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

Case No. 06-17-00093-CV
Regular Panel Decision
May 09, 2018

Jessica Growden, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated v. Good Shepherd Health System, the Good Shepherd Hospital, Inc., and Good Shepherd Medical Center

Jessica Growden sued Good Shepherd Medical Center as a class action after being charged an allegedly unreasonable amount for her daughter's emergency room visit. Growden, uninsured, sought a declaratory judgment that the hospital's contract only allowed billing for the reasonable value of services. Good Shepherd waived Growden's bill before class certification and moved to dismiss for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction due to mootness. The trial court dismissed the suit. On appeal, the Court of Appeals applied the "picking-off exception" to the mootness doctrine, finding that Good Shepherd's waiver was a litigation strategy. The appellate court reversed the dismissal of Growden's class-action claims and her individual claim for attorney fees under the Declaratory Judgments Act, remanding for further proceedings, while affirming the trial court's judgment in all other respects.

Class ActionMootness DoctrinePicking-off ExceptionDeclaratory Judgment ActAttorney FeesSubject-Matter JurisdictionMedical Billing DisputeHospital Emergency ServicesContractual LiabilityAppellate Procedure
References
41
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Good Shepherd Medical Center - Linden, Inc. v. Bobby Twilley

Bobby Twilley, Director of Plant Operations for Good Shepherd Medical Center-Linden, Inc., suffered two workplace injuries: a fall from a ladder and a trip over cement. He sued Good Shepherd, alleging negligence, negligence per se, and gross negligence. Good Shepherd moved to dismiss, contending that Twilley's claims were health care liability claims under the Texas Medical Liability Act (TMLA) and required an expert report. The trial court denied the motion, prompting Good Shepherd's interlocutory appeal. The appellate court affirmed, ruling that Twilley's safety claims, while occurring on hospital premises, were entirely unrelated to health care and thus not subject to the TMLA's expert report requirement.

NegligencePremises LiabilityTexas Medical Liability ActExpert Report RequirementHealth Care Liability ClaimStatutory InterpretationWorkplace InjuryOccupational Safety and Health AdministrationInterlocutory AppealAppellate Court Decision
References
10
Case No. 2021 NY Slip Op 01050 [191 AD3d 884]
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 17, 2021

Matter of Faith A. M. (Faith M.)

The mother, Faith M., appealed an order from the Family Court, Kings County, which found her to have derivatively neglected her child, Faith A.M. This finding stemmed from a prior neglect determination in May 2014 concerning her other children due to excessive corporal punishment, which the court deemed proximate in time to the current proceeding. The evidence presented, including statements from siblings, testimony from a school counselor, and observations of injuries, corroborated the ongoing use of excessive corporal punishment. The Family Court's assessment of the mother's credibility, finding her denials incredible, was supported by the record, reinforced by her guilty plea to disorderly conduct related to similar allegations. The Appellate Division affirmed the Family Court's order, as the mother failed to provide evidence that the circumstances leading to the neglect finding no longer existed.

Child NeglectDerivative NeglectCorporal PunishmentFamily Court ActAppellate ReviewParental JudgmentPreponderance of EvidenceCredibilityPrior FindingsRisk of Harm
References
11
Case No. 06-13-00103-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Jul 16, 2014

the Fannin County Community Supervision and Corrections Department v. Glenda Spoon

The Fannin County Community Supervision and Corrections Department appeals the denial of its plea to the jurisdiction in a whistleblower action filed by its former employee, Glenda Spoon. Spoon alleged she was terminated for reporting various violations of law, including illegal campaigning and embezzlement, to the District Attorney. The Department claims Spoon's reports were not made in good faith and that she was terminated for failing to follow orders regarding a client's SAFPF admission and the chain of command. The court affirmed the trial court's denial of the plea, finding Spoon raised sufficient fact issues regarding her good-faith belief of reported violations and a causal link between her report and termination. The court identified a Fannin County Personnel Policy Manual section as a 'law' implicated by Spoon's report.

Whistleblower ActPublic Employee RetaliationSovereign Immunity WaiverPlea to the JurisdictionFannin CountyCommunity Supervision and Corrections DepartmentIllegal CampaigningEmbezzlement AllegationsTexas Government CodePersonnel Policy Violation
References
41
Case No. NO. 03-05-00031-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 08, 2005

Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Successor in Interest to the Former Texas Rehabilitation Commission v. Richard Howard

Richard Howard, a unit manager at the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, reported alleged illegal practices to the State Auditor’s Office (SAO). Howard claimed his superiors retaliated against him by rating him below standard on performance appraisals and denying promotions and merit pay increases. He sued under the Whistleblower Act, and a jury awarded him damages, costs, and attorney's fees. The Department appealed, challenging the sufficiency of evidence regarding Howard's good faith report, appropriate authority, causation, and damages. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding sufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict that Howard made a good faith report to an appropriate authority and that his report caused the adverse actions.

Whistleblower ActRetaliationPublic EmployeeState Auditor’s OfficePerformance AppraisalMerit PayPromotion DenialDamagesCausationGood Faith Report
References
20
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 19, 1945

Empire Case Goods Workers Union v. Empire Case Goods Co.

Empire Case Goods Workers Union, on behalf of its members, brought an action against Empire Case Goods Company and Sidney G. Bose to recover vacation pay stipulated in a contract. Empire sold its business to Bose, leading both defendants to deny liability for the vacation pay. The Special Term initially dismissed the complaint against both defendants, reasoning that Empire's employees became Bose's and Bose was not party to the contract. On appeal, the court affirmed the dismissal against Bose, finding no implied assumption of Empire's wage structure. However, it reversed the dismissal against Empire, holding Empire liable for the vacation pay as employees were not notified of the change in employer and continued to work under Empire's apparent authority, making Empire responsible under master and servant law.

Vacation PayEmployer LiabilitySuccessor LiabilityEmployment ContractSale of BusinessNotice of TerminationAgency RelationshipMaster and Servant LawAppellate ReviewWage Dispute
References
2
Case No. 05-20-00859-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Aug 11, 2022

Full of Faith Christian Center, Inc., Full of Faith Christian Center Ministries, Full of Faith Christian Center Ministries, Inc., Calvin Ray Calhoun, and Peggy Calhoun v. Kenneth May & Desire Ophelia Fuentes-May

Kenneth May and Desire Ophelia Fuentes-May (Appellees) sued Full of Faith Christian Center, Inc. and related entities/individuals (Appellants) for nuisance, trespass, negligence, and unlawful diversion of water. A no-answer default judgment was entered against Appellants. Appellants challenged the default judgment, raising issues with citation, substituted service, and an unserved supplemental petition, among others. The appellate court found service and citation were not defective and upheld the denial of the motion for new trial on most grounds. However, the court reversed the award of punitive damages against appellants jointly and severally, remanding for a new trial solely on exemplary damages, and affirmed the trial court's judgment in all other respects.

Default JudgmentService of ProcessSubstituted ServicePunitive DamagesJoint and Several LiabilityMotion for New TrialAppellate ReviewTexas Civil ProcedureNuisanceTrespass
References
33
Case No. 14-23-00348-CV, 14-23-00672-CV, 14-23-00736-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Aug 27, 2024

Dwayne Pacifico, Mary Ann Carrion, and Cindy Vara-Leija v. Harris County

This case consolidates three appeals concerning whistleblower claims against Harris County by current and former employees of the Harris County Precinct 2 Constable’s office. Jerry Luman, Norman Verbosky, and David Williams alleged retaliation after reporting irregularities, including overtime fraud and mismanagement of Hurricane Harvey donations. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's denial of Harris County's pleas to the jurisdiction for Luman, Verbosky, and Williams, and reversed and remanded the summary judgment against Luman. However, the court affirmed the trial court's decision to grant Harris County's pleas for Mary Ann Carrion, Cindy Vara-Leija, and Dwayne Pacifico, citing failure to exhaust grievance procedures for Carrion and Vara-Leija, and lack of a good-faith report of a law violation for Pacifico. The case focused on elements of the Texas Whistleblower Act, particularly good faith reporting, causation, and administrative exhaustion.

Whistleblower ActRetaliationAdverse Employment ActionGovernmental ImmunitySubject-Matter JurisdictionSummary JudgmentGood Faith ReportingBut-For CausationAdministrative RemediesPublic Employee
References
19
Case No. 03-06-00002-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Jul 20, 2007

Texas Court Reporters Certification Board and Michele Henricks, as Director of the Court Reporters Certification Board v. Esquire Deposition Services, L.L.C.

The Texas Court Reporters Certification Board (Board) initiated disciplinary proceedings against Esquire Deposition Services, L.L.C. (Esquire) for alleged violations concerning long-term volume discount arrangements for court reporting services. Esquire subsequently filed suit against the Board and its director, Michele Henricks, challenging the Board's statutory authority to regulate or prohibit such discounts and seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. The district court denied the Board's plea to the jurisdiction, prompting an appeal. The Court of Appeals held that the Board possesses exclusive jurisdiction over disciplinary claims and determined that Esquire's claims, which broadly questioned the Board's general authority over long-term discounts, were not ripe for judicial review as they depended on contingent facts and agency expertise. Consequently, the appellate court reversed the district court's order, dismissing Esquire's suit due to lack of jurisdiction.

Administrative LawJurisdictionPlea to the JurisdictionRipeness DoctrineExclusive JurisdictionStatutory InterpretationDeclaratory Judgment ActCourt Reporters Certification BoardCourt Reporting FirmsLong-term Volume Discounts
References
15
Case No. 2-00-193-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Jun 26, 2003

Town of Flower Mound, Texas v. Tom Teague and David Burkett

This is an appeal in a whistleblower case involving the Town of Flower Mound, Texas, and two former police officers, Tom Teague and David Burkett. The officers alleged they were terminated for reporting a superior's (Wess Jones) alleged illegal conduct, and Chief Brungardt's alleged cover-up, to appropriate law enforcement authorities. The Town challenged the jury's verdict in favor of the officers on grounds of insufficient evidence for good faith reporting and causation, and errors in jury instructions and the judgment. The court affirmed the jury's findings on good faith and causation, but reversed and remanded the issue of prejudgment interest calculation.

WhistleblowerPublic EmployeeRetaliationPolice OfficersLaw EnforcementDenton CountyTexasEmployment LawCivil ServiceJury Verdict
References
54
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