When a dispute arises that threatens your business interests, it is important to find an attorney with the experience and skill necessary to protect what you have, and get what you deserve. At Curnutt & Hafer, our attorneys have the experience and skill necessary to handle all types of business disputes. Indeed, our firm has represented plaintiffs and defendants, ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies, in state and federal courts for over 20 years. Our opponents know us as attorneys who still try cases – a reputation that impacts the way our opponents approach our cases and settlement.

We handle all aspects of commercial litigation, including:

• Breach of contract claims
• Fraud claims
• Deceptive trade practices claims
• Breach of warranty claims
• Theft of trade secrets claims
• Collection actions
• Breach of fiduciary duty claims
• Tortious interference claims
• Adverse possession claims
• Civil theft claims
• Conversion claims
• Non-compete and employment agreements

At Curnutt & Hafer, we are positioned in the heart of the noted Barnett Shale, a large hydrocarbon-producing geologic formation covering nearly 5,000 square miles and at least 18 counties. According to the Texas Railroad Commission, this formation may be the largest onshore natural gas field in the United States. Whether you own the minerals, or are exploring or producing within the Barnett Shale, the Eagle Ford, Permian Basin, Cotton Valley, Haynesville or others, we can help you. We have over 30 years of experience handling oil and gas cases. Not only do we understand your rights under Texas law, but we have the skills and experience necessary to protect them. We also understand that obtaining a favorable outcome is often critical to accomplishing your business objectives.

We have experience in a wide array of oil and gas litigation matters, including:

• Condemnation
• Claims involving lease, royalty and mineral rights
• Pipeline construction, placement and easement disputes
• Surface owner disputes
• Claims of injury, death or property damage
• Insurance claims stemming from well, pipeline and drilling rig accidents
• Seismic and geophysical testing
• Breaches of operator duties
• Pooling disputes
• Compliance with local and government ordinances

If you require an oil and gas attorney in the field or in the courthouse, we have the experience and ability to help you. We have obtained favorable results for a number of clients including:

• Black Forest Energy, LLC
• Chevron USA, Inc.
• Devon Energy Production Company, L.P.
• Hillwood International Energy
• Linn Energy
• Mitchell Energy Company, L.P.
• Ram Energy, Inc.
• Richey Oilfield Construction, Inc.
• TimeSlice Technology, Inc.
• Upham Oil and Gas Company

Franchise law is a very complex area of practice. It is, therefore, essential that franchisors and franchisees hire attorneys well-versed in franchise law when handling their litigation needs. The attorneys at Curnutt & Hafer have the attributes necessary to handle all aspects of franchise litigation. Our franchise attorneys routinely deal with the Lanham Act, the amended FTC Franchise Rules, and various state franchise laws.

In addition, many contracts require that disputes be resolved in arbitration. We are familiar with and have experience in the alternative dispute resolution process. We are also capable of bringing lawsuits in multiple districts, which is essential when conducting franchise litigation.

At Curnutt & Hafer, we handle all aspects of franchise litigation, including:

• Breach of contract claims
• Trademark infringement claims
• Non-compete issues
• Enforcement of franchise agreements
• Territorial disputes
• Termination and post-termination covenants
• Tortious interference claims

When you pay an insurance premium, you pay for a promise. That promise means that when you suffer a loss, the insurance company will compensate you. When an insurance company breaks that promise, the results can be devastating. At Curnutt & Hafer, our attorneys represent businesses and individuals whose insurance companies have broken promises and acted in bad faith. If your insurance company has denied or delayed coverage, we may be able to help you. Contact Curnutt & Hafer for a free assessment of your case.

Bad Faith Insurance Lawsuits

We handle all types of bad faith insurance disputes including those that involve:

• Commercial general liability
• Life insurance
• Auto insurance
• Homeowners insurance

Insurance companies normally have more money and attorneys than anyone else that we fight. A person without a lawyer has little chance of obtaining a fair outcome. If you want the benefits to which you are entitled, you should hire a lawyer who has fought insurance companies before. Over the years, we have dealt with insurance companies that have:

• Refused coverage under the policy
• Said that they would pay the claim, but have delayed payment indefinitely
• Failed to respond to a claim in a timely manner.

We can help you get the benefits that you deserve. However, you must act quickly. There are often time limits imposed on claim disputes. If you wait too long, you might end up waiving your rights.

As in most states, Texas requires that written wills be “probated,” which means they must be filed and approved by a court in order to be effective. Unfortunately, disputes frequently arise regarding the contents or validity of a loved one’s will, trust or other probate documents. “Probate litigation” can refer to a broad array of different types of disputes.

The attorneys at Curnutt & Hafer have skill and experience probating wills, and resolving these types of disputes, among others:

• Challenges to the validity of a will
• Lawsuits regarding the construction or interpretation of a will
• Trust modification or reformation law suits
• Suits to terminate a trust
• Suits by or against beneficiaries, executors and trustees regarding legal and fiduciary duties

If you have questions in any of these areas, give the attorneys of Curnutt & Hafer a call for a free consultation. Sometimes just a few answers to basic questions are needed. Other times, clients need a probate litigator who knows how to try a case to a judge or a jury. Regardless of the issue, bottom line results are what drives Curnutt & Hafer, and we would be happy to assist you in seeking the results you desire.

When we take on a case involving serious injury or death, we know that the stakes are high. We have the skill and experience necessary to evaluate an injury or death claim.

Both Kelly Curnutt and Doug Hafer are Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. We aggressively pursue compensation to help injured people and their families have what they need to rebuild their lives. We work with our client and the family to create a long-term plan for that person’s care. In order to get an accurate picture, we work with medical and accounting experts to help us evaluate a client’s needs, both immediately and in the long term. We negotiate health care liens, and right from the very beginning, we educate and inform our clients. We diligently update our clients as their case moves through the court system. If you or a member of your family has suffered from a serious injury or death, contact Curnutt & Hafer for a free consultation.

We handle catastrophic injury and wrongful death lawsuits that involve:

• Auto and truck wrecks
• Oil field injuries
• Closed head injury
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Spinal cord damage
• Paralysis
• Burn injuries
• Amputation
• Broken bones
• Scarring or disfigurement