Thomas J. Henry’s Firm Holds Law Enforcement Responsible for Unconstitutional Use of Excessive Force in the Killing of Gilbert Flores
Federal Court Jury Awards $10.37 Million to Family of Gilbert Flores, an Unarmed Father Who Was Shot to Death by Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputies
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (March 24, 2022) – A Federal jury in Bexar County returned a $10.37 million verdict in favor of the family of Gilbert Flores who was shot and killed by two Bexar County sheriff’s deputies on August 28, 2015. The case was handled by renowned Personal Injury and Civil Rights law firm Thomas J. Henry Law, PLLC. who advocated on behalf of the Flores family.
Video of the killing shows Gilbert Flores, a 41-year-old husband and father, was in his driveway with his hands up when he was shot to death by deputies of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department.
Footage of Gilbert Flores’s death quickly garnered national attention with citizens, advocates, and experts decrying the deputies’ actions, leading to nationwide calls for accountability. The two deputies ultimately avoided criminal charges, leaving the Flores family’s only hope of obtaining justice through representation by Thomas J. Henry’s firm.
Thomas J. Henry developed the case with his trial team and utilized excessive force and video forensic experts to prove the use of excessive force that led to the killing of Gilbert Flores. Thomas J. Henry and his team also uncovered a conspiracy to hide the truth about the events leading up to the killing by obtaining officer statements that were inconsistent with the video footage of the same officers killing Gilbert Flores. Without a citizen video recording the shooting of Gilbert Flores, this family may never have obtained justice.
On Thursday, the jury in the case returned a verdict of $10.37 million in favor of Gilbert Flores’s family, awarding $2.87 million in actual damages and $7.5 million in punitive damages.
“The return of this verdict by a jury of our peers here in Bexar County demonstrates that we will not tolerate the use of excessive force that kills our citizens, who could be our children, fathers, brothers or family,” said Thomas J. Henry. “My hope is that this sends a message to all law enforcement in the United States that excessive force will not be tolerated.”
About Thomas J. Henry
Thomas J. Henry Law, PLLC, is one of the nation’s leading personal injury firms. Since 1993, the firm has fought to secure justice and compensation for individuals who have lost loved ones due to the negligence of others and to prevent similar instances of wrongful death from occurring again. Over that time, Thomas J. Henry and his firm have been the recipients of numerous awards and recognitions.
In 2021, Thomas J. Henry Law was named “Law Firm of the Year” by the American Institute of Legal Professionals.
In 2020, the firm was named one of the Best Places to Work by Glassdoor for the second consecutive year. It was the only law firm to secure the accolade. Firm founder Thomas J. Henry was named one of SA Scene Magazine’s Best San Antonio Lawyers. Thomas J. Henry was also recognized in Texas Lawyer’s (an ALM Company) Southwest Top Verdicts and Settlements of 2020 for securing the #1 Gross Negligence Verdict for the year.
In 2019, Thomas J. Henry Law was recognized as one of the nation’s Premier Law Firms by Newsweek.com. That same year, Bloomberg Businessweek published a feature on Thomas J. Henry, highlighting his firm’s “clear commitment to client satisfaction.” Thomas J. Henry was also named the Best Attorney of San Antonio by the SA Current.
In 2018, Thomas J. Henry was named a Distinguished Lawyer by Lawyers of Distinction and was also recognized as one of the Best Personal Injury Attorneys in the nation by Newsweek.com. In 2017, Thomas J. Henry achieved one of the 10 largest verdicts recorded in Texas for the year (awarded to Thomas J. Henry by Texas Lawyer, an ALM company) as well as the #1 Texas Car Accident, Bus Accident, and Negligent Supervision Verdicts for the year (awarded to Thomas J. Henry by TopVerdict.com).
Other recent results include:
- $50 Million for a Trucking Accident Resulting in Wrongful Death (Expenses: $1,126,381 | Attorney’s Fees: $21,000,000 | Net to Client: $27,000,000)
- $35 Million for a Trucking Accident Resulting in Wrongful Death (Expenses: $100,000.00 | Attorney’s Fees: $12,750,000.00 | Net to Client: $22,150,000.00)
- $30.2 Million for an Accident Involving a Recalled Vehicle Resulting in Spinal Cord and Back Injuries (Expenses: $39,576.15 | Attorney’s Fees: $10,060,980.00 | Net to Client: $20,121,960.57)
- $12.7 Million for a Medical Malpractice Resulting in Spinal Cord and Back Injuries (Expenses: $300.000.00 | Attorney’s Fees: $2,000,000.00 | Net to Client: $10.4 Million – Purchase of Lifetime Annuity)
- $10.9 Million for Medical Malpractice Resulting in Spinal Cord and Back Injuries (Expenses: $300,000.00 | Attorney’s Fees: $3,200,000.00 | Net to Client: $4,029,762.00 – Purchase of Lifetime Annuity)
- $10 Million for a Company Vehicle Accident Resulting in Spinal Cord and Back Injuries (Expenses: $125,000.00 | Attorney’s Fees: $4,250,000.00 | Net to Client: $5,625,000.00)
In 2016, Forbes Magazine named Thomas J. Henry a “Texas Leader in Law,” noting his ability to secure large financial awards, a positive reputation among professional peers, and a dedication to philanthropy at the local, national, and global levels.
Thomas J. Henry is also a lifetime member of both the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and of Rue Ratings’ “Best Attorneys of America.”
Outside of the courtroom, the firm is known for its many philanthropic endeavors and generous contributions to local and global communities.
The firm has an active philanthropy program that supports causes related to poverty, veterans, national disaster relief, education, animals, and the arts.
