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

Case No. 13-09-00213-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 09, 2010

Unique Staff Leasing, LLC and Unique Staff Leasing I, Ltd. v. Richard Onder

This case involves an appeal from a jury verdict in a breach of contract dispute between Unique Staff Leasing, LLC, and Unique Staff Leasing I, Ltd. (Appellants) and Richard Onder (Appellee). The core of the dispute was an 'Independent Contractor and Commission Agreement' and prior oral agreements regarding commission payments. Unique argued that the agreements were unenforceable due to the statute of frauds and that Onder committed a prior material breach. The court rejected Unique's arguments, finding that the written agreement was not subject to the statute of frauds as its terms allowed performance within one year and that the jury's implicit finding of no material breach by Onder was reasonable. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, as modified, which awarded Onder $52,025.11 in lost commissions and additional attorney's fees.

Breach of ContractStatute of FraudsElectronic AgreementIndependent ContractorCommission AgreementJury VerdictLegal SufficiencyFactual SufficiencyContract InterpretationOral Agreement
References
73
Case No. M2009-02442-COA-R3-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 28, 2010

Estate of David Holt Ralston, by John A. Ralston, Personal Representative v. Fred R. Hobbs

The personal representative of David Holt Ralston's estate filed an action to rescind twelve deeds executed by Fred R. Hobbs, the decedent's attorney-in-fact, without the decedent's knowledge and for no consideration. The properties were conveyed to Hobbs, his mother, and his daughter. The personal representative alleged breach of fiduciary duty. The trial court rescinded the conveyances for properties still owned by Hobbs and awarded monetary damages for properties transferred to innocent third parties. On appeal, Hobbs challenged the personal representative's standing, statute of limitations, the finding of fiduciary duty breach, and damage calculation. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's decision on all grounds, finding the personal representative had standing, the action was timely filed, and Hobbs breached his fiduciary duty by making unauthorized gifts not in line with the principal's gifting history.

Fiduciary DutyPower of AttorneyReal Property ConversionStatute of LimitationsDeed RescissionMonetary DamagesAppellate ReviewEstate LawUndue InfluenceAttorney-in-Fact Breach
References
32
Case No. 2022 NY Slip Op 00289
Regular Panel Decision
Jan 18, 2022

Matter of Personal-Touch Home Care of N.Y., Inc. v. City of N.Y. Human Resources Admin.

The Appellate Division affirmed the Supreme Court's judgment, which denied a petition to overturn a decision by the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings Contract Dispute Resolution Board (CDRB). The CDRB had found that Personal-Touch Home Care's claim to use unspent Medicaid funds for fiscal year 2007 to offset workers' compensation assessment expenses from 2009-2010 was foreclosed. The court agreed that the State Department of Health (DOH) rationally interpreted its regulations, concluding that these retroactive assessments, levied due to financial mismanagement of a self-insurance trust, were not

Workers' CompensationMedicaid FundsSelf-Insurance TrustFiscal YearRetroactive AssessmentAdministrative LawAgency DeferenceContract DisputeHealth Care AgenciesFinancial Mismanagement
References
4
Case No. 01-08-00296-CV; 01-08-00418-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 09, 2008

in Re Texas Best Staff Leasing , Inc. D/B/A Alt-Source

Texas Best Staff Leasing, Inc. d/b/a Alt-Source (Alt-Source) sought relief from the trial court's denial of its motion to compel arbitration through an interlocutory appeal and a petition for writ of mandamus. Alt-Source argued that the trial court abused its discretion in denying the motion to compel. The appellate court determined that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) governed the agreement and that Alt-Source had waived its argument under FAA section 5 by failing to present it to the trial court. Additionally, the court found the Texas Arbitration Act (TAA) inapplicable to the case. Consequently, the court dismissed the interlocutory appeal and denied the petition for writ of mandamus, concluding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion.

Arbitration AgreementFederal Arbitration ActTexas Arbitration ActWaiver DoctrineMandamus ReliefInterlocutory AppealJudicial DiscretionContract EnforceabilityAlternate Arbitrator SelectionDispute Resolution System
References
19
Case No. 03-17-00534-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Jan 02, 2018

Denise Stroup, as Legal Guardian of D. L. S., an Incapacitated Person v. MRM Management, Inc.

This is an appeal from a summary judgment in a personal injury car-crash case involving an incapacitated person, Douglas Lee Stroup (Appellant). Appellant sued Penny Harrington Taylor for negligence and MRM Management, Inc. (Appellee) for vicarious liability, alleging Taylor, a licensed real estate salesperson, was acting for MRM. Appellee's motion for summary judgment was granted, asserting Taylor was an independent contractor, thus negating vicarious liability. Appellant argues that the independent contractor agreement is void under the Texas Occupation Code, which assigns liability to brokers for their salespersons' tortious conduct. Furthermore, Appellant contends that MRM should be estopped from relying on the agreement, and that factual disputes exist regarding Taylor's employment status, joint-enterprise liability, and statutory vicarious liability under the Texas Occupations Code. Appellant seeks to reverse the trial court's order granting summary judgment, arguing sufficient evidence was presented to raise genuine issues of material fact for trial.

Personal InjuryCar CrashVicarious LiabilityIndependent ContractorReal Estate AgentReal Estate BrokerTexas Occupations CodeRespondeat SuperiorJoint EnterpriseSummary Judgment Appeal
References
22
Case No. 01-09-00360-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 28, 2011

AMS Construction Company, Inc. D/B/A AMS Staff Leasing (AMS) v. Osman L. Sosa K.H.K. Scaffolding Houston, Inc.

An employer, K.H.K. Scaffolding Houston, Inc., sued its staff leasing company, AMS Construction Company, Inc. d/b/a AMS Staff Leasing, for breaching their agreement to provide workers' compensation insurance for an injured employee. A jury found AMS liable for breach of contract and fraud, leading to a judgment for KHK. AMS appealed, raising issues of subject matter jurisdiction, sufficiency of evidence for breach of contract, waiver defense, and an alleged collusive agreement. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, determining that the trial court had jurisdiction and that legally sufficient evidence supported the breach of contract finding.

Workers' CompensationBreach of ContractFraudStaff Leasing AgreementEmployee LeasingSubject Matter JurisdictionAppellate ReviewIndemnificationTexas LawJury Verdict
References
29
Case No. 02-10-00438-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Jan 05, 2012

Gerardo DeLeon v. Thos. S. Byrne, Ltd., F/K/A Thos. S. Byrne, Inc. and Unique Staff Leasing I, Ltd., D/B/A Unique Staffing

Appellant Gerardo DeLeon suffered a crushed foot while working on a construction site and sued the general contractor, Thos. S. Byrne, Ltd., and the staff leasing company, Unique Staff Leasing I, Ltd., for negligence. The trial court initially granted summary judgment for both defendants. On appeal, the Court of Appeals for the Second District of Texas affirmed the summary judgment for Byrne regarding negligent hiring, but reversed it on the negligence claim, finding that Byrne retained sufficient contractual control over the subcontractor's work to establish a duty of care. For Unique, the court reversed the summary judgment, concluding that a genuine issue of material fact existed regarding the employment status of Gray, another worker, with Unique. The case was therefore remanded to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with the opinion.

Personal InjurySummary JudgmentNegligenceContractual ControlIndependent ContractorStaff LeasingEmployment LawDuty of CareConstruction AccidentBoom Lift
References
40
Case No. 03-94-00079-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 14, 1996

Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation v. Barbara Wasiak Tyler Turner Boulo, as Personal Representative of the Heirs and Estate of Stanley Wasiak, James Edwin Wingate, Sr. and Jean Wingate Homer Clifton Brownlee, Sr. and Alma Brownlee And Martha Barnes, Individually

Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation appealed a trial-court judgment awarding compensatory and punitive damages to several appellees. The appellees, including Barbara Wasiak and other individuals, suffered wrongful death, personal injury, and loss of consortium due to exposure to "Kaylo," an asbestos-containing product manufactured by Owens-Corning. The case was tried under Alabama substantive law where the asbestos exposures occurred. Owens-Corning raised eleven points of error, challenging the exclusion of testimony regarding its financial condition, arguing that repetitive punitive damage awards violated due process, and contesting certain jury instructions. The appellate court found no error in the trial court's rulings and affirmed the judgment, concluding that the punitive damages were reasonable and consistent with legal objectives.

asbestos litigationproduct liabilitypunitive damagesmass tortdue process challengeAlabama lawTexas appellate procedurejury instructionswrongful deathpersonal injury
References
59
Case No. 14-CV-3192
Regular Panel Decision

Croci v. Town of Haverstraw

Plaintiff Cheryl Croci brought an action against the Town of Haverstraw and two individual defendants, George Wargo and Howard Phillips, alleging employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation under Title VII, New York State Human Rights Law, and 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Croci, a personal assistant for the Town's Highway Department, claimed she was terminated after making complaints and filing lawsuits regarding a hostile work environment and sex discrimination. Defendants moved to dismiss all claims. The Court granted the motion to dismiss Croci's due process, First Amendment, and state law claims, citing lack of a protected property interest in continued employment and non-compliance with state notice-of-claim statutes. However, the Court denied the motion to dismiss her Title VII retaliation claim, deeming the "personal staff" exception argument premature.

Employment DiscriminationTitle VII RetaliationSexual HarassmentHostile Work EnvironmentDue Process ViolationFirst Amendment ClaimNew York State Human Rights LawMotion to DismissPersonal Staff ExceptionStatute of Frauds
References
73
Case No. 2014-05-0005
Regular Panel Decision
Nov 09, 2015

Willis, Joseph v. All Staff

The employee, Joseph Kolby Willis, dislocated his kneecap at work. The employer, All Staff, denied the claim, asserting the injury was idiopathic. Initially, a trial court denied benefits, but later, after a compensation hearing, found the injury compensable and awarded medical treatment and disability benefits. The employer appealed to the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. The Appeals Board reversed the trial court's decision, ruling that the medical evidence was insufficient to establish that the employment contributed more than fifty percent to the injury, especially considering the employee's pre-existing knee conditions and the medical expert's speculative testimony. The case was remanded for dismissal of the claim.

Workers' Compensation AppealKnee InjuryPatellar DislocationMedical CausationPre-existing ConditionIdiopathic InjuryArising out of EmploymentCourse of EmploymentMedical Expert TestimonyBurden of Proof
References
19
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