George P. Pappas

George P. Pappas

Shareholder

Mr. Pappas joined Sheehy Ware Pappas & Grubbs in 1997, and is a member of the firm’s product liability, construction, toxic tort, and general litigation groups. In his nearly 35 years of law practice, he has developed experience in a number of different substantive areas of trial practice, including products liability, professional errors and omissions, construction defect and construction accident, transportation, energy, toxic tort and environmental, and general tort and commercial litigation. Mr. Pappas regularly represents:

  • Property owners, general and subcontractors in construction defect and accident litigation.
  • Fortune 500 companies defending against claims of product defects, vehicular accidents, personal injury claims, and commercial disputes.
  • Product manufacturers and distributors, premises owners and contractors in toxic tort and other product liability claims.
  • Insurance agents and brokers, design and construction professionals, attorneys and others in claims involving claims of professional negligence.
  • Domestic and foreign insurance companies, both admitted and surplus, and their insureds in first and third party litigation.

Contact George P. Pappas




Construction and Construction Defect Litigation

  • Counsel for owners, design professionals, general contractors, subcontractors, and product manufacturers in construction defect claims, as well as defending and seeking indemnification for personal injury claims caused by alleged defective construction methods and materials.
  • Counsel for general contractor involving claims of leaking building envelope on 33 story medical tower and successfully prosecuted indemnity and additional insured claims against several subcontractors. Case settled in mediation with substantial contributions toward settlement made by subcontractors and their insurers.
  • Counsel for general contractor in claim of inadequate slab on grade foundation in warehouse space. Two week arbitration resulted in award of less than rejected offers of settlement.
  • Counsel for landscape architect whose work is alleged to have caused heave of foundation.
  • Counsel for general contractor involving heaving foundation of medical building. Orchestrated remediation efforts by all defendants during suit which completely stabilized foundation, resulting in settlement of the suit at substantial savings to all defendants.
  • Counsel for truss manufacturing company in claim of failed truss leading to catastrophic injuries to subcontractor employee.
  • Counsel for roofing contractor in claims involving alleged defective materials supplied by third party and incorporated into commercial roofing systems.
  • Counsel for material supplier alleged to have provided incorrect supplies for municipal sewage system. Defense verdict rendered in supplier’s favor after 2 week trial.

Trucking/Transportation Law

  • Represented heavy haul and oil field trucking company, including claims involving cargo loss, personal injury, property damage, as well as commercial collection and administrative matters.
  • Handled personal injury and litigation involving passengers and auto/bus collisions for a private school bus company.
  • Handled personal injury, worker compensation and employment issues for a quasi-governmental corporation providing rural transportation services.
  • Panel Counsel for a major domestic carrier and represent insureds in a variety of trucking related claims, including personal injury, property damage, cargo, environmental and product liability claims.
  • Representation of oilfield service companies for personal injury and property litigation arising from trucking operations.
  • Counsel for National bus company whose bus struck and injured a passenger who had exited the bus. Defense verdict rendered in company’s favor after one week trial.

General Representation

  • Counsel for commercial property owner and garage operator in claims of premise liability.
  • Regularly retained by admitted and excess carriers to defend their insureds in various product and negligence claims.

Professional Errors and Omissions

  • Counsel for insurance agents and brokers involving claims of negligence in securing various coverages.
  • Errors and omissions claims against attorneys, accountants and design professionals.
  • Claims of unfair claims handling practices against insurance companies, their agents and adjusters.

Product Liability, Toxic Tort and Environmental Litigation

  • Counsel for manufacturers, distributors and lessors of equipment and components against claims arising out of alleged product design, manufacturing, and marketing defects.
  • National Coordinating and Trial Counsel for a large industrial distributor, defending claims in Texas, and overseeing defense counsel in over 15 different states.
  • Lead trial counsel in asbestos and silica exposure cases, including product liability, premises liability, gross negligent employer and negligent activity claims against contractors.
  • Lead trial counsel for manufacturers and distributors of asbestos and chemicals in their Texas litigation.
  • Lead counsel for clients involved in enforcing and defending claims for defense, indemnity, and additional insured coverage under distribution and construction agreements.
  • Lead counsel defending state and federal clean-up actions arising from activities at oil recycling facilities.
  • Lead counsel in securing dismissal of silica related disease product liability claims against a hand and pneumatic tool manufacturer in Texas and Mississippi.
  • Lead counsel in successful defense of product suppliers, contractors, owners and homeowners associations against claims of occupiers for mold and “sick-building” related damages.
  • Lead counsel in defending mulch pit operator against claims of personal injury by neighborhood homeowners from smoke inhalation caused by fire in pit.

Education

  • Texas A&M University, (B.S., Biology, 1980)
  • St. Mary’s University, (J.D., 1983)

Legal Memberships

  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC)
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI)
  • Texas Association of Defense Counsel
  • Texas Aggie Bar Association
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Surplus Lines Association
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
  • Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
  • Trucking Industry Defense Association

Admissions

  • State Bar of Texas
  • United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas