Notable Cases

The Buzbee Law Firm is routinely involved in high stakes litigation with millions of dollars in play. We like contingency fee arrangements, because such an arrangement incentivizes us by allowing our firm to participate in the success we obtain. In those rare cases when we work at an hourly rate, we charge more than the run-of-the-mill firm. We believe we are worth it, and our experience demonstrates that our clients believe it, too.

Here are a sample of some of our firm's trial verdicts:

Tony Buzbee, Sean O'Rourke, Peter Taaffe, and Nick Simon tried a toxic exposure case for three weeks in Galveston Federal Court. After deliberating for a day and a half, the jury returned a verdict of $100.3 MILLION on behalf of 10 workers. The actual damage award was less than $300,000. The punitive award was $10 million per worker. Prior to trial, Mr. Buzbee offered to settle the case for $10,000 per worker, or $100,000. BP, the defendant, rejected the offer, and the jury gave many times that settlement offer. This was the largest verdict ever awarded in Galveston County, and was one of the top verdicts for 2009.

Tony Buzbee and Chris Johns tried a two and a half week trial in Galveston for the family of a thirteen year old boy killed in a tragic car accident. The case was tried against Ford Motor Company alleging that the Ford Explorer was defective due to its tendency to roll over during an accident avoidance maneuver. Prior to the trial, Ford offered less than $250,000.00 At the conclusion of trial, the jury returned a verdict for $16.6 million on behalf of the family. The case settled for a confidential amount a few days later. This verdict was the first of its kind in the State of Texas, and was the first time Ford had lost such a case after its army of lawyers had won cases alleging the same theory fourteen trials in a row across the United States.

Tony Buzbee and Chris Johns (with local counsel Aaron Vela) tried a case in South Texas state court for a female dredge worker hit in the head when the vessel upon which she was working unexpectedly rolled causing the cans to fall from the shelves. The worker claimed the blow from the can injured her neck, although she did not have surgery. The case was brought against Weeks Marine, Inc. Prior to trial, the Defendant dredge company offered $50,000 to settle the case. After a week long trial, the jury returned a verdict in excess of $900,000, and the judgment that was ultimately entered exceeded $1 million. This unoperated neck case was settled confidentially on appeal.

Tony Buzbee, Frank Spagnoletti, Craig Eiland, and Stretch Lewis tried a case on behalf of a push boat worker who was forced to jump two and a half feet to traverse from one vessel to another. During the jump, he injured his back, requiring back surgery. Prior to trial, the push boat company offered $150,000 to settle the case. After a week long trial, a verdict of $1.4 million was entered. The case is currently pending.

Tony Buzbee, Art Sadin, and Joe Fisher tried a week long case on behalf of a railroad engineer against involved in a train collision. Due to the collision, the engineer had to have back surgery. Blaming our client for the entire accident, BNSF railroad offered nothing to settle the case. After a week long trial, the jury returned a verdict in excess of $1.4 million. The case settled for the verdict amount the next day.

Tony Buzbee and co-counsel Michael Sydow tried a breach of contract case on an oral contract against Edison Chouest Corporation. Prior to trial, the Defendant offered less than $200,000 to settle the case. After a week long trial, the jury returned a verdict for $2.8 million. While a motion for new trial was pending, the case settled for a confidential amount.

Tony Buzbee tried a products liability case against FMC Corporation on behalf of a widow whose husband was killed offshore Saudi Arabia on a drilling platform when the pipes he was working around burst under pressure. Due to his diligence, Buzbee uncovered a dangerous mismatch pipe problem in the industry, and blamed FMC, the industry leader, for the problem. After a week long trial, the jury returned a verdict of $6.2 million for the widow. The case was later overturned on appeal, and settled shortly thereafter for a confidential amount. Due to the case, the mismatch problem has now been adressed in the industry.

Tony Buzbee and Peter Taaffe (with local counsel Aaron Vela) represented an oiler on a dredge who suffered a serious knee injury while working for Weeks Marine.  Due to him tripping on a step, the worker had to have a knee scope, and his doctor opined that a future knee surgery might be needed. Prior to trial, the Defendant offered less than $150,000 to settle the case. After an eight day jury trial in state court, the jury rendered a verdict on our client's behalf and the Judge entered a judgment exceeding $1 million. The case is currently on appeal.

Tony Buzbee tried a 905(b) case for a longshoreman whose leg was horribly mangled when a two ton coil tipped over in the Houston Ship Channel. After receiving a zero offer, the trial verdict entered was $1.9 million.

Tony Buzbee and Peter Taaffe (with co-counsel Allain Hardin) represented an offshore derrickhand whose finger was injured while working for Diamond Offshore.  The injury happened when his co-workers dropped an alleged defective piece of drilling equipment, made by Baker-Hughes, on his hand.  After a bench trial, the Judge entered a judgment of $518,000.00, which the defendants promptly paid. This is the highest verdict in Texas ever entered for this type of finger injury. 

Other notable past cases include:

Trademark Infringement: represented famed singer, Jimmy Buffett, obtaining a judgment whereby the alleged infringer can never sell a Buffett related item again.

Breach of Contract and Fraud Defense: Successfully defended a multimillion dollar case brought by local celebrity "Mattress Mac" against several world renowned horse traders and trainers.

Dredge worker injured while trying to untie a line in inclement weather. $1 million settlement for an operated back case. 

Represented a broker who was owed payment on notes totalling more than $100 million. Case settled within a few days of being hired and participating in a court hearing for a confidential amount, exceeding $90 million.

Breach of Contract Plaintiff: Obtained a $9 million settlement for the Port of Galveston. Prior to retention by the Port, the Defendants had only offered $280,000. 

Government Regulation: Represented highly regarded developer Blackard Group pertaining to multimillion dollar development on Galveston's West End. Having only been retained for a week, attended a hearing and convinced court to dissolve an injunction that had held up development for more than two years.

Dredge worker injured while trying to remove a ring on a pontoon line. $1 million settlement for an unoperated back. 

Environmental Litigation: Represented Spain's Basque Government in a case seeking remedy for the largest oil spill in Spain's history. Portion of case settled for $75 million.

Products Liability: Forced nationwide retrofit of dry cleaning machines after a $5.2 million settlement. Parties confidential.

Offshore death case: Forced offshore company to install guards on all hose reels. Confidential settlement.

Offshore collision case: Represented two workers injured in a vessel collision in the Houston Ship Channel. Both claimed back injuries, although neither was operated. $2.5 million settlement after trying and winning the Defendant's Limitation Action. 

Negligence/Personal Injury: Forced utility company to change policies relating to safety devices following $1.4 million  settlement plus an apology from the company president. 

Represented a child allegedly sexually assaulted in a hospital. Case brought against the insurer who chose the facility. Case settled for $1.2 million. Client also wanted and received proof that facility had changed policies and procedures to prevent such from happening again.  

Wrongful Death: Represented stepdaughter of infamous murderer Clara Harris, reaching a favorable $1 million + settlement for stepdaughter's share of Harris's estate.

Antitrust/Class Actions: Represented more than 10,000 offshore drilling workers in a case alleging wage fixing, resulting in $75 million settlement.

Negligence case: confidential parties: worker killed at industrial plant. Case settled in less than one year for $10 million. 

Negligence case for three workers injured at industrial plant; Case settled for $36 million. 

Plant explosions: Represented more than 160 workers injured in the largest industrial accident in U.S. history, obtaining extremely favorable settlements and serving on the Plaintiff's steering committee.

Tony Buzbee has tried or settled more than 80 cases for amounts exceeding $1 million.