Oil Field

• Our client was injured while working on a rig. His injuries included an amputated forefinger and a fused left thumb. Suit was filed against the manufacturer of a triplex mud pump. The manufacturer offered to settle the case for $10,000. We obtained a jury verdict of $1.2 million.


• We filed suit on behalf of an injured roughneck who was seriously hurt when he was struck on the head by a piece of rig equipment. The defendant oil company made no offer prior to trial. We obtained a jury verdict of $2.5 million.


• We represented a roughneck who injured his left hand while operating tongs on a drilling rig. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.


• Our client was a roughneck who was struck in the chest by tongs on drilling rig. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.


• We represented an injured driller and his family for injuries he suffered when the well he was working on blew out and then exploded. Our client suffered permanent and debilitating injuries. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.


• We represented an injured electrician who suffered electrocution and burns to his hands, chest, and abdomen -- all resulting in the loss of his arm and hand. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.


• Our client was a roughneck who was hurt after being struck in head by portion of the wellhead, causing serious and permanent head injuries. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.


• We represented a pumper whose dominant hand was crushed by an improperly installed valve handle. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.
  
  

back to top

Wrongful Death

• We represented the family of a young man who was killed returning to work in a chartered airplane, which crashed. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.


• We represented the family of a two-year-old child who was killed by a person chosen by a governmental social service agency to care for the child. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.


• We represented the surviving children of a man who was killed during an argument and his body was subsequently hidden by the perpetrator. This case settled, prior to trial, favorably for the deceased’s family.


• We represented the family of young man who was killed while walking along the edge of a highway and was hit by a "hit and run" driver. After extensive investigation, we determined the identity of the driver and filed suit against him. This case settled, prior to trial, favorably for the deceased's family.

Motor Vehicle Wrecks



Trucking Collision: Interstate 80

• Our client was injured when an eighteen-wheel tractor-trailer rear-ended the snowplow he was operating on Interstate 80. The collision resulted in the death of the semi driver and severely injured our client’s neck and shoulders. This case settled shortly before the scheduled 5-day trial in federal court in a six-figure settlement.


• We represented a truck driver who was injured when he was struck head-on by another vehicle. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.


• The firm represented a young man driving a motorcycle who was injured when a car pulled out in front of him, causing a significant head injury. We obtained a confidential settlement favorable to our client before trial.

Insurance Bad Faith

• Our client owned a disability policy providing for benefits in the event of her inability to work as a dentist. The insurer challenged their obligation under the policy in federal court. In the effort to avoid having to pay benefits, the insurer improperly surveilled our client, interfered with her divorce proceedings, and inappropriately denied benefits based on unfounded allegations made by our client's husband. This "insurance bad faith" case was hotly contested and involved extensive legal briefing and argument. The case settled in our client’s favor one week before the trial was scheduled to begin. Settlement involved full payment of the value of the insurance policy, as well as a letter of apology from the insurer.


• We represented a toolpusher and drilling superintendent who were sued by an injured roughneck. Our clients' insurance carrier refused to defend the toolpusher and drilling superintendent in this suit. The roughneck prevailed in his suit against our clients. After a two-week jury trial in federal court against our clients’ insurance company, we obtained a $5 million jury verdict.
  


• Our firm represented adoptive parents whose child incurred substantial medical bills. The health insurance company refused to pay those medical benefits. We filed suit against the health insurance company. After a two week trial in state court in Cheyenne, we obtained a six-figure jury verdict in favor of the parents.


• We represented the driver of an automobile who hit a pedestrian and caused severe head injuries. After the drivers' insurance company failed to properly defend and indemnify its insured, the insured and injured party brought suit against the insurance company for third party bad faith. We prevailed on liability at trial. Prior to trial, the insurance company, driver, and injured third party agreed to a sum to be paid as damages if the case was resolved in favor of the driver and injured third party.
  


• We represented the owner of an oil field equipment and reprocessing facility in claims for coverage related to the cleanup of a facility which was no longer in operation. We prevailed in the claims we made against our client’s insurance company to cover the cost of the cleanup. The cleanup amounted to several million dollars.

Libel Litigation

• A reporter for a local weekly newspaper wrote two truthful articles based on public court records filed in a lawsuit between a contractor and a home owner. The articles stated that the home owner alleged fraud and misappropriation of building materials against the contractor. The contractor then filed a lawsuit against our clients, the reporter and the newspaper, alleging libel and seeking over $3 million in damages. Our firm's defense continued through 18 months of contentious litigation. The District Court dismissed the case in summary judgment, finding in favor of our clients. See the article from the Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Embezzlement Recovery

• Our client suffered over $400,000.00 in losses after his office manager embezzled from his construction company. Our firm filed a civil suit against the office manager and her husband seeking to recover the embezzled funds. This case involved extensive data management and forensic accounting, as well as establishing new Wyoming precedent for finding a husband liable for the fraudulent acts of his spouse. After a five-day trial, the District Court found in our client's favor, holding the office manager and her husband jointly and severally liable for the entire amount.
  

Mismanagement of Retirement Fund - ERISA

• Our client, an emergency-room doctor, was a participant in a corporate retirement plan which was managed by a prominent brokerage firm. The broker assigned to the account mismanaged the retirement plan, resulting in multi-million dollar losses. A document and data-intensive case, our firm prepared a well-crafted and sophisticated graphical presentation of the broker's negligence. This compelling presentation led to a favorable settlement in the mid six figure range, just one day before the case was scheduled for arbitration.


• We represented a young man who was diagnosed with a very serious form of bone cancer. He had health insurance benefits through his employment. His employer's health insurance was offered and administered by the Wyoming Association of Builders Insurance Trust ("WAB"). Within one month of advising WAB of his cancer and necessary treatment, WAB canceled the health insurance plan for his employer altogether. We filed suit against the employer and against WAB. Our client prevailed after a week-long trial in federal court. The judge found that WAB had canceled the employer's insurance plan in order to avoid the expense of our client's cancer treatment. The case was affirmed by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and WAB was ordered to reinstate health benefits retroactively and to pay the attorney's fees and costs incurred by our client.

Class Actions

• We represented a nationwide class of insurance agents seeking recovery of commissions due to them on account of policies sold by the company pursuant to the terms of the contract between the agents and insurance company. After several years of litigation, the class claims were settled for approximately $7,000,000.


• We represented a nationwide class of insurance agents seeking recovery of commissions due to them on account of policies sold by the company pursuant to the terms of a contract between the agents and insurance company. After several years of litigation, the class claims were settled for approximately $2,000,000.

Tax Actions

• We have represented governmental entities in claims seeking payment of ad valorem taxes and assessments from oil companies. These claims provide funding for local school districts and other governmental entities. After litigation, several million dollars was recovered for our client.