Dufallo, Paul J.

Oscar O. Gomez is a native to the Rio Grande Valley and moved to McAllen, Texas, in 1989, when he began his law practice with the general litigation firm of Ellis, Koeneke & Ramirez. He joined Kittleman, Thomas & Gonzales at its formation in 1998 and has primarily focused on general litigation matters including personal injury, product liability, family law, and probate litigation.

Oscar received his degree in Criminal Justice in 1983 from Sam Houston State University and became one of the youngest State parole officers at the age of 21. After working as an institutional parole officer and a field parole officer for several years, he received his law degree from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas, and moved to McAllen to begin his law practice.

In 2000, Oscar and his partner, Ray Thomas, drew national attention by winning the first jury verdict in the country against a trailer manufacturer in a side underride case. In a wrongful death case against Lufkin Industries, Inc., the jury found that the Lufkin box trailer was defectively designed in that it failed to have side guards to prevent passenger cars from underriding the side of the trailer in the event of a collision, which often results in decapitation or other catastrophic injuries. The case presented by Oscar Gomez and Ray Thomas was so compelling that the jury also found, under the clear and convincing evidence standard, that Lufkin Insutries, Inc. acted with malice. Oscar Gomez and Ray Thomas successfully tried a second underride case against the same manufacturer in 2006. The cases are styled Maravilla vs. Lufkin Industries, tried in Webb County, Texas, and Walker et al vs. Lufkin Industries, tried in Panola County, Texas. The total verdict in the Panola County case exceeded $36 million.

Oscar has also handled numerous cases involving negligence, wrongful death, and product liability resulting in substantial recoveries for his clients and the firm.

Oscar is licensed to practice in the state courts of Texas and in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Hidalgo County Bar Association.

Oscar has been active in the McAllen Boys and Girls Club, coaching basketball, and has served on the board of a select traveling team for AAU basketball.

Oscar is fluent in speaking and writing Spanish.