confined to a wheel chair. His attorney, W. Douglas Matthews of Houston, said that the $2.4 million judgment will allow him to move into a specially-equipped home." -
While his soft tissue ankle injury did not appear to be important to the defendants, this railroad switchman lost his job because of it. Considering his wage lost and other damage elements, the jury awarded him in excess of a million dollars.
The Blue Sheet of Southeast Texas reported:"Plaintiff, 41, a Burlington Northern Railroad switchman, alleged he fell because of a rock hidden by mud and a hole in the walkway.
"Plaintiff alleged AHR Trucking & Storage, Inc. was negligent for failing to maintain a safe walkway and Burlington Northern Railroad Company was negligent for failing to provide a safe place to work."VERDICT: Jury found Burlington Northern Railroad Company 50% Negligent and AHR Trucking & Storage, Inc. 50% Negligent.
AWARD: $1,130,516.66
PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY: W. Douglas Matthews -
Other publications reporting the successes of Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm:
The Blue Sheet of Southeast Texas reported:"Plaintiff, 50, was an engineer for Defendant, Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. He alleged he injured his low back using an engine hand brake that wouldn't release.
"Missouri Pacific Railroad Company denied the hand brake was defective and claimed Plaintiff was contributorily negligent for failing to seek assistance and in not setting out engine on a side track."VERDICT: Jury found Missouri Pacific Railroad Company 100% negligent and no Plaintiff negligence, and found that the engine was not in proper condition and safe to operate.
AWARDED: Jury awarded Plaintiff $988,000.00 in actual damages.
PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY: W. Douglas Matthews
Inside Houston Interviews Doug Matthews
In addition to the several articles written on Doug Matthews and Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm, a few samples of which have been made part of this site, Jamie O'Rourke of the television news program Inside Houston conducted an exclusive news story on the work of Doug Matthews. The following conversation between Doug Matthews and Ms. O'Rourke is a sample from that interview.
| Jamie O'Rourke: | Automakers have been on the losing side of product liability lawsuits many times and lawsuits deserve some of the credit for new safety features and better designs. How have lawsuits brought about safer cars? |
| Doug Matthews: | Well Jamie, lawsuits tend to focus the public on defective designs like the Corvair, the Suzuki Samurai, the Chevette, various unsafe cars and what happens is, is that that affects the ability of the manufacturer to sell defective cars or sells its cars generally. It brings about changes in designs of the cars. It also brings about recalls of the cars and so, in a number of ways, it brings about new and improved cars. |
| Jamie O'Rourke: | What should an individual consider when they are looking for a personal injury attorney? |
| Doug Matthews: | In this field and in the field of defective products Jamie, they need someone who has a reputation and a background and the staff to take on major manufacturers. They need someone who is board certified in personal injury trial law. They need someone who has done this many times, board certification is something they can find out from the State Bar and they can find the reputation or find out about the reputation from other lawyers. |
| Jamie O'Rourke: | Doug, how do you differ from others in the field? |
| Doug Matthews: | We think we have a very capable staff and a lot of experience in this field. We've had some very successful results. I'm board certified in personal injury trial law. I'm a past president of the Texas Trial Lawyer's Association. We think we have the experience, the team and the resources to handle these kinds of complex cases involving serious injuries. |
If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the complete story, please contact Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm at 800/899-3352 and a complimentary videotape will be forwarded to you.