Helen Hutton Emerson

Practice Details

• Firm Information
  Position

  Senior Counsel

  Firm Name

  Cowles & Thompson, P.C.
• Representative Cases & Transactions
  Cases

  Experience: Representative Matters: Obtained take-nothing Summary Judgment on all claims of negligence asserted against a client in Collin County, Texas. Plaintiff, a professional power lifter
  bodybuilder, alleged numerous personal injuries resulting from purported defects in a weight bench that Plaintiff was using while working out at a local gym. Obtained complete dismissal on all claims by arguing, on behalf of the client gym owner, that the weight bench did not constitute an unreasonably dangerous condition,
  even if there was a defect with the bench (which there was not), there was no notice to the premises owner of any alleged dangerous condition that caused injury to Plaintiff. Co-counsel with David Johnson. 2021
  Obtained a take-nothing Summary Judgment on all claims of products liability
  negligence asserted against a client in Bee County, Texas. Plaintiff, a paraplegic inmate in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, alleged that a heating unit on a prison bus malfunctioned
  caused second-
  third-degree burns to his legs during transport. Plaintiff sought in excess of $1 million for his alleged injuries. Obtained complete dismissal on all claims through argument that there was no manufacturing, design, or marketing defect present when the product was manufactured
  placed into the stream of commerce by our client. Further successfully established there was a substantial alteration in the product during subsequent maintenance of the product (which was outside the control of the client) that proximately caused the alleged injuries. Co-counsel with David Johnson. 2021
  Successful jury trial in which the plaintiff sought damages at $7 million from our client franchisee
  franchisee's employee for injuries arising from a motor vehicle accident. We obtained summary judgment on claims against the corporate franchisor
  gross negligence claims against the franchisee
  its employee. By stipulating liability
  arguing responsibility for damages was limited to a specific time frame, the resulting award was less than $200,000. 2018
  Successful jury trial in which plaintiff sought damages in excess of $5 million for alleged injuries arising out of a trucking accident with our client, an oil field services company. By stipulating to liability
  contesting the plaintiff's alleged brain injury, we limited damages to those relevant to the plaintiff's uncontested spinal injury, which were a fraction of those sought by the plaintiff from the West Texas jury. 2018
  Successful bench trial win
  take-nothing judgment for our client, a private contractor, in a case where the plaintiff alleged that our client damaged plaintiff's property while performing repairs to streets
  sidewalks. 2017
  Successful jury trial win
  take-nothing judgment for our client, a retailer, in a case where the plaintiff alleged assault by an employee
  sought in excess of $5 million in damages. 2016