Charla Aldous
Founder | Aldous Law
Charla Aldous is a medical malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death trial lawyer and founder of Aldous Law in Dallas, Texas. J.D., SMU Dedman School of Law (1985).
Meet Charla
This isn't my profession, it's my calling.
Charla G. Aldous is a Dallas, Texas, trial lawyer and the founder of Aldous Law, where she represents people and families in birth injury, medical malpractice, sexual assault, wrongful death and other serious personal injury cases. Her firm biography notes that she works on every case the firm handles.
Aldous has tried more than 200 jury trials over her career. She began on the defense side, representing businesses and insurance companies, before deciding to choose her own clients and causes. Results listed on her firm biography include a $366 million verdict in Poliner v. Presbyterian, a $268 million verdict in Martin v. Medical City and a $71.95 million verdict against Walker Engineering, a case she tried with her daughter, attorney Eleanor Aldous, on behalf of the family of an electrician killed in a lift collapse.
She earned her law degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1985 and her undergraduate degree from Austin College in 1982. She is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and her honors include a 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and designation as a Living Legend by the Dallas Bar Association in 2023.
Experience and Expertise
Qualifications
Timeline
- J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 1985
- B.A., Austin College, 1982
Practice Areas
- Inner Circle of Advocates
- American College of Trial Lawyers (Fellow)
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- International Society of Barristers
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- Lawdragon Hall of Fame (2026)
- Law.com Lifetime Achievement Award (2026)
- Best Lawyers in America (2003-2027)
- Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" (11 times, most recently 2026)
- Forbes Best-in-State Top Lawyer (2025)
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers (2007, 2011, 2014, 2016-2026)
- Texas Super Lawyers, Top 3 in Texas (2023-2024)
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Texas Trial Lawyers Association (2021)
- Living Legend, Dallas Bar Association (2023)
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- $366 Million Verdict: Poliner v. Presbyterian: jury verdict for a doctor who was targeted by a hospital.
- $268 Million Verdict: Martin v. Medical City: case arising from a fatal medication overdose.
- $150 Million Result: Fraud case involving a will amendment that deprived a family member of an inheritance.
- $75 Million Result: Toxic contamination case in which bacterial contamination of home products nearly killed a young girl.
- $71.95 Million Verdict: Lopez v. Walker Engineering: verdict for the family of an electrician killed when a scissor lift collapsed.
- $52.5 Million Settlement: Pre-suit trucking settlement in a wrongful death and paralysis case.
- $37 Million Verdict: Sarah Milburn v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
- $35 Million Result: Trucking case in which an 18-wheeler failed to yield at night, killing a mother and daughter.
- $33 Million Result: Product defect case in which fuel tank placement led to burns over nearly 90% of a driver's body.
- $32.5 Million Settlement: T-bone trucking crash that left a single plaintiff paralyzed.
- $32 Million Verdict: I.F. v. Andrew Valderrama and Isaiah Gary: sexual assault survivor case.
- $26 Million Result: Workplace case in which a worker fell 25 feet from a scissor lift and was paralyzed.
- $25 Million Verdict: Stacey Jackson and the Estate of Jerry Brown, Jr. v. Beamers Private Club: dram shop case.
- $21.17 Million Result: Rojas v. US Anesthesia Partners of Texas: failure to monitor that led to brain injury.
- $20 Million Verdict: Paula Becker and Barron Brown v. Greyhound Lines, Inc.: family of a man killed by a Greyhound bus.
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