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

Case No. ADJ6853853
Regular
Oct 05, 2012

KYB FUGFUGOSH vs. SAN QUENTIN STATE PRISON, STATE COMPENSATION INSURANCE FUND

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board denied reconsideration of a finding that San Quentin State Prison committed serious and willful misconduct. The applicant, an inmate kitchen worker, sustained a right shoulder injury on June 18, 2008, after being ordered to work despite presenting medical documentation of his injury and post-surgical condition. The Board upheld the Administrative Law Judge's finding that prison officials' failure to acknowledge and act on the applicant's medical limitations constituted a reckless disregard for his safety, proximately causing his injury. The employer's arguments regarding perjured testimony and newly discovered evidence were rejected.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardSan Quentin State PrisonState Compensation Insurance Fundserious and willful misconductadmitted injurykitchen workerarthroscopic acromioplastyrotator cuff tearsfailure to reportinmate request for interview
References
1
Case No. 503 F.Supp. 1265
Regular Panel Decision

Ruiz v. McCotter

This Memorandum Opinion addresses civil contempt proceedings within the ongoing Ruiz litigation. The plaintiff class of prisoners moved to hold the defendants, including the Director and Chairman of the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC), in contempt for alleged failures to comply with court orders related to prison reforms. The specific areas of noncompliance included providing single-occupancy cells for certain prisoners, adhering to custody classifications for housing, deploying correctional officers, hiring adequate medical staff, providing proper care and access for physically handicapped prisoners, maintaining appropriate conditions in administrative segregation, and constructing specified recreational facilities. The court systematically found TDC in civil contempt for violations in all seven areas, citing its habitual dilatoriness, lack of diligence, and unsteadfast efforts. Additionally, the court largely denied TDC's motions to modify existing orders, asserting that no 'grievous wrong evoked by new and unforeseen conditions' justified such changes, except for a minor point on shelving materials in administrative segregation cells.

Prison ConditionsInmate RightsCivil ContemptCorrectional FacilitiesTexas Department of CorrectionsPrison ReformSingle-CellingCustody ClassificationStaffingMedical Care
References
41
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Mar 01, 1999

Ruiz v. Johnson

This Memorandum Opinion addresses motions to terminate the court's jurisdiction over an ongoing civil action concerning conditions in Texas prisons, Ruiz v. Estelle, initiated in 1972. The court rules that the termination provisions of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) are unconstitutional, violating the separation of powers and due process clauses, and thus cannot be applied retroactively to the 1992 Final Judgment. Alternatively, the court finds systemic constitutional violations in three key areas: administrative segregation, inmate safety, and excessive force. Conditions in administrative segregation units (Levels II and III) are found to inflict cruel and unusual psychological suffering and inappropriately house mentally ill inmates. Prison officials are deemed deliberately indifferent to widespread inmate-on-inmate violence, sexual assault, and extortion, failing to provide reasonable protection. A pervasive culture of malicious and sadistic excessive force by correctional officers is also found unconstitutional. However, while medical and psychiatric care are deemed inadequate and often negligent, they do not meet the "deliberate indifference" standard required for an Eighth Amendment violation under current law. The court concludes that despite significant policy improvements, the Texas prison system's practices continue to violate constitutional standards in critical areas, ensuring continued judicial oversight.

Prison ConditionsEighth AmendmentCruel and Unusual PunishmentSeparation of PowersDue ProcessPrison Litigation Reform ActInmate SafetyExcessive ForceAdministrative SegregationMental Health Care
References
15
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
May 06, 1998

Nieves v. Five Boro Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Corp.

Reding Nieves, an employee of United Fire Protection, was injured while installing fire sprinklers at a New York Hall of Science site, which was subcontracted by Five Boro Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Corp. He allegedly tripped over a concealed drop light after stepping off an eight-foot ladder, sustaining an ankle injury. Nieves sued Five Boro under Labor Law § 240 (1), and Five Boro filed a third-party action against United, with the motion court initially granting Nieves summary judgment. However, the appellate court modified this order, denying summary judgment for all parties due to unresolved questions of fact surrounding the accident's cause, including conflicting testimonies. Consequently, the case requires a trial to determine liability and facts, as neither side was entitled to summary judgment.

Elevation-related riskTripping hazardSummary judgmentLabor Law § 240(1)Construction site accidentLadder fallContributory negligenceQuestions of factAppellate DivisionSubcontractor liability
References
11
Case No. 2-09-265-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 28, 2010

Don Norris and Avery Air Conditioning/Heating and A-ABAC Services, Inc. v. Shelby Jackson

Appellants Don Norris and Avery Air Conditioning/Heating and A-ABAC Services, Inc. appealed a judgment following a bench trial in favor of Appellee Shelby Jackson. The appellants contended that the evidence was legally and factually insufficient to establish DTPA violations, economic damages, an unconscionable act by Norris, mental anguish damages, and entitlement to treble damages or attorney's fees. The trial court found that Avery violated the DTPA by misrepresenting rights and failing to disclose information, causing $500 in economic damages, which were trebled. It also found Norris committed an unconscionable act intentionally, causing $2,500 in mental anguish damages, also trebled. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding sufficient evidence to support all findings.

Deceptive Trade Practices ActDTPA ViolationUnconscionable ActEconomic DamagesMental AnguishSufficiency of EvidenceAttorney's FeesContract ModificationConsumer ProtectionTexas Law
References
46
Case No. 07-05-0449-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Mar 14, 2007

Gibson Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. and Robin L. Hughes v. Coolbaugh Chiropractic

Gibson Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. and employee Robin L. Hughes appealed a judgment rendered in favor of Coolbaugh Chiropractic for medical services provided to Hughes. Hughes sustained a workplace injury and sought chiropractic treatment. Key issues on appeal included the legal sufficiency of evidence regarding Gibson's bookkeeper's actual authority to authorize multiple medical treatments and the basis for the $3,000 damages award. The Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas affirmed the trial court's judgment. It found sufficient evidence for the bookkeeper's authority and that the damages were within the range of evidence, further concluding that Coolbaugh had adequately presented its claim for attorney's fees.

Employer liabilityEmployee injuryChiropractic treatmentAgency authorityActual authorityApparent authorityDamages awardSufficiency of evidenceAttorney's feesAppellate court
References
22
Case No. ADJ11428234
Regular
Oct 17, 2025

RAMON COLLADO vs. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, CENTINELA STATE PRISON

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board granted reconsideration to study the factual and legal issues in Ramon Collado's case against the California Department of Corrections and Centinela State Prison. Collado sought reconsideration of a WCJ's Findings and Order from July 28, 2021, which concluded he failed to prove an industrially caused heart/hypertension injury between December 20, 2012, and August 14, 2018. The Board found the Qualified Medical Evaluator's opinion on whether Collado's condition was an aggravation or mere exacerbation of prior injuries was unclear and contradictory, failing to constitute substantial medical evidence. Consequently, the Board rescinded the WCJ's decision and returned the matter to the trial level for further proceedings, including the development of the medical record and a determination on the applicability of Labor Code section 3212 presumptions.

Workers Compensation Appeals BoardRamon ColladoCalifornia Department of CorrectionsCentinela State PrisonState Compensation Insurance FundOpinion and Decision After ReconsiderationFindings and Orderworkers' compensation administrative law judgeindustrially caused injuryexacerbation
References
28
Case No. 05-18-00564-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Aug 28, 2019

Regency Development & Construction Services, LLC v. Ralph Carrington D/B/A Carrington Air Conditioning and Heating, Carrington AC and Heat , LLC, Anthony Turpin, Turpin & Turpin, Turpin and Turpin, Inc.

Regency Development & Construction Services, LLC appealed the trial court's summary judgments in favor of Ralph Carrington d/b/a Carrington Air Conditioning and Heating, Carrington AC and Heat LLC, Anthony Turpin, Turpin & Turpin, and Turpin and Turpin, Inc. Regency argued that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment on the grounds that Regency had no evidence of damages because its insurance carrier paid the underlying personal injury settlement and defense costs. The court affirmed the trial court's judgments, concluding that the collateral source rule does not apply to Regency under the facts of this case because Regency made no payments and received no payments from any other party. Furthermore, Regency's insurer, Cincinnati Insurance Company, failed to properly assert its subrogation rights or intervene in the lawsuit.

Summary JudgmentCollateral Source RuleInsurance CoverageSubrogation RightsBreach of ContractNegligenceIndemnityAppellate ReviewTexas LawCivil Procedure
References
13
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Nov 29, 2004

Velella v. New York Local Condotional Release Commission

The petitioners, including Gonzalez, Caba, Stephens, Velella, and DelToro, challenged determinations by the Conditional Release Commission and the Department of Correction. These determinations advised petitioners that their conditional releases were invalid and directed them to surrender. The Supreme Court, New York County, denied their five CPLR article 78 petitions. This appellate court unanimously affirmed the Supreme Court's decision, finding the petitioners' conditional releases illegal due to non-compliance with Correction Law § 273 (1) and (6). The court also ruled that the agencies had the power to set aside determinations based on significant irregularities and that the petitioners had no substantive due process right to illegal orders, having been afforded adequate procedural due process through the CPLR article 78 proceedings.

Conditional ReleaseCorrection Law ViolationsDue ProcessArticle 78 PetitionAgency AuthorityIllegal ReleaseStatutory InterpretationAppellate ReviewGovernment EstoppelNew York Law
References
14
Case No. ADJ2590975 (STK 0190237)
Regular
Sep 12, 2011

RAFAEL DELEON vs. STATE OF CALIFORNIA, CDCR, MULE CREEK PRISON, adjusted by STATE COMPENSATION INSURANCE FUND

In this workers' compensation case, the Appeals Board affirmed a prior award granting medical treatment for applicant's diabetes. Despite the defendant's argument that diabetes treatment was for a non-industrial condition, the Board found it necessary to prevent worsening of the applicant's industrially caused heart disease. Medical evaluators concluded that controlling diabetes is an essential component of treating industrial heart conditions, making the treatment compensable. The decision hinges on the principle that treatment for non-industrial conditions is covered when essential to cure or relieve the effects of an industrial injury.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardIndustrial InjuryHeart ConditionDiabetesGastrointestinal DifficultiesAgreed Medical EvaluatorTreating PhysicianCardiologistMedical TreatmentLabor Code Section 4600
References
9
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