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Justice Served
For 34 years, Branson has had an unwavering
commitment to clients who were seriously injured by dangerous
products, medical negligence, major trucking accidents, and
industrial catastrophes. During that time, he has earned the
reputation as one of America’s best trial lawyers by
achieving noteworthy recoveries from judges and juries. Some
of those include: a malpractice verdict in Bowie County where
a child was blinded by doctor/hospital negligence, a court
award in a railroad crossing case in Harrison County (settled
while on appeal), a court award for an industrial accident
involving an amputation in Van Zandt County, and a jury verdict
for a paraplegic from a truck accident in Smith County. In
another highly publicized trial, at the request of the District
Attorney in Tarrant County Branson served as a special prosecutor
and assisted in sending a dentist to the penitentiary for
5 years for manslaughter of a patient overdosed by anesthesia
(a first for a health care professional in Texas).
Branson has had a number of high-profile
cases, some of which were record recoveries at the time. The
Enterprise accident at the State Fair remains a record for
amusement park injuries in Dallas. Another involved a young
attorney who was brain-damaged in an auto accident in Dallas.
The settlement for an insurance adjustor electrocuted on top
of a building at a new car lot in Weatherford was a proud
moment for Branson, as was the case involving a man brain-damaged
by a truck wreck in Amarillo. Two cases involving automobile
design defects in the Mid Cities and a medical malpractice
case in which a Wichita Falls surgeon rendered a 49 year old
a quadriplegic during a spinal fusion also fit into this category.**
When asked about these cases, Branson said
that each case not only justified the recovery level, but
that no one would trade places with any one of these victims
in return for the settlement, once they know the facts.
** Specific results depend on the facts of each case.
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Secrets of Success
There is no substitute for preparation.
Branson is known not only for his tenacious preparation, but
also for his imagination in the courtroom. His firm has a
nationwide reputation for its use of advanced, state-of-the-art
trial techniques such as digital video, computer animation,
medical art and individualized anatomical models.
Branson and his team of lawyers, registered nurses, investigators
and graphics professionals work closely together on each case
to insure they are able to communicate the most effective
message to the audience during settlement proceedings or trial.
"What we are trying to do is allow the jury to walk in
our client’s moccasins a short distance in order to
understand the nature and severity of their injuries. We have
never hesitated to use our resources to go the extra mile
for our clients. To achieve a full measure of justice, we
believe that a jury needs well-organized, accurate information
presented in a user-friendly manner." That’s been,
and continues to be, a major trial goal. Branson’s success
in this arena is demonstrated by the fact that the vast majority
of the firm’s cases come from referrals from other lawyers.
Furthermore, it is not uncommon for the
firm to represent prominent doctors, lawyers, business executives,
politicians, and other professionals in cases where they or
their families have had major problems.
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Instilling Change. Improving Lives.
"It's nice to see people we have helped
over the last three decades enjoy a quality of life they wouldn't’t
have had without the settlement or verdict in their case.
The debilitating nature of their injuries would have robbed
them of that chance. Because of what happened, their lives
had become hell on earth. We’we've been able to make
the fires a little cooler for them."
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Designations and Memberships
Branson has been recognized each year for
nearly two decades as one of the best lawyers in America in
his field based on a vote of thousands of lawyers nationwide.
Those lawyers recognized are included in a publication called
Best Lawyers in America. He has been president of the Southern
Trial Lawyers Association, the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association,
and the Dallas Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
Branson was honored by being selected as the recipient of
the 2001 War Horse Award by the Southern Trial Lawyers Association
for his contributions to trial lawyers. He was also named
by Forbes as one of the most successful trial lawyers in the
country.
Branson serves on the Executive Board of
SMU Dedman School of Law and speaks and publishes, on a regular
basis, for lawyers around the country about the practice of
trial law.
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Education
Southern Methodist University, LL.M., 1974
Southern Methodist University, J.D., 1969
Texas Christian University, B.A., 1967
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Law Practice
- The Law Offices of Frank Branson, P.C.,
Dallas, Texas
Head of a nine-attorney law firm specializing in personal
injury, professional negligence (medical, legal, engineering),
products liability, business litigation and commercial torts
law
- Admitted to Texas bar, 1969; also admitted
to practice before U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals,
Fifth and Eighth Circuits; U.S. District Courts, Northern
and Eastern District of Texas; and Eastern District of Arkansas,
Western Division
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Professional Affiliations
- American Board of Trial Advocates:
Advocate Member, Past President, Dallas Chapter
- American Inn of Court: Master
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America: Former Member
of Board of Governors, Stalwart, President's Club Charter
Member, former Dean of Medical Malpractice College, and Lifetime
Fellow of Roscoe-Pound Foundation
- Attorneys' Information Exchange Group: Founding Director
- College of the State Bar of Texas: Life Fellow
- Dallas Trial Lawyers of America: Past President
- Dallas Bar Foundation: Life Fellow
- Dallas Bar Association: Member
- International Society of Barristers: Fellow
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers: Member
- Institution for Injury Reduction: Director
- Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law: Executive
Board Member
- Southern Trial Lawyers Association: Past President
- State Bar of Texas: Prosecutor for Grievance Committee
(on multiple occasions); Administration of Rules of Evidence
Committee Chairman (1990)
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association: Director Emeritus
- Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee: Former Member
- Texas Bar Foundation: Member
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Publications
Books
- "Demonstrative and Documentary Evidence in Contemporary
Tort Litigation," ATLA's Litigating Tort Cases, Vol.
4, Chapter 42, ATLA Press (2003)
- "Trucking Accident Litigation," Handling Motor
Vehicle Accidents, 2nd Edition, Vol. 3, Chapter 13, West
Group (2001)
- "Products Experts - Plaintiff's View," Products
Liability Practice Guide, Matthew Bender (1988)
- "Settlement Techniques," Damages in Tort Actions,
Matthew Bender (1988)
Other Publications
- Commentary for "Demonstrative Evidence," ATLA
Trial Magazine (Sept. 1995)
- "Voir Dire Examination," 4 Products Liability
Law Journal 109 (Feb. 1993)
- "Generating The Best From Your Expert Witness,"
Trial Practice Manual (Spring 1992)
- "Commentary for "Successful Voir Dire," ATLA
Trial Magazine (Feb. 1992)
- Co-Editor of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association Forum
(1991-1994)
- Commentary for "Visual Evidence," ATLA Trial
Magazine (Aug. 1990)
- "Innovative Techniques for Trial" (co-author),
ATLA Trial Magazine (Feb. 1988)
- Co-Author, "Documenting the Demand," Litigation,
Vol. 14, No. 2 (1988)
- "Demonstrative Evidence," McGraw-Hill Company
(1986)
- "Innovative Techniques in Final Argument," Southern
Methodist University Institute on International Finance, Innovative
Final Arguments, Matthew Bender (1985)
- "New and Old Approaches to the Expert Witness From
Deposition to Cross-Examination" Southern Methodist University
Products Liability Institute, Chapter of The Expert Witness,
Matthew Bender (1984)
- "Traumatic Neurosis," Texas Trial Lawyers Forum
(July 1984)
- "Drug Related Injuries," Texas Trial Lawyers Forum
(1975)
Law Review
- Annual Survey of Texas Law, Southwestern
Law Journal (1986-1993)
Video
- Contributor to "Trying a Medical Malpractice Case:
Adversing the Defendant," ATLA/Matthew Bender Videotape
Series (1982)
- Contributor to "Creative Demonstrative Evidence,"
ATLA Press Video (1993)
Audio
- Contributor to "Million Dollar Apartment"
Audiotape Series (4 arguments)
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Recognitions and Honors
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
as one of the best lawyers in his field in each edition since
1987
- Named by Forbes as one of the most successful trial
lawyers in the country (1989)
- National Law Journal article, "The Wizard of
Show-and-tell," (November 1994)
- Associated Press article, "Lawyer Gives Victims
Best Shot with 'Video Hardball,'" (April-May 1995)
- Recipient of the Southern Trial Lawyers Association War
Horse Award (2001) and Professor W. McKinley Smiley, Jr. Lighthouse
Award (2005)
- Honored with "Legend Seminar" by Texas Trial Lawyers
Association (2002)
- Named by D Magazine on multiple occasions, including
2005 and 2007, as one of "The Best Lawyers in Dallas"
- Named by Texas Monthly as one of the top 100 Texas
Super Lawyers in 2003-2006
- Named by Texas Monthly as one of the top 10 Texas Super Lawyers in 2007
- Recipient of the Mel Award by the Melvin Belli Society (2007)
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Civic, Charitable, Political
- Member, Highland Park Presbyterian
Church
- Prior affiliations include
- Democrat National Committee Trustee
- Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Leadership Circle Member
- Finance Council of Dallas County Democratic
Party
- National Finance Committee, Clinton for
President
- Honoree, Distinguished Service Award
for Viet Nam Veterans of America
- American Heart Foundation Chip Moody
Eagle Award
- Dallas Democratic Forum Advisory Board
- Ambassador-at-Large, Southern Methodist
University
- Garland Community Hospital Trustee
Personal
Married to Debbie Dudley Branson, an attorney.
The Bransons have two children, Jennifer and Buck, who are
both graduates of Southern Methodist University Law School.
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