Roberta J. Hegland
Partner
Suzanne Polk
512.542.2129
Roberta J. Hegland has more than two decades of trial experience as lead defense counsel in commercial, product liability, personal injury, construction, environmental and toxic tort litigation. Ms. Hegland is board certified in both Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Ms. Hegland represents commercial and industrial companies in mass tort and class actions; manufacturers and distributors in product liability cases involving design, warning and manufacturing defects; architects, engineers and builders in construction disputes; commercial and industrial companies in contract and business disputes; industrial companies in premises liability, personal injury and toxic tort cases alleging damage as a result of exposure; and trucking companies in motor vehicle incidents.
Ms. Hegland has significant jury trial experience bringing numerous cases to conclusion. She also has been instrumental in negotiating significant settlements prior to trial.
Representative Matters
Product Liability
Torres et al v. Johns Manville, Int'l, District Court, Cameron County, Texas.
Hobbs v. LBX, in the 148th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Trapnell v. Sysco Food Services, et al., 890 S.W.2d, 796. Product liability, sulfite reaction case.
Ford Motor Co. v. Durrill, 714 S.W.2d 329. Product liability/wrongful death.
Estrada v. Johns Manville, Int'l., in the 125th District Court, Harris County, Texas.
Reyna v. Hoechst Celanese Corp., Hidalgo County, Texas.
Fleming v. American Honda Inc., in the 197th District Court, Cameron County, Texas.
Sain v. Surgitech, Inc., in the 94th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Reyna v. MG Industries, Hidalgo County, Texas.
Millangue v. Pentron, Inc., 214th Dist. Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Premises Liability
Clark v. McFerrin, 760 S.W.2d, 822. Personal injury/premise liability, fire. 214th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Texas Hoechst Celanese Corp. v. Mendez, 967 S.W.2d 354. Personal injury/industrial premises.
Personal Injury
Cowger, et al vs. Hoechst Celanese Corporation, in the 79th District Court, Jim Wells County, Texas.
Marks v. Coastal Refining & Marketing Inc., in the 117th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Lopez v. The Coastal Corp., in the 319th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Heidrich v. Clark, in the 148th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Wilson v. Commercial Insurance Company, in the 347th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Contreras v. TEIA, in the 28th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Nichols v. Mariano, in the County Court at Law No. 1, Nueces County, Texas.
Millitello v. Mausolf, in the 103rd District Court, Cameron County, Texas.
Smelser v. Phippeny, in the 105th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Collins v. Gulf State Insurance Co., in the 319th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Russell v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, in the 214th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Dominguez v. Kmart, in the 347th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Yzaguirre v. Fluor Daniel Caribbean Inc., in the 94th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Matlock v. Allstate Insurance Company, in the 148th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Marietta v. Kountry Klub, in the 343rd District Court, San Patricio, County, Texas.
Knoll v. Bennett, in the 94th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Brownstein v. Mundy, in the County Court at Law No. 1, Nueces County, Texas.
Peek v. DelBosque, in the 79th District Court, Jim Wells County, Texas.
Alvarez v. Pagan Lewis Motor Co., in the 105th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Mendez v. Maria Elena Amayo, in the 117th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Villarreal v. Humana Hospital, in the 117th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Bustamante v. Wilson County, in the 218th District Court, Wilson County, Texas.
Additional Matters
Argabrite v. Johns Manville, in the Circuit Court No. 04-C-322 of Wood County, West Virginia. Obtained dismissal of client in mass tort multi-party toxic tort case.
MPG v. Crosstex Energy, in the Thirteenth Court of Appeals Corpus Christi, Texas. Affirming summary judgment in favor of client in multi-million dollar contract dispute.
W.I.S.D. v. Johns Manville, in the 261st Judicial District Court, Travis County, Texas. Negotiated de minimis settlement in multi-party commercial construction case.
Hoechst Celanese Corp. v. Arthur Bros. Inc., 882 S.W.2d 917. Contract dispute.
Juarez v. Coastal Refining Marketing Inc., in the 293rd District Court, Zavala County.
Aguirre v. Shell Exploration and Production Inc., et al., in the 148th District Court, San Patricio County, Texas.
Tipton v. Coastal Refining and Marketing Inc., Nueces County, Texas.Dodson vs. Coastal Corporation, et al., in the 94th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Sysco Food Services, Inc. v. Parr, in the 94th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.Sysco Food Services v. Simmons, in the 148th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Holmes v. Pool Well Services Inc., in the 105th District Court, Nueces County, Texas.
Education
J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, 1983
B.A., cum laude, Augustana College, 1972
Bar Admissions
Texas
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas
Board Certifications
Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Civil Trial Law
Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Personal Injury Trial Law
Affiliations
American Bar Association, Litigation Section and Tort and Insurance Practice Section
Austin Bar Association
Corpus Christi Bar Association
State Bar of Texas, Litigation Section
College of the State Bar of Texas
Texas Association of Defense Counsel
Coastal Bend Woman Lawyers Association
Reynaldo G. Garza, American Inns of Court
Defense Research Institute
Minority Corporate Counsel Association
International Association of Defense Counsel
Travis County Woman Lawyers Association
Noteworthy
Texas Super Lawyer, 2003-2004