Adam H. Bell

Adam H. Bell

Associate

Now in his third decade of practice as a trial lawyer, Adam has tried hundreds of cases before judges in addition to his many jury trials. He brings a forthright and compassionate approach to the practice of law.

Adam defends individuals, organizations and business entities in personal injury, wrongful death and property damage cases during all stages of litigation and pre-litigation. Representative cases include flooding, fire damage, motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, construction accidents, accidents involving firearms, slip-and-fall cases, dog bites, and industrial accidents. He believes that just as no two people are ever truly the same, no two cases are the same. Each case has its own heartbeat, each venue its own style and flavor, and each client his or her own unique story. The attorney’s job is to uncover that story and present it in the most effective fashion.

In his spare time, Adam enjoys spending time with his wife, their children, and their mini-Aussie-doodle, Millie. He is passionate about all things retro, and BMW motorcycles in particular.

Lectures Presented

Adjunct Professor, Criminal Law and Procedure, San Juan College, Farmington, New Mexico.

Adjunct Professor, Trinity Law School of Law, Santa Ana, California.

Military Experience

United States Army, Army Reserves and National Guard, 1985 – 1993.

Areas of Practice

Publications and Seminars

Continuing Legal Education course presenter, Lawyers, Guns & Money – Gun Trusts and the National Firearms Act, Roswell, New Mexico.

Appellate

Represented foster parents in appeal of decision by New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families to move previously abused and neglected foster children from loving foster home after interpersonal conflict with assigned worker. Won victory for foster parents in front of the New Mexico Supreme Court. The children were reunited with the foster parents and ultimately adopted. They are now attending college with the assistance of academic and sports-related scholarships.

Arbitration and Mediation

Defended homeowner in personal injury suit after accidental discharge of homeowner’s firearm by homeowner’s child. Successfully mediated and settled all claims against homeowner while simultaneously protecting all of homeowner’s personal and financial assets and providing secondary education fund to recovered shooting victim.

Commercial and Business

Successfully argued for dismissal of all plaintiff’s claims against garage sale attendee after attendee’s dog bit plaintiff. After a hearing on the motion for summary judgment, the court found that the plaintiff was unable to present any evidence showing that the attendee’s negligence led to the dog bite, and that plaintiff’s own negligent acts may have led to the bite.

Construction Litigation

In a case of fire damage to newly constructed home in Houston, successfully procured expert data and witness testimony to show plaintiff homebuilder that lightning strikes, rather than any act by client contractor, caused fire to the home.

Environmental and Toxic Tort

In case of harmful Salmonella food poisoning, obtained commitment from mass toxic tort firm to voluntarily dismiss all claims against client restaurant owner by showing that restaurant owner was mere “innocent reseller” of contaminated vegetables and not liable under current Texas law.

Product Liability

After plaintiff severely burned by Lithium-ion battery which exploded under mysterious circumstances, retained subject matter experts who determined that the exploding batteries had been negligently manufactured by foreign company. The foreign manufacturer and foreign distributor of the defective batteries were brought into the lawsuit via the Hague Convention to limit or cut off the client resale shop’s exposure.

Transportation and Trucking Accident Litigation

Where plaintiff crane operator suffered serious injury during crane operation out of view of any eyewitnesses, experts were able to recreate accident and show that plaintiff had fallen asleep while operating crane and negligently left the power to the operating components on prior to falling asleep, limiting exposure of client operator’s employer.

Education

Creighton University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1998.
Southern Methodist University, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1991.

Honors and Awards

Rookie Prosecutor of the Year, 2001, New Mexico State Bar Association.

Admissions

United States Supreme Court

State Bar of Texas

United States District Courts for the Western District of Texas

State Bar of New Mexico