Biography
Steve Carter's practice primarily focuses on defending individuals and local, national and international business entities in civil litigation matters within the following areas: general negligence, premises liability, products liability, construction defects, catastrophic injury/wrongful death, contractual disputes, property damage claims, personal injury claims, and fraud/deceptive trade practices. Further, his practice spans a wide array of industries, including inter alia: transportation/trucking, oil & gas, hospitality (hotels, resorts, and country clubs), restaurants, retail, property ownership and management, and construction. Within the transportation industry, Steve has defended numerous personal injury claims filed against local and national trucking companies and their drivers, car rental companies, and drivers of company vehicles and their employers. His construction work has included the defense of residential and commercial builders, general contractors, subcontractors, materialmen, as well as engineers and other design professionals. Steve has also represented commercial property owners, general contractors, and subcontractors in cases involving catastrophic and/or fatal workplace injuries. His products liability work has included the defense of product manufacturers, component part manufacturers, product designers, product sellers and product installers.
Steve has handled hundreds of legal matters since beng licensed in 2009, including numerous complex high-exposure lawsuits in state and federal courts throughout Texas. His deep experience has given him an appreciation for and understanding of the delicate balance between aggressive representation, pragmatism, risk and cost-effectiveness that must be considered and evaluated in each legal matter he handles. Consequently, he takes a very individualized approach to each matter - whether it is still in the pre-suit phase or several years into litigation - by: (1) getting to know his clients, (2) identifying and evaluating the legal issues against the backdrop of his client's various business interests, (3) communicating reasonable expectations to his client, and (4) formulating and executing a realistic plan based upon these factors, with an eye towards a favorable resolution through trial, summary judgment practice or settlement.
Representative Experience
- Represented an internationally recognized manager/owner of ultra-luxury hotels and resorts in a federal case involving catastrophic injuries to a resort guest, including partial blindness and multiple fractures. After preparing and submitting an effective response brief to he plaintiff's motion to strike the client's accident reconstruction expert, negotiated a settlement for around 15% of plaintiff's initial demand of over $4,000,000.
- Represented a Fortune 500 retailer in a slip-and-fall case involving catastrophic injuries to a store patron. Following a seven-figure demand, obtained traditional and no-evidence summary judgment based upon the lack of constructive notice of an allegedly dangerous condition.
- Represented a national builder/general contractor in a complex multi-party case arising from fatal injuries sustained by a subcontractor at a construction site. After preparing and filing a motion for summary judgment on behalf of the builder - but several days prior to the summary judgment hearing - settled the builder's portion of claim for an amount equaling less than 5% of the seven-figure global settlement.
- Represented an internationally recognized, upscale department store in a slip-and-fall case involving a traumatic brain injury. After the plaintiff made an initial demand in the low-seven figures, successfully tendered the client's defense to the janitorial services company responsible for cleaning the store, pursuant to the indemnity provision contained in the contract between the client retailer and the janitorial services company.
- Favorably settled a propane explosion case on behalf of a local paving company. Following an unsuccessful mediation, elicited favorable deposition testimony from fact witnesses and worked closely with a liability expert to dispute the plaintiff's liability theories. Ultimately negotiated a settlement for less than 15% of the plaintiff's initial seven-figure demand.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of an individual client on claims involving negligent entrustment of motor vehicle.
- In the extremely unfavorable venue of El Paso County, obtained summary judgment in a products liability case.
- On behalf of a national Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), successfully tendered a premises liability claim to the company hired to service the elevators on the subject premises.
- In a complex, multi-party construction defect case, obtained an extremely favorable settlement (around 2% of the total multi-million dollar settlement) on behalf of the designer and installer of a fire sprinkler system.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a car dealer client on claims involving negligent entrustment of motor vehicle (currently pending plaintiff's appeal).
Education
- St. Mary's University School of Law (J.D., 2009)
- Dean's Scholarship
- Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity
- Texas Christian University (B.S., cum laude, 2005)
- Psychology
Bar Admissions
- , 2009
Court Admissions
- United States District Court, Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Districts of Texas
Professional and Community Activities
- Paralegal Advisory Committee for Collin College (2016 - present)
- Texas Young Lawyers Association (2009 - present)
