Attorney David Matthews has been chosen – through US News & World Report – as one of the Best Lawyers in America from 2016-2020, and repeatedly voted by his peers as one of the top trial lawyers in the country. His firm is handling clergy abuse lawsuits and Boy Scouts of America abuse cases across the country, as well as Covid business interruption insurance claims.
Straight out of law school, Mr. Matthews developed insurance coverage opinions, defended carriers in court, and handled major subrogation claims ranging from $5 million to $500 million. He has since prosecuted claims involving insurance carriers for 35+ years, trying more than 150 cases to verdict.
Best US Law Firms
Matthews & Associates Law Firm – selected among the best plaintiff’s firms in the country by US News & World Report – has secured more than $2.5 billion for a wide variety of clients. With offices in Houston, Texas; Chico, California; and New York, New York, the firm has long been recognized as a national leader in civil litigation.
Nationwide Legal Experience
Mr. Matthews is licensed to practice law in Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi; but he has, for decades, handled cases nationwide through pro hac vice arrangements with attorneys licensed in virtually every state.
Broad Litigation Experience
David Matthews has, for decades, represented victims of dangerous medical devices such as IVC filters, and those injured by drugs such as Invokana. He also represents plaintiffs in Roundup cancer cases, as well as injured children and their parents injured by pesticides in chlorpyrifos pesticide birth defects litigation.He also represents California wildfire survivors.
A Long Record of Success & Recognition
In Oct. 2019, Mr. Matthews won a $34 million verdict* in Philadelphia on a medical device case. In May 2018, he won a $1.2 million verdict* in an IVC filter case for a Texas man. In Sept. 2014 he won a $73 million verdict* for a Texas woman in a Dallas courtroom in a transvaginal mesh sling case. In March 2014 in Philadelphia, he won a $3 million verdict* for a Wisconsin family in a Topamax drug birth defects case.
* Previous results don’t guarantee future case results: each must be litigated according to its own facts.
Personal Courtroom Experience
“When the judge read the verdict in Martha Salazar’s case, and we learned the jury ordered [the medical device maker] to pay Martha more than $76 million dollars, we knew they believed every word she said. We realized they knew the defendant was truly reckless in selling an untested and defective medical device, and they believed in us and believed in our case. Martha and I both cried. She won’t entirely have her health back, but some healing had begun.” – David Matthews
Peer Recognition
Mr. Matthews has received the premier rating in 2019 from Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™. Martindale.com proclaims on its web site: “The Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ are an objective indicator of a lawyer’s high ethical standards and professional ability, generated from evaluations of lawyers by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States and Canada. . . .”
Mr. Matthews has been voted in 2019 one of the Top 100 National Trial Lawyers in Texas. The National Trial Lawyers web site reports: “The National Trial Lawyers is a professional organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from across the country who exemplify superior qualifications as civil plaintiff or criminal defense trial lawyers. . . “
Mr. Matthews has also been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer – a Thomson Reuters designation – from 2003-2004 and 2006-2020. SuperLawyers.com web site reports, “Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.”
Nationwide Representation
NationwideMr. Matthews has helped injured people across the country attain some of the largest verdicts or settlements in pharmaceutical litigation against the makers of such drugs as Phen-Fen, Rezulin, Vioxx and Bextra-Celebrex. He worked 18 years as a partner in the oldest personal injury firm in Texas, the last 12 as head of Matthews & Associates, with offices in Houston and New York City.
Other Litigation
Mr. Matthews has also handled employment and civil rights cases, environmental lawsuits, toxic torts, premises liability, plant explosions, class actions (such as the hot fuel litigation), nursing home abuse, priest molestation, car and truck accidents, mesothelioma and more.
In the News
Attorney David Matthews been featured in Mother Jones Magazine, on CNN and Dateline MSNBC, and interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR) and several other nationwide outlets. His legal expertise has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Houston Chronicle, the UK’s Daily Mail and many other publications. Married for 25 years, he is a father of five who contributes to several local, national, and international charities, including Human Rights First, where he also serves on the board. He loves music and counts Texas legend Willie Nelson a friend.
Certification/Specialties
Board Certified - Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Bar Admissions
Texas, 1988; Mississippi, 2004; New York, 2004; Pennsylvania, 2009; U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 2007; U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1996; U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1993; U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1990; U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 2005; U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1990
Education
South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, 1988 J.D.willie nelson
Honors: Recipient, American Jurisprudence Awards: Property, Civil Procedure
Law Review: South Texas College Law Review, Assistant Editor, 1988
Law Review: South Texas Law Review, Comment Editor
University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1984 B.A.
Published Works
“Self Insureds and Non-Subscribing Suing and Defending,” Damage Control Institute, 1997
“New Horizons in Damages,” Damage Control Institute, 1997
Classes/Seminars Taught
Adjunct Professor, South Texas College of Law
Professional Associations and Memberships
Texas Bar Foundation Member
Houston Bar Association Member
American Bar Association Member
State Bar of Texas Member
Houston Young Lawyers Association Member
Texas Trial Lawyers Association Associate Director
American Board of Trial Advocates Member
American Association of Justice
Language
Dave for Web 152x190Spanish
