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

Case No. 03-14-00510-CV
Regular Panel Decision

Noah S. Bunker, Paul Carrell, Everett Brew Houston, Jr., W. Andrew Buchholz, Scott J. Leighty, Jad L. Davis, and Holly Clause v. Tracy D. Strandhagen

Dr. Tracy D. Strandhagen, an anesthesiologist, was a partner in Austin Anesthesiology Group, LLP, which was sold to American Anesthesiology of Texas, Inc. Physicians, including Strandhagen and the appellants, entered into an Advisory Board and Internal Operations Agreement. This agreement included a 'Termination Penalty Clause' stating that if a physician's employment with AAT terminated early for reasons other than without cause by AAT, they would pay $500,000 in liquidated damages. Strandhagen's employment terminated in July 2013, leading to a dispute over the enforceability of this clause. The trial court granted Strandhagen's motion for summary judgment, declaring the $500,000 liquidated damages clause an unenforceable penalty because it was not a reasonable forecast of just compensation.

Contract DisputeLiquidated DamagesUnenforceable PenaltyEmployment AgreementBreach of ContractSummary JudgmentDeclaratory JudgmentAppellate LawTexas LawCommercial Contract
References
54
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Clause v. E.I. du Pont De Nemours & Co.

Plaintiff Darrell H. Clause, Jr. sustained back injuries in a construction site accident while being transported in a pickup truck owned by his employer, Higgins Erectors & Haulers, Inc., a subcontractor for general contractor Scrufari Construction Co., Inc., at a site owned by E.I. du Pont De Nemours & Company. A jury found violations of Labor Law § 241 (6) and Higgins' negligence, awarding damages for medical expenses and lost wages but no pain and suffering to plaintiff, nor any damages to his wife's derivative claim. The Supreme Court initially set aside the verdict regarding Labor Law § 241 (6) liability and granted a new trial. On appeal, the higher court found that the Supreme Court abused its discretion in setting aside the jury's verdict on Labor Law § 241 (6) and Higgins' negligence. The appellate court also determined that the jury's failure to award damages for pain and suffering to plaintiff was unreasonable, granting a new trial solely on those damages, while upholding the denial of damages for the wife's derivative claim.

Construction Site AccidentPersonal InjuryLabor LawNegligenceJury VerdictDamagesPain and SufferingLost WagesMedical ExpensesAppellate Review
References
12
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Allstate Insurance v. Loester

Plaintiff Allstate Insurance Company initiated a declaratory judgment action against its insured, Loester, and Stigliano (the underlying personal injury claimant). Allstate sought to disclaim coverage, alleging Loester breached the policy's cooperation clause by failing to appear for a deposition and being generally uncooperative. The court found Allstate's evidence, including an investigator's affidavit, insufficient to prove willful noncooperation, citing inadequate efforts to locate and secure Loester's assistance. Crucially, the court noted a stipulation allowing Loester's deposition before trial, rendering the disclaimer claim premature. Consequently, Allstate's motion for summary judgment was granted only to the extent of awarding summary judgment to defendant Stigliano, and the entire action was dismissed as premature due to the absence of a presently justiciable controversy.

Insurance DisclaimerCooperation ClauseSummary JudgmentDeclaratory Judgment ActionInsured NoncooperationBurden of Proof (Insurer)Willful ObstructionPremature ActionJusticiable ControversyMotor Vehicle Accident
References
20
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Todd Shipyards Corp. v. Industrial Union of Marine & Shipholding Workers of America, Local 39

This case involves a plaintiff who filed an action for a declaratory judgment under Section 301 of the Taft-Hartley Act, seeking to invalidate Article XXVII of a collective bargaining agreement as an illegal clause under Section 8(e) of the LMRDA and to stay arbitration. The defendant-union had filed a grievance claiming a violation of Article XXVII. The court first established jurisdiction, rejecting the defendant's argument that it lacked authority to determine an unfair labor practice in this context. The court then addressed the merits, interpreting Section 8(e) and the nature of subcontracting clauses. It determined that Article XXVII, which restricts subcontracting only when the employer's workforce is inadequate, is a primary clause aimed at protecting employees' job security and maintaining the integrity of their contract, rather than achieving a secondary boycott. Consequently, the court found the clause to be permissible and granted the defendant's motion for summary judgment while denying the plaintiff's motion.

Labor LawCollective BargainingDeclaratory JudgmentTaft-Hartley ActLMRDA Section 8(e)SubcontractingUnion GrievanceUnfair Labor PracticeSecondary Boycott ExceptionStatutory Interpretation
References
22
Case No. NO. 03-14-00510-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Mar 03, 2017

Noah S. Bunker Paul Carrell Everett Brew Houston, Jr. W. Andrew Buckholz Scott J. Leighty Jad L. Davis And Holly Clause v. Tracy D. Strandhagen

This case concerns an appeal from a declaratory summary judgment regarding a liquidated-damages provision. Appellee Tracy Strandhagen, a physician, sought to declare a $500,000 liquidated-damages clause in an operating agreement with her former medical practice group's advisory board (appellants) an unenforceable penalty. The trial court denied the appellants' plea to the jurisdiction and granted summary judgment for Strandhagen. On appeal, the Texas Court of Appeals, Third District, found that Strandhagen failed to conclusively prove the provision was an unreasonable forecast of just compensation. Therefore, the appellate court reversed the summary judgment and remanded the case for further proceedings, while affirming that the claim was ripe for review.

Contract LawLiquidated DamagesSummary Judgment AppealDeclaratory JudgmentContract BreachEmployment AgreementOperating AgreementUnenforceable PenaltyRipeness DoctrineAppellate Review
References
43
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

In re United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers

Judge Edelstein was presented with two orders seeking to show cause why a Grand Jury presentment from October 1952 should not be expunged from court records. The judge declined to sign the orders, asserting that the procedure was not adversarial, as the United States Attorney is not responsible for defending a Grand Jury's presentment. Treating the orders as motions to expunge, Judge Edelstein then denied them without prejudice. He reasoned that granting the motions would require him to exercise appellate jurisdiction over a colleague's actions in the same court, which he refused to do, suggesting renewal of the motions before the original presiding judge.

Grand JuryExpungementJudicial DiscretionAppellate JurisdictionMotions PracticeCourt RecordsPresentmentDistrict Court
References
1
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

In re the Arbitration between Genuth & S. B. Thomas, Inc.

The case involves a dispute between parties to a collective bargaining agreement regarding the application of the 'anti-pyramiding' clause concerning overtime and invasion of rest period pay. The core issue was whether the rest period was curtailed by overtime worked before it began or by an early return to work. The employer argued for the former, which would activate the anti-pyramiding clause, while the union advocated for the latter, negating the clause's impact and increasing worker pay. The arbitrator sided with the union's interpretation. The court subsequently denied the employer's motion to vacate the arbitration award and granted the union's cross-motion to confirm it, affirming that the arbitrator's interpretation was permissible and within his competence.

arbitrationcollective bargaining agreementanti-pyramiding clauseovertime payrest period paylabor disputearbitration award confirmationcontract interpretationarbitrator's competencejudicial review of arbitration
References
0
Case No. ADJ7593509
Regular
Apr 08, 2013

ELLIS WYMS vs. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, ACE/PACIFIC EMPLOYERS

The Appeals Board granted reconsideration of a workers' compensation award, rescinding the prior decision and returning the case for further proceedings. This action was based on the defendant's contention that a mandatory forum selection clause in the applicant's employment contracts required claims to be filed in Florida. The Appeals Board cited its en banc decision in *McKinley v. Arizona Cardinals*, which established that the central issue is whether California should enforce such a clause, not merely whether it has jurisdiction. Upon remand, both parties will have the opportunity to present evidence and arguments regarding the enforceability of the forum selection clause.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardPetition for ReconsiderationFinding and AwardFootball PlayerForum Selection ClauseMcKinley v. Arizona CardinalsEn Banc DecisionCumulative Industrial InjuryEmployment ContractsMandatory Forum Selection
References
8
Case No. 14-08-00116-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Sep 22, 2008

in Re TCW Global Project Fund II, Ltd., TCW Asset Management Company, and Trust Company of the West

This case involves a petition for writ of mandamus filed by TCW Global Project Fund II, Ltd., TCW Asset Management Company, and Trust Company of the West (Relators) against British American Offshore Limited (BAOL). Relators sought to compel the district court judge to vacate an order denying their motion to dismiss, which was based on a forum-selection clause. The underlying dispute involved BAOL's tort claims against Relators, who were not signatories to the original rig contracts but sought to enforce the clause. The appellate court denied the petition, ruling that the Relators had waived their argument regarding the scope of the forum-selection clause by failing to adequately present it in their initial petition.

MandamusForum Selection ClauseWaiverAppellate ProcedureTexas LawTort ClaimsMotion to DismissReal Party in InterestContract DisputeJurisdiction
References
19
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

In Re TCW Global Project Fund II, Ltd.

Relators, TCW Global Project Fund II, Ltd., TCW Asset Management Company, and Trust Company of the West, filed a petition for writ of mandamus seeking to compel Judge William R. Burke, Jr., to vacate an order denying their motion to dismiss based on a forum-selection clause. The real party in interest, British American Offshore Limited (BAOL), had sued the relators for promissory estoppel, tortious interference, negligent misrepresentation, and fraud. Relators argued they were entitled to enforce the forum-selection clause found in rig contracts, even as nonsignatories. The appellate court denied the petition, concluding that the relators had waived their argument regarding the scope of the forum-selection clause by failing to present it adequately in their initial petition, raising it only in a reply brief. Consequently, the relators failed to demonstrate that the trial court abused its discretion.

MandamusForum-selection clauseWaiverAppellate procedureMotion to dismissNonsignatoriesTort claimsContract disputeInvestment fundOil drilling
References
13
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