Texas Workers' Compensation Insurance Facility v. Personnel Services, Inc.
The Texas Workers’ Compensation Insurance Facility ("Facility") sued Personnel Services, Inc. ("PSI"), an employee leasing company, alleging that PSI misrepresented its employer status to procure lower workers’ compensation insurance rates for its client companies. The trial court found PSI misrepresented its status but issued a take-nothing judgment, citing the affirmative defenses of waiver, ratification, and estoppel. On appeal, the court examined whether the Facility had sufficient specific knowledge of PSI's fraud to bar recovery. The appellate court concluded that the Facility's general awareness of the staff leasing industry was insufficient to establish specific knowledge of PSI's misrepresentations. Consequently, the appellate court reversed the trial court's judgment and remanded the case for a determination of damages on the Facility’s fraud claim.