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Case Law Database

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

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Montgomery County v. Grounds

This workers' compensation appeal concerns the death of Chief Deputy Bill Grounds, who suffered a fatal heart attack at his home following severe emotional trauma. The trauma stemmed from his employer, the Montgomery County Sheriff, failing to meet him as promised to discuss a grand jury investigation into altered sheriff department records, leading Grounds to believe he was being abandoned and betrayed. Although Grounds was later indicted for his alleged involvement in record alteration, the jury found that his injury and subsequent death resulted from mental trauma in the course of his employment. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, concluding there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's finding that the mental trauma, preceding knowledge of the indictment, was the producing cause of his death. The court emphasized that the Workers' Compensation Act should be liberally construed and that compensation is due when a heart attack results from mental or emotional stress traceable to a definite time, place, and event within employment.

Workers' CompensationMental TraumaHeart AttackCourse of EmploymentProducing CauseIndictmentSheriff's DepartmentRecord AlterationEmotional DistressJudicial Review
References
12
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 29, 2014

City of New York v. Fedex Ground Package System, Inc.

The City and State of New York sued FedEx Ground, alleging the knowing delivery of unstamped cigarettes from 2005 to 2012, which violated the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act (CCTA), the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT Act), the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), and New York Public Health Law § 1399-ii, and constituted a public nuisance. FedEx Ground filed a motion to dismiss these claims. The court denied the motion to dismiss the CCTA, RICO, and RICO conspiracy claims, finding sufficient grounds for aggregation of sales, pattern of predicate acts, participation in the enterprise, injury to business or property, and proximate causation. However, the court granted the motion to dismiss the New York Public Health Law claim, ruling that the 2013 amendment, which would grant the City and State enforcement authority, did not apply retroactively. The court also granted the motion to dismiss the public nuisance claim, concluding that it primarily involved alleged tax evasion, which is already subject to comprehensive regulation, rather than unauthorized shipments to minors.

Contraband CigarettesCigarette TraffickingRICO ActPublic Health LawPublic NuisanceMotion to DismissTax EvasionStatutory InterpretationRetroactive ApplicationProximate Cause
References
42
Case No. 03-23-00316-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 16, 2025

City of Killeen, Texas and Ground Game Texas v. Bell County, Texas; The 27th Judicial District Attorney's Office; And the Bell County Attorney's Office

The City of Killeen, Texas, and Ground Game Texas appealed the trial court's denial of their pleas to the jurisdiction. The underlying lawsuit, filed by Bell County, the 27th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and the Bell County Attorney’s Office, challenged the constitutionality and validity of a Killeen ordinance decriminalizing misdemeanor marijuana possession. Appellants argued that the appellees lacked standing and that governmental immunity barred the suit. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's order, concluding that the District Attorney’s Office had standing due to the ordinance's interference with its prosecutorial discretion and duties. It also found that governmental immunity was waived for challenges to an ordinance's validity and for concurrent claims for injunctive relief under the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act.

Decriminalization OrdinanceMarijuana PossessionPlea to the JurisdictionGovernmental ImmunityStandingProsecutorial DiscretionUniform Declaratory Judgments ActTexas Local Government CodeTexas Health & Safety CodeTexas Code of Criminal Procedure
References
29
Case No. 06 Civ. 7784
Regular Panel Decision

National City Golf Finance v. Higher Ground Country Club Management Co.

Defendant and third-party plaintiff Higher Ground asserted claims against third-party defendant ProLink for breach of warranty and for indemnification and contribution. ProLink moved to dismiss the Third-Party Complaint or compel arbitration, citing an arbitration clause and a forum selection clause. Higher Ground argued the agreement was unsigned and unenforceable under the statute of frauds and that claims were outside the scope. The court, applying the Federal Arbitration Act, found an agreement to arbitrate existed due to Higher Ground's conduct, and the claims fell within the broad scope of the arbitration clause. ProLink’s motion was granted, and proceedings on the Third-Party Complaint were stayed pending arbitration in Maricopa County, Arizona.

ArbitrationFederal Arbitration Act (FAA)Contract LawBreach of WarrantyIndemnificationContributionForum Selection ClauseStatute of FraudsAgreement to ArbitrateThird-Party Complaint
References
46
Case No. Index No. 157783/18, 596011/19; Appeal No. 5535; Case No. 2024-06221
Regular Panel Decision
Jan 08, 2026

Tejeda v. 57th & 6th Ground LLC

The Appellate Division, First Department, affirmed an order from the Supreme Court, New York County. The plaintiff, Juan Miguel Presinal Tejeda, was granted partial summary judgment on his Labor Law §§ 240(1) and 241(6) claims after being injured due to a scaffold lacking guardrails. The Supreme Court also granted landlords' motion for summary judgment on their cross-claims for contractual and common-law indemnification and breach of contract against the plaintiff's employer and third-party defendants. The appellate court found that the employer's insurance policies were non-compliant with lease requirements, creating a gap in coverage and resulting in damages to the landlords. The court concluded that the violation of Labor Law § 240(1) proximately caused the plaintiff's injuries and affirmed the lower court's decisions.

Scaffolding AccidentSummary JudgmentIndemnificationBreach of ContractInsurance Coverage DisputePremises LiabilityAppellate ReviewConstruction SafetyThird-Party ClaimsDuty to Provide Safe Workplace
References
4
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Aug 13, 1995

Brier v. City University

The respondent City University of New York's determination, dated August 13, 1995, to dismiss the petitioner from his role as Administrative Superintendent of Campus Buildings and Grounds at Lehman College, effective September 8, 1995, was unanimously confirmed. The petition was denied, and the CPLR article 78 proceeding, transferred from the Supreme Court, New York County, was dismissed. The court found that respondent's conclusions regarding the petitioner's failure to report lost keys, ensure proper facility cleaning and maintenance, and general incompetence were supported by substantial evidence, including testimony from the petitioner, superiors, and co-workers. No grounds were found to overturn the respondent's credibility assessments, and the penalty of dismissal was deemed appropriate, especially considering the petitioner's prior disciplinary history.

Public EmploymentAdministrative LawEmployee MisconductWorkplace DisciplineJudicial ReviewArticle 78 ProceedingLehman CollegeCity University of New YorkTermination of EmploymentSubstantial Evidence
References
1
Case No. 2021-03-0083
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 30, 2025

Shurina, George v. FedEx Ground

This interlocutory appeal addresses whether an estate, through its personal representative, can litigate a workers' compensation claim pro se in Tennessee. Mary Christina Shurina, representing the estate of Gregory Joseph Shurina, appealed a trial court's order mandating legal representation. The Appeals Board affirmed, citing statutory and regulatory requirements that artificial entities like estates must be represented by a licensed attorney. The Board emphasized that representing an estate in court constitutes the unauthorized practice of law for a non-attorney. The decision underscores the legal imperative for estates to engage counsel in workers' compensation proceedings.

Workers' CompensationPro SeEstate LawLegal RepresentationAppellate ProcedureStatutory InterpretationAdministrative LawUnauthorized Practice of LawTennessee LawDecedent's Estate
References
7
Case No. 2017-08-1170
Regular Panel Decision
May 07, 2018

Quarles, Keith v. FedEx Ground

Mr. Quarles requested medical and temporary disability benefits for injuries to his right ankle, left knee, and right shoulder, claiming they were work-related from repetitively unloading trucks and scanning boxes. FedEx Ground contended the injuries were due to non-work-related pre-existing conditions, citing a longstanding medical history including prior surgeries and chronic osteoarthritis. The Court held an Expedited Hearing and found that Mr. Quarles failed to provide sufficient evidence, specifically discrediting Dr. Hillesheim's medical report due to lack of curriculum vitae and supporting medical records, to establish he would likely prevail on causation at a hearing on the merits. Therefore, the Court denied his request for benefits.

Workers' CompensationExpedited HearingMedical BenefitsTemporary Disability BenefitsCausationPre-existing ConditionDegenerative OsteoarthritisRotator Cuff ImpingementPackage HandlerMedical Evidence
References
1
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 15, 1996

Eymer v. Ground Round, Inc.

Plaintiffs Jeffrey Eymer and Patrick Lappin sued The Ground Round, Inc. and its Severance Pay Plan, asserting claims under ERISA for denied severance pay, breach of contract for unpaid vacation days, and age discrimination for Eymer. Defendants moved for partial summary judgment on multiple claims. The court granted summary judgment for the defendants on Claims 3 and 8 but denied it for the remaining ERISA severance pay, breach of contract for vacation pay, and age discrimination claims. The court found material issues of fact existed regarding the arbitrary and capricious nature of the severance pay denial, disputes over vacation pay policy application, and a potential discriminatory animus concerning age, warranting further proceedings.

ERISAAge DiscriminationBreach of ContractSeverance PayVacation PaySummary Judgment MotionConflict of Interest PolicyEmployment LawEmployee BenefitsArbitrary and Capricious Standard
References
17
Case No. 2020-06-1410
Regular Panel Decision
Jun 16, 2021

Amsler, Charles v. United Ground Express

Charles Amsler, an employee, filed a claim seeking payment for medical bills related to a left foot injury sustained at work. The employer, United Ground Express, initially authorized treatment but subsequently denied the claim, arguing the injury was idiopathic and not work-related. Amsler continued medical care, including treatment for complications, which he attributed to the work incident. The Court of Workers' Compensation Claims, after an expedited hearing, denied Amsler's request for benefits, concluding he was unlikely to demonstrate that the employer was responsible for bills incurred after the denial due to the absence of a clear employment hazard. However, the Court also found the employer failed to offer a required panel of physicians and referred the matter for a potential civil penalty.

Workers' CompensationExpedited HearingMedical Bills DisputeFoot InjuryIdiopathic InjuryEmployment HazardPanel of PhysiciansDenial of BenefitsCausationEmployer Liability
References
5
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