Archive for September, 2008

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer: Verdicts and Settlements

* Infant partially suffocated by nurses starting an IV resulting in catastrophic brain damage. (This case included the largest single patient medical malpractice verdict for actual damages in Tarrant County history, and the largest verdict for loss of parent-child relationship damages in Texas history.)

* Nursing negligence resulting in fetal distress and brain damage during labor and delivery. (This case included the largest single patient medical malpractice settlement for actual damages in Tarrant County history.)

* Wrong heart medication given to optometrist in emergency room, causing significant brain damage.

* Catastrophic injuries to baby during labor and delivery.

(This case represents one of the largest single patient medical malpractice settlements for actual damages in Dallas County history.)

* Cleaning fluid (acid) injected into dialysis patient resulting in death. (This case resulted in the largest verdict in Lamar County history.)

* Incorrectly filled prescription causing death of 68-year-old patient.

* Damage award for a mother whose son suffered brain damage after being administered improper medication.

* Patient bled to death after stomach stapling surgery.

* Army Lieutenant killed in trucking accident where a toothpick was used to repair engine hose.

* Fire death in tanker truck accident.

* Oil pipeline explosion case resulting in catastrophic injuries.

* Car/Truck accident resulting in death.

* Truck accident resulting in serious injuries

* Wrongful termination case against the City of Dallas. (This case marked the first time the City of Dallas was sued successfully outside of Dallas, and the judgment resulted in largest amount of sanctions ever upheld on appeal in Texas history.)

*The facts and results of each case will vary, and no particular result can be guaranteed.

Contact Our Dallas Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact the Law Offices of Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Tags: dallas attorney, dallas lawyer, dallas lawyer experience, dallas settlements, dallas verdicts, laird experience, laird law firm, laird verdicts, texas settlements, texas verdicts, wrongful death lawyer
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Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Laird Named Top Attorney

Tags: board certified lawyer, dallas attorney, dallas lawyer, dallas super lawyer, lawdragon, personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyer, steven c. laird, steven lair, texas lawyer, texas super lawyer, top personal injury attorney
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Texas Super Lawyers

Texas Super Lawyers

Dallas personal injury lawyers Steven C. Laird and John M. Cummings have earned selections as Texas Super Lawyers (published annually by Law & Politics and Texas Monthly) in both 2005 and 2006. Mr. Laird also earned selection as a Top 100 Texas Super Lawyer and a Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Super Lawyer. The honors for both attorneys were based on balloting of their fellow lawyers, independent research by the publisher and a review of their qualifications by a blue-ribbon panel of other attorneys.

Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact Dallas personal injury lawyer Steven C. Laird and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Tags: dallas lawyer, dallas super lawyers, Ft. Worth Super Lawyer, john cummings, john m cummings, Law & Politics, steven c. laird, steven laird, Texas Monthly, texas super lawyers, Top 100 dallas super lawyers
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Texas Board Legal Specialization

About the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) was founded to give Texas residents the best possible resources for finding quality lawyers – specifically, lawyers with a specialization in the field relevant to the resident’s needs. Under the authority of the Supreme Court of Texas, the Texas Board of Legal Specialization approves lawyers and attorneys in twenty specializations. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization also provides this service for legal assistants in six areas of legal specialization.

What Happens with Legal Certification?

When a lawyer seeks to be certified in an area of specialization, he or she contacts the Texas Board of Legal Specialization to pay application fees and arrange to take a six-hour written exam. The lawyer must also submit to evaluation by judges and fellow lawyers and commit to taking continuing legal education (CLE) courses to stay current in the field.

To apply for Texas Board of Legal Specialization certification, the lawyer must also have been licensed for five years or more, have spent a certain portion of his or her time in practice working in the specialty area for at least three years, and demonstrate a breadth of exposure to the field during the work.
Benefits of Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certification

For the lawyer, Texas Board of Legal Specialization approval demonstrates that lawyer’s professionalism and commitment to the practice of that kind of law. It also marks the lawyer’s willingness to stay current and ability to prove skills, experience and proficiency to a group of peers and judges.

For you as a legal client, Texas Board of Legal Specialization approval helps you pick a lawyer who’s qualified and committed to your area of legal need. If you’re seeking a lawyer – one with an impartial certification from the state – you should consider the pedigree denoted by a Texas Board of Legal Specialization certification.

Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact the Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Tags: attorney, board certified lawyer, dallas attorney, dallas board certified lawyer, dallas lawyer, Laird, lawyer, TBLS, texas attorney, texas board of legal specialization, texas lawyer
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Steven C. Laird: Triple Board Certified Lawyer

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird: Areas of Practice

Dallas personal injury lawyer Steven C. Laird helps people who’ve been seriously injured through the negligence, malfeasance or careless disregard of others. His personal injury practice includes serious truck and car collisions, wrongful death cases, product liability and medical malpractice. In addition, Laird represents businesses and business owners in commercial litigation.

Dallas personal injury lawyer Steven C. Laird is rare among Texas attorneys. He is among approximately one percent of lawyers in Texas who are triple board certified, signifying a higher level of education in his specific areas of practice. Laird is board certified in personal injury trial law and civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Also, he has achieved national certification in civil trial law from The National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird: Honors and Awards

Steve is not motivated by honors or awards. He believes in doing the best job possible on behalf of his clients. If honors and awards follow, so be it. Nevertheless, Steve is often recognized by his peers and by outside organizations for excellence in the practice of law.

For example, in a statewide survey of lawyers published by Texas Monthly magazine, Steve has been recognized as one of the top 100 lawyers in the state. The Fort Worth Business Press has identified Steve as an “Attorney of Influence” and as an important business mentor. He has also been voted by the legal community as both the Top Personal Injury attorney and Top Medical Malpractice attorney in Tarrant County as published in Fort Worth, Texas Magazine.

The Texas Young Lawyers Association selected Steve as the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas in 1988 from over twenty thousand lawyers under 35 years of age practicing at that time. He was also selected as the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Tarrant County that same year.

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird: Education

Steve received his undergraduate degree in business at Texas Tech University (1976), a masters of business administration degree from Texas Christian University (1977), and his law degree from South Texas College of Law (1980).

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird and His Personal Motto

Never give up.

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird: Triple-Board Certified

Dallas personal injury lawyer Steven C. Laird is part of the one-percent of Texas Lawyers who are triple-board certified. He is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and is also certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Steve’s firm specializes in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird Voted Top Super Lawyers

He has been voted as one of the top 100 “Super Lawyers” in Texas, as published in Texas Monthly Magazine. Steve has also been voted an “Attorney of Influence” by his peers as published in Fort Worth Business Press. He has also been voted by the legal community as both the Top Personal Injury attorney and Top Medical Malpractice attorney in Tarrant County as published in Fort Worth, Texas Magazine.

Steve has been a frequent national, state and local speaker on a variety of legal topics.

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird: Memberships

Steve is a member of the American Association for Justice, formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He is also a Founding Member of the Academy of Trial Advocacy, a group of national attorneys representing plaintiffs who share information, ideas and skills in order to attempt to achieve the best possible results for their clients.

Steve has been past president and a charter member of the Eldon Mahon Chapter of the Fort Worth Inn of Court. He has also served as president of the Fort Worth Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Steven C. Laird received the second annual “Professionalism Award” given by the College of the State Bar of Texas. He has been a member of the State Bar of Texas Referral Fee Task Force Committee, and has chaired the State Bar of Texas Advertising Review Committee. He has also served on the State Bar of Texas Professional Ethics Committee and Pattern Jury Charge Committee.

Steve continues to be a long-time Director of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and has chaired numerous committees in that organization. He has been past-president Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association. Steve has also served as a prior Director of the Tarrant County Bar Association.

Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact the Dallas Personal Injury Law Firm of Steven C. Laird and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Tags: attorney, attorney triple certified, dallas, dallas business lawyer, dallas injury lawyer, dallas lawyer, dallas personal attorney, dallas super lawyer, Laird, lawyer, lawyer triple certifiied, steven c. laird, texas super lawyer
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Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer John Michael Cummings

Dallas personal injury lawyer John Michael Cummings is an Associate Attorney with The Dallas Law Firm of Steven C. Laird, P.C.
John was born and raised in Fort Worth, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from South Texas College of Law in 1995.

John is currently a Director of the Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association and a Fellow Member of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation. Dallas personal injury lawyer John Michael Cummings is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association and the Tarrant County Bar Association.

John is married to Kory Cummings and they have two children: Katherine and Sarah. He is a deacon in his church and is very involved in church activities. John also enjoys bird hunting, fishing, camping, sailing and shooting sports.

Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact the Dallas Personal Injury Law Firm of Steven C. Laird, and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Tags: board certified dallas lawyer, dallas attorney, dallas defective product attorney, dallas lawyer, john cummings, john michael cummings, steven c. laird
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Choosing a Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer

Choosing a Dallas personal injury lawyer means you need to take into consideration several things. One, the Dallas lawyer you hire should have a great amount of experience working on cases like yours. And two, he or she should be passionate about what they do and getting you the compensation you deserve. Here are some other things to keep in mind when you’re choosing one:

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer: Ethical Conduct

We feel that it is inappropriate for a lawyer or representative to contact you as a result of an injury. In fact, personal contact with a potential client is prohibited by the State Bar. The decision to contact an attorney is yours and yours alone. You should choose your attorney. An attorney shouldn’t choose you.

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer: Board Certification

Certification by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization is important. It means your Dallas personal injury lawyer has passed rigorous requirements concerning knowledge, experience and character set by the State Bar of Texas and received the approval of judges and colleagues. Only a small percentage of attorneys are Board Certified.

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer: Look Beyond Advertising

Ask friends and attorneys you know for references of Board Certified Lawyers or check with the local Bar Association. This is the best way to find an ethical, competent attorney with the trial experience it takes to bring your case to a fair conclusion. Be aware of the promises and claims some attorneys make in their ads.

Call for a Free Consultation

We would be happy to discuss your legal needs and how the Dallas Law Firm of Steven C. Laird can help. Our firm handles only cases that have merit.

Tags: attorney, board certified lawyer, choose a lawyer, choosing a lawyer, dallas lawyer, dallas personal attorney, dallas trial attorney, Laird, lawyer, personal attorney, personal injury lawyer, steven c. laird, texas attorney
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Board Certified Dallas Trial Lawyer

Steven C. Laird is a board certified Dallas trial lawyer. Certified in personal injury trial law and civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Laird has achieved national certification in civil trial law from The National Board of Trial Advocacy. Steve is among the less than 1% of Texas Attorneys who have earned triple board certification.

The Texas Board of Legal Specialization is an organization authorized by the Supreme Court of Texas to certify attorneys in 20 specific areas of law, and to certify legal assistants in six specific areas of law. Board certification by TBLS helps insure that citizens of Texas receive the highest quality legal services available.

Board Certification Process: Application And Examination

In Texas, a board certified trial lawyer must have completed at least 60 hours of continuing education in that field. After completing the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) approved courses, the attorney must apply for certification, providing references and proof that all of the standards for certification and rules and regulations for the specialty area have been met. After application, the TBLS specialty area Advisory Commission reviews the application and votes on the applicant. Only after approval by the Commission can the applicant take the examinations.

Exams are administered once a year, and cover knowledge, skills and subject matter for the specialty certification. After passing the examination, a Certificate of Special Competence is given to the applicant.

Board Certified Trial Lawyer Requirements

In Texas, a board certified trial lawyer must have been licensed to practice law for at least 5 years. The attorney must have devoted a required percentage of their practice to a board certified specialty for a minimum of 3 years. The attorney must attend continuing education seminars on a regular basis, and keep their legal training up to date. The lawyer must also pass a six hour written exam, and be evaluated by other lawyers and judges. In addition, a board certified trial lawyer must have handled various aspects (including jury trials) of cases including vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, or defective products which cause either physical or mental personal injury.

Listings Of Board Certified Trial Lawyers

In Texas, you can be sure your attorney is a board certified trial lawyer by going to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization website and doing a search on the TBLS Online Attorney Directory.

Contact a Board Certified Dallas Trial Lawyer

You can contact the board certified Dallas trial lawyer Steven C. Laird and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Tags: attorney, board ceritified trial lawyer, board certifiied attorney, certified attorney, certified lawyer, personal injury, personal injury trial, personal injury trial law, steven c. laird, TBLS, texas board of legal specialization, tial lawyer, trial attorney
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Dallas Business Litigation Lawyer

Dallas Business Litigation Lawyer Steven C. Laird

As in life, change is a constant in the world of business. Because things change, contracts and agreements sometimes have to be broken. When this happens, most Dallas businesses will turn to a qualified Dallas business litigation lawyer to make sure their rights and property are properly protected. Business litigation is generally defined as a legal contest to ascertain and affirm legal rights. Usually, these rights come in the context of a contract or agreement that needs to be enforced or broken. If you’re seeking to defend your legal rights in business litigation, you should consider getting in touch with the experienced Dallas business litigation lawyers at the Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C. for a free case evaluation today.

The Many Facets Of Dallas Business Litigation

Dallas business litigation can be triggered by many disputes, but as mentioned earlier, the most common cause is a broken contract. Other common issues for business litigation include: a small claims lawsuit for damages, a large scale business tort lawsuit or a class action lawsuit being filed on behalf of a large number of business entities due to a business litigation complaint that they all share. If your business is in a dispute, you should consider hiring a business litigation lawyer with experience winning cases involving business litigation law.

Dallas Business Litigation Procedure

When you file a business litigation lawsuit, it falls under the state and federal regulations for civil (non-criminal) procedure. Even if your business litigation case doesn’t go to trial, it still takes a considerable amount of time and effort to make it through the legal system. During this business litigation process, the balance of power between the two sides of the issue shifts as new documents, evidence and precedents come to light.

Business litigation begins with the submittal of opening pleadings and responses, pretrial conferences to set up trial guidelines and motions for discovery or an early summary judgment. These steps happen in the business litigation process before the case comes to trial, and they can often bring a business litigation lawsuit to a satisfactory close or out-of-court settlement without the hassle and cost of a full trial. As you might guess, you want to hire a Dallas business litigation lawyer who’s adept with these pre-trial maneuverings so you can avoid unnecessary cost and complication.

Alternatives to Business Litigation

You may prefer to take your business litigation case to an alternative dispute resolution venue – for example, the popular alternative known as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).  In ADR disputes, the parties have a choice of either arbitration or mediation. If you’re seeking a less costly and less complicated way of settling your business litigation dispute, you should consider both of these ADR options. However, both also have their limitations as a viable business litigation solution.

Dallas Business Litigation Lawyer Steven C. Laird

With over two decades of handling business litigation and civil trial cases, Dallas business litigation lawyer Steven C. Laird is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law.  With his extensive experience and expertise, you should consider the Law Firm of Steven C. Laird to represent you in your business litigation case.  Contact him today for a free business litigation case evaluation.

Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact Dallas business litigation lawyer Steven C. Laird, and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Tags: ADR, ADR disputes, attorney, business lawsuit, business litigation solution, business tort, dallas attorney, dallas business attorney, dallas business lawyer, dallas business litigation lawyer, dallas lawyer, dallas litigation attorney, dallas personal attorney, dallas personal laywer, Laird, lawyer, litigation attorney, litigation lawyer, litigation lawysuit, Texas litigation
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Dallas Medical Malpractice Lawyer

In Dallas, Proposition 12, an amendment to the Texas Constitution, is legislation that limits medical malpractice damages, putting a “cap” or upper limit on the amount of damages that can be awarded in a medical malpractice case. These damage caps are unfortunate, but you shouldn’t give up on your medical malpractice case. If you’ve been the victim of careless or negligent medical care, we encourage you to seek justice and recompense for your costs, pain and suffering by hiring a Dallas medical malpractice lawyer.

Medical malpractice law covers an assortment of injustices, including these common problems:

* Nursing malpractice
* Misdiagnosis of your injury or ailment
* Vision problems caused by Lasik injury
* Health problems or injury caused by pharmacy errors

Medical Malpractice In a Nutshell

Ask any medical malpractice lawyer, and he or she will tell you that medical malpractice occurs when medical care – or the lack of medical care – causes injury to a patient. There’s a medical protocol or standard operating procedure for medical care that doctors, nurses and physician’s assistants are supposed to follow. When someone fails to follow it, and the patient incurs a personal injury as a result, the hospital or clinic has committed medical malpractice. If you’ve been harmed by medical negligence, you need an experienced Dallas medical malpractice lawyer who knows the medical protocols and can assist you in determining how to seek justice for your medical malpractice case.

Nursing Malpractice

If a nurse neglects the usual requirements for care of the nursing profession, he or she has committed nursing malpractice. Nursing is increasingly important in modern medical care, as doctors’ time has become more and more constrained. Nurses are now asked to provide diagnosis, treatment and examination, making their actions even more critical to care – and more likely to cause nursing malpractice. Do you suspect that you’ve been subjected to nursing malpractice? You should get in touch with a Dallas medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can.

Lasik Malpractice

In the last few years, a novel new area of medical malpractice law has appeared on the scene: Lasik malpractice. The two main kinds of Lasik operations are microkeratome and excimer laser. Both kinds of Lasik procedure can cause permanent Lasik injury if badly performed. The Lasik medical malpractice usually occurs when the equipment fails because of malfunction or inadequate maintenance, or if the Lasik surgeon errs. No matter the cause, a victim of Lasik injury can file a medical malpractice suit against his or her Lasik surgeon.

Pharmacy Errors

Pharmaceuticals are an important part of health care, but if they’re misprescribed, prescription drugs can cause personal injury or, at worst, wrongful death. Pharmacy errors can happen through miscommunication, negligence or bad pharmacy practices. As with medical malpractice, pharmacy error is a serious violation of professional standards and is grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. One wrong pill can kill a patient… and according to medical malpractice statistics, one out of every 250 prescriptions written by doctors is a mistake that could result in personal injury or wrongful death.

Finding the Right Dallas Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Medical malpractice is a growing problem. Statistics about medical malpractice indicate that some 100,000 patients become wrongful death victims annually due to medical malpractice. Proposition 12 only reduces the consequences for hospitals and doctors when medical malpractice happens. Without medical malpractice lawsuits, health care professionals would have much less incentive to provide all patients, even those with little insurance, with the optimal medical care.

If you’re reading this, you or someone you care about has been a victim of personal injury due to medical malpractice. If so, you should contact a Dallas medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can. Waiting only decreases the chances of winning your medical malpractice lawsuit.

The law offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C. have experience with cases like medical malpractice, negligence, and personal injury. Attorney Steven C. Laird is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury trial law. Contact him today for a free medical malpractice case evaluation today.

Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact Dallas medical malpractice lawyer Steven C. Laird and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Tags: dallas lawyer, dallas medical malpractice, lasik injury, malpractice, malpractice attorney, medical, medical malpractice, medical malpractice attorney, medical malpractice lawsuit, medical malpractice lawyer, medical negligence, misdiagnosed injury, nursing malpractice, personal injury, pharmacy injury, wrongful death
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