Scott W. Self

Bar / Professional Activity

• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) Board Certified in Personal Inury Trial Law D Magazine "Best Lawyers in Dallas" 2018, 2020, 2017

Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)

• Robert Beak v. OMK Investments, Inc. d/b/a H&W Powersports of Palestine. Scott and FS&S associate John Wilder obtained a defense verdict for client H&W, a dealer of ATVs, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles in Palestine, Anderson County, Texas. Plaintiff rolled an ATV while operating it on H&W's premises and suffered severe injuries to his leg, requiring multiple surgeries. Plaintiff's counsel argued that H&W was negligent because its salesman failed adequately to instruct and warn Plaintiff about the hazards of operating the ATV. Conversely, Scott and John argued that the accident was caused by Plaintiff's own negligence. The Anderson County jury returned a unanimous defense verdict., 2022
• Nancy Shelton, et al. v. Graco Children's Products, Inc., et al.  Scott served as Graco's Texas trial counsel and helped obtain a defense verdict in the trial of a multi-million dollar products liability case in state district court in Center, Shelby County, Texas. The case involved allegations of a defect in a booster seat manufactured and sold by Graco. The plaintiffs alleged that their minor son sustained a traumatic brain injury while riding in a Graco booster seat and asked the jury to award damages in the amount of $27 million. Scott and Graco’s national trial counsel obtained a unanimous defense verdict on behalf of Graco., 2020
• Crump v. MCMC Auto, Ltd.  Scott obtained a defense verdict for his client in a trial in state court in Tarrant County, Texas, in a case involving allegations of car dealer negligence.  The plaintiff, a pedestrian who was filling her SUV with gas, was struck by a car that Scott’s client had sold approximately 3½ months before the accident.  The car’s owner and her boyfriend, who was driving the vehicle when it struck the plaintiff, alleged that the car’s brakes failed.  The plaintiff suffered a number of severe injuries and had medical bills of $491,000 as a result of the accident.  The plaintiff alleged that Scott’s client failed to inspect and service the car properly before selling it and therefore asked the jury to award damages in excess of $6 million.  Scott showed the jury that the accident was caused by the negligence of the car’s owner and driver, rather than by Scott’s client.  After a week of trial, the Tarrant County jury rendered a defense verdict for Scott’s client., 2018
• Lennon II Family Limited Partnership v. AGL Constructors, Joint Venture, et al.   Scott obtained a defense verdict for his client in a trial in state court in Denton County, Texas, involving complex environmental issues.  The plaintiff, which owns real property in Denton County, claimed that Scott’s client, a heavy civil contractor, had unlawfully removed fill dirt from the plaintiff's property and dumped contaminants onto the property.  The plaintiff demanded more than $13 million before trial and asked the jury to award damages in excess of $8 million during trial.  Scott’s showed the jury that his client had lawfully purchased the fill dirt from the landowner's agent and had brought non-hazardous and commercially useful replacement material back to the property.  After two weeks of trial, the Denton County jury rendered a unanimous defense verdict for Scott’s client., 2018
• David Gray, et al. v. North Texas Premier Soccer Association, et al.  Scott obtained a defense verdict at trial in Dallas County, Texas, on behalf of his clients—a non-profit soccer organization, its officers, and directors—in a lawsuit in which the plaintiff injured his knee while playing in an adult recreational soccer game on a field owned and operated by the association.  The plaintiffs alleged premises liability and gross negligence against the non-profit organization, as well as breach of fiduciary duty and fraud against its officers and directors.  Scott successfully argued for dismissal of the breach of fiduciary duty and fraud claims before the case went to the jury, which ultimately returned a unanimous defense verdict on the premises liability and gross negligence claims., 2017
• Monica Cooper, et al. v. Pantego Camp Thurman, Inc.  Scott obtained a defense verdict at trial in Tarrant County, Texas, on behalf of his Christian camp client in a wrongful death lawsuit involving an incident in which the decedent trespassed onto the camp’s premises and fell from a high ropes course element., 2016
• Sunny Garren, et al. v. Ray Anthony Cunningham and Greyhound Lines, Inc.  Scott obtained summary judgment in Dallas County, Texas, on behalf of his bus driver and bus company clients in a personal injury lawsuit involving an incident in which a passenger attacked the driver and caused the bus to run off the road., 2016
• Anselme Nzirubusa, et al. v. Bobby Joe Raymond and Dee King Trucking, Inc.  Scott obtained a defense verdict at trial in Potter County, Texas, on behalf of his truck driver and trucking company clients in a wrongful death lawsuit involving an accident in which the truck collided with the decedent’s car while she was exiting a food processing facility in Amarillo., 2016

Special Licenses / Certifications

• Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial, 2019

Pro bono / Community Service

• For nearly 20 years, Scott has volunteered as a judge for local, regional, and state rounds of the Texas High School Mock Trial Competition., 2020
• Scott serves as a volunteer attorney with Advocates for Community Transformation (ACT), a Christian ministry that uses the justice system to empower inner-city residents to fight crime on their streets, while sharing with them the hope of the Gospel., 2020
• Scott serves as a member of the board of directors for Sky Ranch, a Christian camp and conference center with campuses in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado., 2013

Honors

• In 2020, the publishers of D Magazine again named Scott as one of its "Best Lawyers in Dallas," based on voting by attorneys in the Dallas legal community., Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2020
• In 2013, the publishers of Texas Lawyer magazine named Scott its "Litigator of the Week", Litigator of the Week, Texas Lawyer, 2013
• In 2018, the publishers of D Magazine named Scott as one of its "Best Lawyers in Dallas," based on voting by attorneys in the Dallas legal community., Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2018

Educational Background

• Rhodes College, B.A., Political Science, cum laude, 1997

• Construction
• Premises
• Products
• Transportation