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Case Law Database

Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Donaldson v. Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services

David Donaldson appealed a trial court's summary judgment in favor of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) on claims of race and disability discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment under the TCHRA and Title VII. Donaldson, an African-American employee diagnosed with multiple conditions including prostate cancer and PTSD, alleged DADS failed to accommodate his disabilities and discriminated against him through various adverse actions, culminating in his termination. The appellate court affirmed the summary judgment for DADS on the race discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment claims, finding insufficient evidence of discriminatory intent or materially adverse actions in those areas. However, the court reversed and remanded the reasonable accommodation claim, concluding that Donaldson presented a fact issue regarding DADS's failure to provide continued assistance for his disabilities despite initial accommodations. This decision partially reverses the trial court's judgment, necessitating further proceedings on the reasonable accommodation aspect of the disability discrimination claim.

DiscriminationRetaliationHostile Work EnvironmentDisability DiscriminationRace DiscriminationReasonable AccommodationSummary JudgmentTexas Commission on Human Rights ActTitle VIIEmployment Law
References
83
Case No. 2015-07-0388
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 10, 2016

Bethune, Brandon v. United Parcel Service, Inc.

Mr. Brandon Bethune, a delivery driver for United Parcel Service (UPS), sought temporary total disability, permanent partial disability, and medical benefits for a torn meniscus in his right knee, allegedly sustained from a fall on or about February 4, 2015. UPS contended Mr. Bethune was not entitled to benefits, raising issues of causation and proper notice. The Court found Mr. Bethune's account of the injury inconsistent and his delayed reporting, despite a history of 18 prior claims, unreasonable. Consequently, the Court ruled Mr. Bethune failed to prove causation by a preponderance of the evidence and provided insufficient notice, denying his claim in its entirety.

Workers' CompensationCausationNotice RequirementTorn MeniscusKnee InjuryPrior InjuriesCredibility AssessmentMedical BenefitsDisability BenefitsEmployer Reporting Policy
References
10
Case No. 2021-07-0259
Regular Panel Decision
Nov 17, 2021

Massey,Christopher Chad v. TKE MFG, Inc.

Mr. Massey, an employee of TKE MFG., Inc., sought medical and temporary disability benefits for a neck injury sustained on March 8, 2021. TKE denied the claim, arguing the injury did not arise out of employment and questioning causation due to inconsistent histories and a prior injury. The Court found that Mr. Massey's work, which required him to turn his head and look up for parts 60-70% of the time, created a hazard leading to the injury. Citing Dr. Dlabach's opinion on medical causation, the Court determined that the injury was compensable. Consequently, the Court granted Mr. Massey's request, ordering TKE to provide medical treatment with Dr. Camillo and pay temporary disability benefits from May 23, 2021, onward at a rate of $937.65 per week.

Neck InjuryCervical RadiculopathyDisc HerniationWorkers' CompensationMedical BenefitsTemporary DisabilityCausationAuthorized Treating PhysicianExpedited HearingEmployer Denial
References
7
Case No. 08-23-00177-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Aug 30, 2024

Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services v. Claudia Gomez

The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) terminated Claudia Gomez, alleging she physically assaulted a coworker; Gomez contended the termination was discriminatory based on age, gender, and disability. The trial court denied DADS's plea to the jurisdiction regarding Gomez's discrimination claims. On appeal, the court found Gomez failed to present evidence of a similarly situated comparator, thus not establishing a prima facie case for age, gender, or disability discrimination. Furthermore, Gomez did not demonstrate that DADS's stated reason for termination was a pretext for discrimination. Consequently, the appellate court reversed the trial court's decision and dismissed Gomez's claims for lack of jurisdiction.

DiscriminationAge DiscriminationGender DiscriminationDisability DiscriminationEmployment LawTerminationPretextPrima Facie CaseSovereign ImmunityTexas Labor Code
References
30
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Smith v. Bayer Corp. Long Term Disability Plan

Plaintiff Terry Smith, a former Diabetes Sales Specialist for Bayer Corporation, filed an action under ERISA to recover long-term disability benefits, claiming wrongful denial due to psychiatric impairments including depression, panic disorder, and bi-polar disorder. The Plan administrator, Bayer, upheld the denial based on reviews by non-examining physicians. However, Smith's treating psychiatrists, Dr. LeBuffe and Dr. McCool, consistently found him disabled. The court found the Plan's reliance on non-examining doctors, who 'cherry-picked' medical records and distorted findings, to be arbitrary and capricious. Consequently, the court granted Smith's motion for benefits, denying Bayer's, and also awarded partial disability benefits, ruling that Smith's failure to seek rehabilitation approval was excused by the prior wrongful denial.

ERISALong-term disabilityDisability benefits denialPsychiatric impairmentDepressionPanic disorderBi-polar disorderAttention Deficit Disorder (ADD)Treating physician ruleArbitrary and capricious standard
References
26
Case No. 2016-01-0303
Regular Panel Decision
Sep 23, 2016

Buckner, Douglas A. v. Eaton Corporation

Douglas A. Buckner, an employee of Eaton Corporation, sought medical and temporary disability benefits for a spinal injury allegedly sustained at work. The employer, Eaton, contested the claim, arguing insufficient notice and lack of expert medical evidence for work-related causation. The Workers' Compensation Judge, Thomas Wyatt, ruled that Mr. Buckner had a reasonable excuse for delayed notice and that medical opinions, particularly from Dr. Mazza, sufficiently established the work-relatedness of his herniated disc injury. The court ordered Eaton to provide medical benefits and temporary disability payments but allowed for reimbursement of previously paid short-term disability benefits.

Workers' CompensationExpedited HearingMedical BenefitsTemporary DisabilityNotice RequirementSpinal InjuryHerniated DiscCausationEmployer LiabilityMedical Evidence
References
9
Case No. 2015-07-0203
Regular Panel Decision
Jun 10, 2016

Hall, Steven v. Mid-South Industrial, Inc.

Steven Hall, a 55-year-old millwright, filed a claim for workers' compensation benefits after sustaining a left knee injury at work in September 2014. His employer, Mid-South-Industrial, Inc., denied the claim, attributing it to a pre-existing condition and subsequently terminating Hall for attendance issues. The court considered conflicting medical opinions from Dr. David Pearce, Dr. Bradford Wright, and Dr. Samuel Chung regarding the injury's causation and impairment. Judge Allen Phillips accredited Dr. Wright's opinion, determining the injury was compensable and arose primarily out of Hall's employment. The judge also ruled that Mid-South failed to provide adequate proof that Hall's termination was for cause, entitling him to temporary partial disability benefits. Hall was awarded past and future medical benefits, temporary total and partial disability, and permanent partial disability based on a one percent impairment.

Knee InjuryMeniscus TearDisability BenefitsMedical BenefitsCausationPermanent Partial ImpairmentTemporary Total DisabilityTemporary Partial DisabilityEmployment TerminationTennessee Workers' Compensation Law
References
11
Case No. 2015-08-0359
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 26, 2016

Hannigan, Sean v. Paramount Uniform Rental

Sean Hannigan, an employee of Paramount Uniform Rental, filed a request for an Expedited Hearing seeking medical and temporary disability benefits for an alleged back injury sustained on July 28, 2015, while lifting uniforms. Paramount denied the claim, citing inconsistencies with video evidence and a history of prior back surgeries. The court found Mr. Hannigan established medical causation through Dr. Ferguson's testimony, who opined that the injury more likely than not arose from his employment. The court ordered Paramount to provide medical benefits and temporary total disability benefits from August 13, 2015, to September 1, 2015, but denied all other requested temporary disability benefits, noting Mr. Hannigan's subsequent employment and failure to return to work at Paramount.

Back InjuryLumbar StrainDisc HerniationMedical CausationExpedited HearingTemporary DisabilityEmployer AccommodationPhysician TestimonyPrior SurgeriesSpinal Stenosis
References
6
Case No. 2017-01-0018
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 17, 2018

Branam, Gary V. Dunlap Stone, Inc.

Gary Branam, an employee of Dunlap Stone, Inc., filed a request for an expedited hearing seeking medical and temporary disability benefits after experiencing numbness and pain while driving a dump truck at work. He was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his neck and underwent surgery, but Dunlap Stone denied his workers' compensation claim. The court reviewed differing causation opinions from Dr. Lee Kern, who initially linked the injury to work but later revised his opinion after reviewing pre-existing medical records. The Court found Dr. Kern's declaration, which negated his earlier opinion, to be more probative. Consequently, the Court denied Mr. Branam's interlocutory claim for medical and temporary disability benefits, ruling that he was not likely to prevail at a hearing on the merits regarding the work-relatedness of his injury or the necessity of his cardiac care and disability.

Expedited HearingMedical BenefitsTemporary Disability BenefitsCausation DisputeCervical Disk HerniationNeck InjuryPre-existing Medical ConditionMedical Expert TestimonyPhysician DeclarationBurden of Proof
References
2
Case No. 2015-07-0067
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 02, 2015

Hardin, Chris v. Dewayne’s Quality Metals

Chris Hardin, an employee, sought medical and temporary disability benefits for bilateral arm injuries allegedly sustained gradually during his repetitive work at Dewayne's Quality Metals. The employer and its insurer, Accident Fund, contested the work-relatedness of the injury. The court granted Mr. Hardin medical benefits for further evaluation of his alleged injuries, determining he presented sufficient evidence to likely prevail on the causation issue for medical treatment. However, the court denied his claims for temporary disability benefits and outstanding medical bills at this time, awaiting expert medical evidence confirming a causal connection between his employment and disability.

Workers' CompensationGradual InjuryBilateral Arm InjuriesCarpal Tunnel SyndromeUlnar Nerve NeuropathyDiabetic NeuropathyMedical BenefitsTemporary Disability BenefitsCausationNotice Requirements
References
8
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