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

Case No. 01-07-01068-CV
Regular Panel Decision
May 22, 2008

in Re Jindal Saw Limited, Jindal Enterprises LLC, and Saw Pipes USA

Jindal Saw Limited, Jindal Enterprises LLC, and Saw Pipes USA, Inc. (collectively "Saw Pipes") filed a petition for writ of mandamus challenging a trial court's order denying their motion to compel arbitration. The dispute arose from the death of an employee, Carlos Lara, who had signed an arbitration agreement regarding employment disputes. His wife, Yvonne Lara, sued individually, as a representative of his estate, and as next friend for their two children, asserting negligence and gross negligence claims. The Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas ruled that the survival action claims, being derivative of Carlos Lara's rights, were subject to the arbitration agreement due to its binding effect on heirs and legal representatives. However, the court concluded that the wrongful-death claims, being personal to Yvonne Lara and her children as non-signatories, were not bound by the agreement. Consequently, the petition for mandamus was granted for the survival action and denied for the wrongful-death claims.

ArbitrationMandamusWrongful DeathSurvival ActionFederal Arbitration ActNon-signatoryEmployment ArbitrationContractual ArbitrationAppellate CourtTexas Law
References
23
Case No. 370130-401
Regular Panel Decision
Nov 20, 2008

In Re Jindal Saw Ltd.

This case involves a petition for writ of mandamus filed by Jindal Saw Limited, Jindal Enterprises LLC, and Saw Pipes USA, Inc. (collectively 'Saw Pipes') challenging a trial court's denial of their motion to compel arbitration. The dispute arose after Carlos Lara, an employee of Saw Pipes, died from work-related injuries, and his wife, Yvonne Lara, sued Saw Pipes for negligence and gross negligence on behalf of herself, Carlos's estate (survival action), and their children (wrongful-death claims). Carlos had signed an arbitration agreement as part of an employee benefit plan. The appellate court examined whether the non-signatories (Yvonne and children) were bound by Carlos's agreement. The court determined that the wrongful-death claims, being personal to the beneficiaries, were not subject to arbitration, affirming the trial court's denial for those claims. However, the court concluded that the survival action, being derivative of Carlos's rights and brought by his legal representative, was bound by the arbitration agreement, thus granting the mandamus for the survival claim.

arbitration agreementmandamus reliefwrongful death claimsurvival actionemployment contractnon-signatory partiesderivative claimsFederal Arbitration ActTexas lawcontract enforceability
References
24
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Employers Insurance v. General Accident, Fire & Life Assurance Corp.

Employers Insurance of Wausau (Wausau) sought summary judgment for 50% reimbursement of a $500,000 settlement and defense costs. The settlement stemmed from an underlying personal injury action where Frank Rayno, an employee of Sage Garage, was injured on a construction site in 1976. Wausau provided workers' compensation and employer's liability insurance to Sage Garage, while General Accident provided general liability coverage. Wausau paid the full settlement and then pursued General Accident for contribution. General Accident argued for a pro rata contribution based on policy limits. The court granted Wausau's motion for summary judgment, ruling that both insurers should contribute equally up to the limit of the smaller policy, which was General Accident's $500,000 policy, meaning General Accident owed $250,000. The defendants' cross-motion was denied.

Insurance disputeSummary judgmentDeclaratory judgmentContribution among insurersReimbursementPolicy limitsEmployer's liability insuranceGeneral liability insuranceWorkers' compensationPro rata contribution
References
0
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Home Life & Accident Co. v. Wade

This case involves an appeal by the Home Life & Accident Company from an award of the Industrial Accident Board in favor of C. Wade. Wade, an an employee of A. C. MacParlane, sustained injuries while loading steel cranes onto a barge in the navigable Sabine River. The central legal question was whether Wade's maritime injury fell under the Texas Workmen’s Compensation Law or the exclusive admiralty jurisdiction of federal courts. The trial court initially awarded compensation to Wade under state law. However, the appellate court, citing various U.S. Supreme Court precedents and an Attorney General's opinion, concluded that maritime injuries are subject to federal admiralty law, thus precluding state workers' compensation jurisdiction. Consequently, the trial court's judgment was reversed, and the appellate court ruled in favor of the Home Life & Accident Company.

Admiralty lawMaritime jurisdictionWorkers' compensationFederal preemptionState lawInjury at workNavigable watersLongshoremanSabine RiverEmployer liability
References
5
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

O'Keefe v. General Accident Insurance

Plaintiff Violet O'Keefe initiated an action against General Accident Insurance Company, alleging disparate treatment and retaliation based on age and sex, violating Title VII, ADEA, and New York Human Rights Law. O'Keefe claimed a discriminatory work environment and unlawful termination following her refusal of a proposed job transfer. The defendant argued O'Keefe's performance was poor and the transfer was a lateral move. The District Court denied the defendant's motion for summary judgment regarding the federal discrimination and retaliation claims, finding a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether General Accident's reasons for termination were pretextual. However, the Court granted summary judgment for the defendant on the state law claims, declining to exercise pendent jurisdiction.

DiscriminationAge DiscriminationSex DiscriminationTitle VIIADEARetaliationSummary JudgmentEmployment LawPretextPrima Facie Case
References
19
Case No. 13-21-00361-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 12, 2023

Accident Fund General Insurance Company v. Rodrigo Mendiola

Rodrigo Mendiola, a truck driver, suffered severe burns in an accident, leading to an above-the-knee amputation and significant injury to his left hand. His employer's workers' compensation insurer, Accident Fund General Insurance Company, disputed his claim for lifetime income benefits based on the total loss of use of his left hand. The trial court, applying the Travelers Insurance Co. v. Seabolt standard, found sufficient evidence that Mendiola's hand lacked substantial utility, entitling him to benefits. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's judgment, upholding the application of the Seabolt standard and concluding the evidence factually supported the finding of total loss of use.

Workers' CompensationLifetime Income BenefitsTotal Loss of UseBurn InjuriesHand InjuryAmputationMedical EvidenceFactual SufficiencyAppellate ReviewStare Decisis
References
29
Case No. W2008-01771-COA-R3-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Jan 26, 2011

Shelby County Health Care Corporation, d/b/a Regional Medical Center v. John Baumgartner, Elizabeth Baumgartner, a/k/a Daray Baumgartner, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, and Hartford Accident and Indemnity

This appeal concerns the impairment of a hospital lien by Shelby County Health Care Corporation (The MED) against John Baumgartner and his insurance providers, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Hartford Accident and Indemnity. Mr. Baumgartner received extensive medical treatment at The MED following an automobile accident, incurring over $500,000 in expenses, for which The MED filed a hospital lien. Subsequently, Nationwide and Hartford settled with the Baumgartners, paying out policy limits of $25,000 and $100,000 respectively, without remitting any funds to The MED. The trial court initially granted partial summary judgment, finding impairment of the lien and awarding damages. On appeal, the Court of Appeals affirmed the finding of lien impairment but reversed the damage awards, concluding that The MED's recovery is limited to one-third of the amounts the insurers paid to the Baumgartners, and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with this interpretation.

Hospital Lien ActInsurance LawAutomobile AccidentSubrogationMade-Whole DoctrineStatutory InterpretationDamages for ImpairmentConstructive NoticeMedical ExpensesSettlement Agreements
References
33
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 15, 1950

Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co. v. Christensen

O. L. Christensen filed two consolidated suits after losing his right eye: one for common-law damages against Q. J. Aaberg and Passmore, and another for workmen's compensation against Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co., Aaberg's insurer. The core dispute was whether Aaberg's workmen's compensation policy with Hartford covered Christensen, especially as Aaberg claimed he did not intend to cover employees in the specific welding shop where Christensen was injured. The trial court and Court of Civil Appeals initially found coverage, but the Supreme Court of Texas reversed this, ruling that Aaberg did not contract with Hartford to provide compensation coverage for Christensen's employment. Consequently, the judgment in the compensation suit was rendered in favor of Hartford, and Christensen's common-law action for damages was remanded to the trial court.

Workers' CompensationInsurance CoverageEmployee StatusIndependent ContractorCommon-Law DamagesConsolidated CasesEmployer LiabilityEye InjuryTexas LawPolicy Interpretation
References
3
Case No. 814 S.W.2d 389
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 31, 1992

Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co. v. Abascal

This is a dissenting opinion by Justice Butts concerning the imposition of severe discovery sanctions against Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company in a workers' compensation action initiated by Raul Flores, Jr. The trial court struck Hartford's affirmative defenses and ordered a $10,000 payment for discovery abuse, a decision which the majority of the appellate court affirmed. Justice Butts argues that this sanction is unjust and violates constitutional due process principles outlined in *TransAmerican Natural Gas Corp. v. Powell*. He contends that such extreme sanctions, which preclude a party from presenting its case, are only warranted by flagrant bad faith or refusal to produce material evidence, a condition not met as Hartford ultimately complied with discovery orders. The dissent asserts that lesser sanctions would have been more appropriate and that the majority's holding could foster 'sanctions gamesmanship'.

Discovery SanctionsDue ProcessWorkers' CompensationAffirmative DefensesTrial Court DiscretionMandamusAppellate ReviewFlagrant Bad FaithTexas LawCivil Procedure
References
25
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
May 26, 1993

Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co. v. Buckland

This case involves Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company appealing a trial court's judgment in favor of the Buckland family. Hartford, a workers' compensation insurer, had issued a policy to Fish Engineering and Construction, Inc. and waived its subrogation rights against Phillips Petroleum and Phillips 66 by contract. Buckland, an injured employee of Fish, received a $3.2 million settlement from Phillips Petroleum and Phillips 66 and a $75,000 settlement from Figgie. Hartford sought a credit for future benefit payments from the Phillips settlement and disputed the award of attorney's fees to Buckland's attorney from the Figgie settlement. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision, ruling that Hartford's waiver of subrogation rights also waived its right to future credits and upheld the attorney's fee award to Buckland's attorney, finding no abuse of discretion.

Workers' CompensationSubrogation WaiverAttorney's Fees ApportionmentContractual InterpretationFuture Benefit CreditSummary Judgment ReviewAbuse of Discretion StandardTexas Workers' Compensation ActThird-Party LiabilityInsurance Law
References
17
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