Paul Cannon | Houston Personal Injury Lawyer

A very nice woman took her granddaughter for a walk on the street she lived on. Her granddaughter was riding on her shoulders as she walked. They passed a house with a large iron gate around it when the electronic gate opened and a car drove out. Before the gate could close, three aggressive pitbulls and one smaller dog came running out of the gate and attacked her. She handed off the child to another person who ran with the child and she did her best to fight off the dogs until the person in the car, returned and chased the dogs back into the gate. After the attack the dogs were put down due to a history of attacks on other people. To add insult to injury, the owners went out and bought another pitbull for the yard. When she came to me, she was petrified to walk down her own street. We gave them a chance to do the right thing, but the dog owner's homeowner's insurance company refused to pay their policy limits to settle the claim. A lawsuit was filed. After taking the depositions of the prior victims of these poorly raised dogs and the negligent owners, we went to mediation. The evidence we had amassed against these grossly negligent dog owners was so great that not only did they pay us their policy limits, the owners agreed to a settlement that would require them to pay a fine of $100.00 a day if they ever again kept on their property any of the top five aggressive dog breeds. This settlement was not only a victory for my client, it was a result that a jury could not have awarded. I was able to negotiate for my client a result that brought her peace of mind and a sense of security so that she could again walk down her own street without fearing for her life.

One case at a time. First and foremost, you must listen to your client and see what it is they really want to gain from the case. Hiring a lawyer is scary for most people. As lawyers, it is easy to think solely in terms of ""what's it worth?"" In the end, all a jury can award is money. But, for many people, money isn't what it is really about. They want something more whether it be closure or an apology or to just be heard. I have built my practice by listening to the client and trying to obtain a result that gives them what they really want out of the case. Second, I am a competitor at heart. I hate losing. When I litigate a case, I pull out all the stops to try to obtain the best possible result for my client.

Look for a lawyer you can trust. You are navigating a world that is very different than anything you have ever experienced when you have to pursue a legal claim. Most people see their case as straight-forward. But in reality, very few cases ever rally are simple. Our legal system is complex and has a complex set of rules. You need someone who has the experience to navigate those rules that you can listen to with confidence in making your decisions. After all, the case is your case, not the lawyers. The decisions are yours to make with trusted advice of counsel. Simmons and Fletcher, P.C. has been a name trusted by Houstonians since the 1970's. I had the fortune to come to work her as a law clerk in 1994 and earn my way into a permanent position as a litigator even after I was told day 1: ""this is not a job with potential for advancement, we just need a clerk."" I am Certified in Personal Injury Trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2005 and I have recently been recognized by Texas Monthly Magazine's Super Lawyers Magazine as a Texas Super Lawyer.

Depends where the case is. I handle cases all over Texas when necessary. For cases here in Houston, it is nice that I have done the for 20 years and am familiar with all of the firms that represent the major insurance carriers. More importantly, they know me and my firm and they know we will try a case.

During the initial free consultation, our goal is to learn as much as we can about the case and determine how to best help the client. If it is a case within our area of practice, we then prefer to schedule the client in for a free face-to-face consultation. At both of these consultations we can discuss the legal issues that are faced and the claims process and well as give general advice on what to expect. We are also happy to answer questions the client may have and assist them to obtain the medical care they need.

We need to know the basics: What, Where, When, Who and Why the accident happened. From that, we can determine what documentation that you have that you can bring to our initial consultation.

The biggest difference is that we consider ourselves Christian Trial Lawyers. That doesn't mean we don't help people of other faiths, but it does mean that our goal is to serve our clients as we would serve our Lord himself. We strive to serve with honor, integrity and compassion. We are here to help people, not numbers.

As a trial lawyer, I have to admit that there is no better feeling than walking out of Court after having just obtained a favorable verdict for my client. But the majority of cases settle out of court. Luckily, knowing I took a bad situation for a client and helped them pick up the pieces and repair the damages is a reward I get to experience in the cases that settle as well.

Soccer. I love soccer. I hold season tickets for the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash. But my greatest soccer heroes are my kids. My son Zac plays select soccer as a goalie with the Cypress Dynamos. My daughter Sydney plays for the Cypress Dynamos as well as for the Olympic Development Program. Give me a soccer ball, some green space, and my two kiddos and I am the happiest man in the world. My wife is a former collegiate Tennis athlete but we have managed to convert her into the greatest soccer mom of all time!

Currently, I am the parent coach for both of my kid's soccer teams. My family attends Fairfield Baptist Church. As a law firm, Simmons and Fletcher, P.C. offer three college scholarship opportunities and we support a number of Charitable Events including the Wounded Warriors Project and Houston Buddy Walk to name a few.

• Houston Dynamos Select Soccer | Team Manager, U11 Girls Silver | 2013 - Present
  Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association | Member | 2013 - Present
  PolicyMic | Pundit | 2012 - Present
  Houston Trial Lawyers Association | Member | 2009 - Present
  Christian Trial Lawyers Association | Member | 2009 - Present
  South Texas College of Law Alumni Association | Member | 1995 - Present

• Top Lawyers | H Texas Magazine | 2013-2015,2017,2019
  Super Lawyer | Thompson-Reuters | 2017-2019
  Top 100 Trial Lawyers | National Trial Lawyers | 2017
  AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2017
  Texas Super Lawyer | Texas Super Lawyers Magazine by Texas Monthly | 2017
  Top 10 Blog Article | Texas Bar Today | 2015
  Top Lawyer | H Texas Magazine | 2013

• $300,000.00 Dog Bite Settlement
  Alexander v. Smart. While playing outside in his neighborhood with his sister and friends, a young boy was attacked by a neighbor’s pit bull. The neighbor has recently purchased the pit bull as a guard dog after someone had burglarized their home. The neighbor’s child brought the dog outside on a leash but tripped over the thresh hold of the doorway and let the dog loose. The dog attacked our client, biting him about he head and sides of the face. A good samaritan driving by stopped and pried the dogs jaws off of the boy’s head. The attack resulted in numerous stitches to the scalp and some scarring around the sides of the face. Medical expenses for emergency care totaled $10,018.60 after medicaid payments. After filing a lawsuit and conducting some necessary discovery, Paul Cannon made a time-limited demand to the defendant’s homeowner’s insurance company demanding that they pay their full policy limits of $300,000.00 to settle the case. Defendant’s opted to accept the demand rather than go to trial. (Per state bar disclosure requirements the attorney fees were $100,000.00 and expenses were $1,480.74.)

• Simmons and Fletcher, P.C. | Who is at fault in a rear-end auto accident? | 2018
  Business.com | Your Company Carpool Incentive Could Be Exposing You to Legal Liability | 2018
  Lawyer.com | Unique Factors in Litigating the Tanker Truck Rollover Case | 2018
  LawFirms.com | Pitfalls for Texas Lawyers in Federal Court | 2018
  Self Growth | Important Considerations when Involved in a Truck Accident | 2018
  Attorney at Work | Five Ways to Generate Referrals on a Budget | 2017
  Lawyer.com | Occupational Injury Plans and Arbitration Agreements in Employment Contracts | 2017
  Lawyer.com | Landlord Liability For Tenant Dog Attacks Under Texas Law | 2017
  Texas Bar Journal | Advertise With Care SHOULD YOU USE A SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING COMPANY? | 2017
  Lawfirms.com | Is it Time to Repeal 28 U.S. Code Sec. 1332 - The Federal Diversity Jurisdiction Rule? | 2017
  HG.org Global Legal Resources | Understanding the Texas Stowers Demand Doctrine | 2017
  HG.org Global Legal Resources | Recent Evolution of the Duty to Provide a Safe Workplace in Texas | 2017
  HG.org Global Legal Resources | Lack of Regulation Regarding Ambulance Accidents in Texas Adds Insult to Injury | 2017
  Lawyer.com | Can Drinking Alcohol Be Used Against You in A Personal Injury Case Even If You Were Not Intoxicated? | 2017
  Lawyer.com | Theories of Recovery In Texas Dog Bite Law | 2017
  Lawyer.com | Why You Should Never Try To Handle a Slip and Fall Without an Attorney | 2017
  Hg.org Global | Evidence of Seat Belt Use Now Admissible in Texas - Nabors Well Services Ltd. v. Romero | 2015
  Simmons and Fletcher, P.C. | Who is at Fault in a Rear-End Accident? | 2014
  JD Supra | The Resurrection of the Competitive Sports Doctrine in Texas | 2012
  Ezine Articles | What Does It Mean For a Personal Injury Lawyer To Be Board Certified In Texas? | 2012
  Self Growth | Home Owner Legal Considerations When Getting a Dog | 2012
  HG.org Global Legal Resources | Important Differences in 18 Wheeler Accident Cases and Other Automobile Accident Cases | 2012
  HG.org Global Legal Resources | Build-A-Bear Fruit Tutu Recall | 2011
  Ezine Articles | Using the Internet to Get a Casino Job | 2010

Paul H. Cannon has been a Premium Member since September 12, 2022.
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Landlord Liability For Tenant Dog Attacks Under Texas Law  (2017-02-11 11:24:07)
A discussion of a landlord's potential liability for an attack by dog owned by the landlord's tenant.

Occupational Injury Plans and Arbitration Agreements in Employment Contracts  (2017-02-11 15:30:50)
Be aware that employers who offer alternative plans to workers compensation often require you to waive your right to sue them and go to arbitration instead when you sustain a work injury.

Can Drinking Alcohol Be Used Against You In a Personal Injury Lawsuit Even If You Were Not Intoxicated?  (2017-02-11 20:08:51)
Contrary to what some people may believe, you do not have to be legally intoxicated for evidence of alcohol use to be used against you to show negligence in a civil personal injury case.

Why You Should Never Try To Handle a Slip and Fall Without an Attorney  (2017-02-12 07:26:40)
Premise owners have no duty to preserve evidence unless you very specifically request what you want preserved.

Theories of Recovery in Texas Dog Bite Law  (2017-02-12 11:26:48)
There are three theories of liability in Texas dog bite law.

Unique Factors in Litigating the Tanker Truck Rollover Case  (2018-05-08 20:02:56)
Tanker truck rollover accidents involve some unique issues from other 18 wheeler accidents. Truck accident lawyers need to be familiar with these nuances when they handle these cases.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: A Little-Known Risk of Gastric Bypass Surgery  (2020-02-18 12:35:26)
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a condition that can develop following failure to consume sufficient Vitamin B. This can happen after a gastric bypass surgery. Knowing what to watch for can prevent it.

Tesla Autopilot Crash Investigation Opens Door for Product Liability Claims  (2020-02-27 13:15:00)
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a report on February 25, 2020, that found that the human error in the fatal crash of 2018 involving a Tesla Model X P100D was foreseeable. This potentially takes the defense of user error and makes it a grounds for liability as an anticipated misuse of the product.

Falls are the #1 Cause of Accidental Death on Construction Sites  (2020-08-04 08:37:23)
Fall-related deaths for workers is on the rise. This article is a discussion of how some of those deaths and injuries can be prevented.