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

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Pelligrino v. Universal Maritime Service Co.

This maritime personal injury case involves plaintiff Dennis Pelligrino, a marine carpenter, who was injured after falling from grease-coated heavy machinery he was securing on a vessel. He sued Universal Maritime Service Company, Inc., the stevedoring company, and Waterman Steamship Corporation, the vessel owner. The court denied Universal's motion for summary judgment, citing unresolved issues of fact regarding its alleged negligence in handling the cargo and failing to ensure safety. Conversely, Waterman's cross-motion for summary judgment was granted, as the court found no evidence that the vessel owner breached its duties to longshoremen or actively participated in the cargo operations. Consequently, the complaint against Waterman was dismissed, while the action against Universal was severed.

Maritime personal injuryLongshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation ActStevedoring negligenceVessel owner dutiesSummary judgmentCargo securingHazardous conditionsCosmolineNegligenceShipowner liability
References
8
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Munusamy v. McClelland Engineers, Inc.

This Memorandum Order addresses three consolidated maritime death and injury cases brought by foreign plaintiffs against American and foreign defendants. The defendants sought dismissal under the doctrine of forum non conveniens, asserting that foreign law should apply due to insufficient connections with the U.S. The court, presided over by Judge Joe J. Fisher, meticulously examined jurisdictional bases, choice of law principles (including the Lauritzen-Romero-Rhoditis factors), and both public and private interests relevant to a forum non conveniens dismissal. Emphasizing the "equality of treatment to all seamen" mandated by the Shipowners' Liability (Sick and Injured Seamen) Convention, the court ultimately denied the defendants' motions to dismiss, concluding that such dismissal would contradict federal maritime law. The court decided to defer the choice of law determination until evidence on the merits had been presented.

Maritime LawForum Non ConveniensChoice of LawJones ActDeath on the High Seas ActAdmiralty JurisdictionInternational LitigationSeamen's RightsFederal JurisdictionForeign Plaintiffs
References
20
Case No. 10-93-224-CV
Regular Panel Decision
May 18, 1994

Subsequent Injury Fund of the State of Texas (Formerly the Second Injury Fund) v. Larry Milligan

The Subsequent Injury Fund appeals a judgment awarding Larry Milligan lifetime benefits for injuries sustained at work. Milligan suffered two ankle injuries in 1987 and a third in 1989, leading to the total loss of use of both feet. He sued the Fund for lifetime benefits after settling with the workers' compensation carrier. The jury found permanent, total loss of use of both feet. The Fund challenged its statutory liability for lifetime benefits and the court's refusal to submit a jury question on total and permanent incapacity. The appellate court affirmed, finding the first issue unpreserved and the second resolved by a statutory conclusive presumption of total and permanent incapacity for the loss of both feet.

Workers' Compensation LawSubsequent Injury FundLifetime BenefitsTotal Permanent IncapacityAnkle InjuriesStatutory InterpretationAppellate ReviewJury InstructionsConclusive PresumptionOccupational Injuries
References
6
Case No. No. 08-07-00346-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 24, 2010

W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C. D/B/A Auto & Work Injury Clinic and Maria Del Carmen Gallardo/Rosemary Smith v. Rosemary Smith/W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C. D/B/A Auto & Work Injury Clinic and Maria Del Carmen Gallardo

Rosemary Smith, an El Paso Police Officer, sued W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C., d/b/a Auto & Work Injury Clinic, and its employee Maria Gallardo, alleging negligence after a physical therapy session aggravated a prior back injury. The City of El Paso, Smith's worker's compensation subrogee, joined as a plaintiff. The jury found Gallardo negligent, awarding Smith $488,000, which the trial court reduced to $339,983.58. Both parties appealed. The Court of Appeals found the expert testimony on causation insufficient to establish that Gallardo's therapy proximately caused Smith's reherniation, as the expert only stated it was "possible." The court reversed the trial court's judgment.

Medical MalpracticeNegligenceCausationExpert TestimonyPhysical TherapyHerniated DiscSpinal SurgeryProximate CauseLegal SufficiencyAppeal
References
33
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Johnson v. Second Injury Fund

Walter Johnson, who had previously lost vision in his right eye, suffered an injury at work resulting in the loss of vision in his left eye, leaving him totally and permanently disabled. He received benefits from Texas Employer’s Insurance Association and the Second Injury Fund. Johnson and his wife then sued Texas Industries, Inc. for negligence. Both TEIA and the Second Injury Fund intervened, seeking subrogation rights. The trial court denied the Second Injury Fund's claim to subrogation, but the court of appeals reversed. The Texas Supreme Court reviewed whether the Second Injury Fund is subrogated to Walter Johnson's rights in his personal injury suit. The Court concluded that subrogation is a legislative creation and the statute funding the Second Injury Fund explicitly enumerates funding methods without including subrogation. Therefore, the Supreme Court reversed the court of appeals' judgment and affirmed the trial court's decision, denying subrogation for the Second Injury Fund.

SubrogationSecond Injury FundWorkers' CompensationStatutory InterpretationExpressio Unius Est Exclusio AlteriusTotal DisabilityPersonal InjuryTexas Supreme CourtFunding MechanismsLegislative Intent
References
9
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Jun 08, 1995

Rigopoulos v. State

Dimitrios Rigopoulos, an independent contractor, sustained injuries while painting a bridge from a floating barge. He and his wife, Victoria Rigopoulos, brought a claim for personal injuries against the State of New York, alleging violations of the Labor Law. The Court of Claims initially awarded damages to the claimants and granted partial summary judgment on liability under Labor Law § 240 (1). On appeal, the judgment was reversed. The appellate court ruled that the accident occurred on navigable waters and constituted traditional maritime activity, thus Federal maritime law applied. Consequently, Labor Law § 240 (1), which imposes strict liability, was preempted. The case was remitted to the Court of Claims for a new determination on liability under Labor Law § 200 (1) and § 241 (6), which do not impose strict liability and are not preempted by Federal maritime law.

Personal InjuryFederal Maritime LawLabor Law PreemptionStrict LiabilityNegligenceAppellate ProcedureSummary JudgmentDamages AwardRemandBridge Maintenance
References
13
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Compagnie Maritime Belge (Lloyd Royal) S.A. v. United Terminals, Inc.

The plaintiff, a vessel owner, sought indemnity from the defendant stevedoring company for funds paid to settle personal injury claims of two longshoremen injured on shore while unloading a container. The defendant moved to dismiss the complaint, asserting a lack of subject matter jurisdiction, arguing that admiralty and maritime jurisdiction does not cover shore-side accidents. The court denied the motion, clarifying that this action was for indemnity, grounded in a breach of the warranty of workmanlike service implicit in a maritime stevedoring contract. Therefore, the court concluded that the suit fell within its admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, citing established precedents. Additionally, the court noted that the action, though filed in 1977, was not barred by the 1972 amendments to the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act because the injuries occurred prior to the amendments' effective date.

Admiralty lawMaritime jurisdictionIndemnity actionStevedoring contractWarranty of workmanlike serviceLongshoremen injuryShore-side accidentMotion to dismissSubject matter jurisdictionFederal Rules of Civil Procedure
References
9
Case No. 549 F.Supp. 1215
Regular Panel Decision

Cruz v. Maritime Co. of Philippines

Plaintiff Nathaniel Cruz sought to reinstate his personal injury action against the defendant, Maritime Co. of Philippines, after it was previously dismissed on grounds of forum non conveniens. The condition for reinstatement was a showing that jurisdiction could not be asserted over the defendant in an appropriate Philippine forum. Plaintiff had filed suit in the Philippines but subsequently procured its dismissal without prejudice. The court found that plaintiff's dismissal of his own Philippine suit undermined his claim of impossible jurisdiction. Furthermore, the court identified two appropriate Philippine forums (Regional Trial Court and POEA) that remained available, with the defendant willing to waive jurisdictional defenses. Consequently, the plaintiff's motion for reinstatement in the U.S. court was denied, as it appeared to be a tactic to force U.S. jurisdiction.

Forum Non ConveniensReinstatement of ActionPersonal InjuryMaritime LawPhilippine JurisdictionPOEA AuthorityDismissal Without PrejudiceEmployer NegligenceDamages ClaimsChoice of Forum
References
2
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Second Injury Fund v. Martinez

Vera Martinez, an injured worker, sought compensation after a workplace injury combined with a pre-existing condition resulted in total permanent incapacity. The Industrial Accident Board initially awarded her limited compensation. Martinez appealed this decision, filing suit against her compensation carrier and, over seven months later, against the Second Injury Fund. The appellate court addressed whether the statutory 20-day period for filing suit after appealing an Industrial Accident Board decision applies to claims against the Second Injury Fund. The court held that this jurisdictional prerequisite applies, and because Martinez failed to timely file suit against the Second Injury Fund, the trial court lacked jurisdiction over the Fund. Consequently, the judgment against the Second Injury Fund was reversed.

Workers' CompensationSecond Injury FundTexas LawJurisdictionTimelinessStatutory InterpretationAppellate ProcedureIndustrial Accident BoardPermanent IncapacityPolio
References
10
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Second Injury Fund v. American Motorists Insurance Co.

This case addresses whether a 1971 amendment to Texas workers' compensation law (Article 8306, Sections 12c and 12c-l) permits an insurance carrier to be reimbursed from the Second Injury Fund when an employee's total and permanent incapacity results from a combination of general, rather than specific, injuries. The trial court had granted a $16,000 judgment for the carrier, American Motorist Insurance Company, but the Second Injury Fund appealed. Citing the precedent set in Second Injury Fund v. Keaton, the appellate court clarified that the 1971 amendment did not expand the fund's liability beyond specific injuries. The court emphasized that legislative intent to alter this established rule was not evident in the amendment. Consequently, the appellate court reversed the trial court's judgment, ruling against reimbursement for general injuries.

Second Injury FundWorkers' CompensationGeneral InjuriesSpecific InjuriesReimbursementStatutory InterpretationArticle 8306Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St.Appellate ReviewLegislative Intent
References
6
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