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

Case No. 13-04-00550-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 11, 2005

in Re: Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc.

Linda Garcia, a truck driver for Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc., was injured in a vehicular accident and subsequently terminated. Mission deemed the accident 'major preventable' and terminated Garcia under company policy. Garcia sued Mission, alleging wrongful termination in retaliation for filing a workers’ compensation claim. Mission moved to compel arbitration based on an agreement within its employee health and safety plan, which the trial court denied. Mission then filed a petition for writ of mandamus. The Court of Appeals reviewed the petition, concluded the trial court erred in denying the motion to compel arbitration, and conditionally granted the writ of mandamus, directing the trial court to withdraw its order.

Arbitration AgreementWrit of MandamusWrongful TerminationWorkers' Compensation ClaimFederal Arbitration ActEmployment LawInterstate CommerceTruck DriverMotion to Compel ArbitrationAppellate Review
References
17
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Mission Insurance Co. v. Hill

This case concerns an appeal by Mission Insurance Co. from a post-answer default judgment granted in favor of Edwin Hill in a workers' compensation suit. Mission had failed to appear for both a pretrial hearing and the subsequent trial, leading to the default. The trial court denied Mission's motion for a new trial. On appeal, the court affirmed the trial court's decision, finding that Mission did not conclusively establish that its attorney's failure to appear was not due to conscious indifference. Furthermore, the appellate court held that the trial court could appropriately consider violations of local court procedural rules when ruling on a motion for a new trial.

Default JudgmentMotion for New TrialAbuse of DiscretionConscious IndifferenceAttorney Non-AppearanceProcedural RulesLocal Court RulesWorkers' CompensationAppellate ReviewTrial Court Discretion
References
3
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc. v. Solomon

Roy Solomon sued his former employer, Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc., alleging negligence in the collection of his urine specimen during a mandatory drug test, which resulted in a false positive for marijuana. This false result led to his termination and inability to secure subsequent employment as a truck driver. A jury found Mission negligent and awarded Solomon damages for medical care, lost earning capacity, mental anguish, and exemplary damages for malice. On appeal, Mission challenged several aspects, including the existence of a duty, proximate cause, and the recoverability of damages. The court affirmed the trial court's judgment, concluding that Mission owed its employees a duty of reasonable care in drug test specimen collection and that there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's findings of negligence, causation, and malice.

NegligenceDrug ScreeningFalse PositiveEmployment LawDamagesMental AnguishExemplary DamagesDepartment of TransportationSpecimen CollectionEmployer Duty
References
16
Case No. NUMBER 13-17-00102-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Mar 08, 2018

Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc. v. Mary Dreese

This interlocutory appeal addresses the denial of Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc.'s motion to compel arbitration in a wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought by Mary Dreese, Dolores Perez, Jessica M. Perez, and Jennifer L. Perez (Plaintiffs and Intervenors) following the death of Francisco Perez, a Mission employee, in a truck accident. Mission, a non-subscriber to workers' compensation insurance, had an Employee Health and Safety Plan containing an arbitration clause. The Plaintiffs and Intervenors argued this clause was unenforceable due to an illusory promise in the Plan's termination section, which they claimed gave Mission unilateral control. The appellate court reversed the trial court's order, concluding that the challenge to the termination provision applied to the entire Plan, not just the arbitration clause, and therefore, under the Federal Arbitration Act and state contract law, the issue of enforceability should be decided by an arbitrator, not the courts. The case was remanded for the trial court to grant Mission's motion to compel arbitration.

ArbitrationEmployment DisputeWrongful DeathInterlocutory AppealContract LawIllusory PromiseFederal Arbitration ActEmployer LiabilityNon-subscriberTexas Law
References
6
Case No. 03-03-00435-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Jul 29, 2004

Texas Workers' Compensation Commission Richard Reynolds, in His Official Capacity as Executive Director of the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission/East Side Surgical Center Clinic for Special Surgery And Surgical and Diagnostic Center, L.P. v. East Side Surgical Center Clinic for Special Surgery/Texas Workers' Compensation Commission Richard Reynolds, in His Official Capacity as Executive Director of the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission

This case involves the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission's failure to establish fee guidelines for ambulatory surgical centers under the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act. East Side Surgical Center, Clinic for Special Surgery, and intervenor Surgical and Diagnostic Center, L.P. (collectively "East Side") sued the Commission to invalidate certain default rules that applied when specific guidelines were absent. The district court declared one rule (133.304(i)) invalid and enjoined its enforcement, citing unlawful delegation of authority. On appeal, the Court of Appeals reversed the district court's judgment regarding the rule's invalidity and dissolved the injunction, citing a Texas Supreme Court decision finding no unlawful delegation. The court affirmed that East Side was not entitled to its usual and customary fee in the absence of specific guidelines.

Workers' CompensationAdministrative LawDelegation of AuthorityRulemakingAmbulatory Surgical CentersJudicial ReviewInsurance CarrierFee GuidelinesFair and Reasonable RatesStatutory Interpretation
References
38
Case No. 2018 NY Slip Op 05037 [163 AD3d 558]
Regular Panel Decision
Jul 05, 2018

Matter of Empire State Transp. Workers' Compensation Trust v. Special Funds Conservation Comm.

This case concerns a proceeding initiated by Empire State Transportation Workers' Compensation Trust for judicial approval of a settlement, nunc pro tunc, against the Special Funds Conservation Committee. The underlying issue stemmed from the Trust's failure to obtain consent from the Special Funds for a claimant's personal injury settlement, which led the Workers' Compensation Board to find a waiver of reimbursement rights. After an initial denial by the Supreme Court, the Appellate Division reversed and remitted, affirming the court's discretion in compelling such consent. Upon remittitur, the Supreme Court granted the petition, directing the Special Funds to provide nunc pro tunc consent. The Appellate Division affirmed this subsequent order, concluding that the settlement was reasonable, the delay was adequately explained, and no prejudice was demonstrated against the Special Disability Fund.

Workers' CompensationNunc Pro TuncSettlement ApprovalPersonal Injury ActionSpecial Funds Conservation CommitteeAppellate DiscretionReimbursement WaiverJudicial ReviewAppellate PracticeNassau County
References
14
Case No. 08-23-00355-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Sep 29, 2025

New Mission Home Care, LLC v. Tony Lawrence Read, Individually and as Independent Administrator of the Estate of George Read, and Bertha Acosta, Individually and as Independent Administrator of the Estate of Teresa Acosta Read

New Mission Home Care, LLC appealed a $13 million jury verdict in a car-train collision case. The appellate court identified jury charge error regarding the definition of "course and scope" of employment, which was crucial for assessing New Mission's vicarious liability. Upon review, the court found legally insufficient evidence to support the appellees' vicarious liability claim based on the corrected course-and-scope definition. Furthermore, the court determined there was also legally insufficient evidence to sustain the direct liability claims, including negligent hiring, retaining, training, and supervision, against New Mission. Consequently, the appellate court reversed the trial court's judgment and rendered a take-nothing judgment in favor of New Mission.

Vicarious LiabilityCourse and Scope of EmploymentNegligent HiringNegligent RetentionNegligent TrainingNegligent SupervisionJury Charge ErrorLegal Sufficiency of EvidenceAppellate ReviewCar-Train Collision
References
49
Case No. 2024 NY Slip Op 06200
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 11, 2024

Matter of NYAHSA Servs., Inc. v. Special Funds Group

This case concerns an appeal by NYAHSA Services, Inc., the workers' compensation insurance carrier for St. Patrick's Nursing Home, from an order denying its petition for judicial approval of a personal injury settlement nunc pro tunc. The underlying matter involved Karen DiNoia, who sustained injuries in 2001 during employment and settled a third-party personal injury action in 2005 for $400,000. Although NYAHSA consented, the Special Funds Group's consent was not obtained at the time, which is crucial for the carrier to be reimbursed from the Special Disability Fund. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition, citing a lack of required documentation. However, the Appellate Division, Second Department, reversed the decision, finding that the settlement was reasonable, the delay in seeking judicial relief was not the petitioner's fault, and the Special Funds Group was not prejudiced, thus granting the petition.

Nunc Pro TuncPersonal Injury SettlementJudicial ApprovalAppellate ReviewSpecial Disability FundInsurance Carrier ReimbursementSupreme Court DiscretionDelayPrejudiceReasonableness of Settlement
References
10
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 08, 1961

SPECIAL PRODUCTS COMPANY OF TENN. v. Jennings

Sixty-two striking employees of Special Products Company claimed unemployment benefits after their jobs were filled during a labor dispute. The Commissioner and Board of Review allowed these claims, a decision upheld by the Chancery Court of Hamilton County. Special Products Company appealed to the Supreme Court of Tennessee, arguing against benefit payments and seeking a non-charge against its experience rating. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decree, ruling that the disqualification for a labor dispute ceased once the strike was abandoned and employees sought re-employment. The Court found that the subsequent unemployment was due to the unavailability of jobs, not the strike itself, thereby entitling the former employees to benefits.

Unemployment BenefitsLabor DisputeStrikeJob ReplacementsEmployment Security ActVoluntary Quitting DisqualificationMisconduct DisqualificationExperience Rating PenaltySupreme Court DecisionStrike Termination
References
5
Case No. 14-18-01107-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Sep 10, 2020

Changchun Gaoxiang Special Pipes Co., LTD ( Golsun) v. Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies, Inc.

Appellant Golsun, a Chinese company, appealed the denial of its special appearance, which challenged personal jurisdiction in a Texas court. Appellee FlexSteel sued Golsun for trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract, and other torts, alleging Golsun used FlexSteel's proprietary pipe design and manufacturing methods due to the unlawful disclosures by a former FlexSteel employee, Bin Chen, who later worked for Golsun. The trial court denied Golsun's special appearance. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision, concluding that Chen's Texas contacts were attributable to Golsun as his employee, establishing minimum contacts, and that exercising jurisdiction comported with traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.

Personal JurisdictionSpecial AppearanceTrade Secrets MisappropriationBreach of ContractTortious InterferenceBreach of Fiduciary DutyAgency LawEmployee StatusIndependent ContractorMinimum Contacts
References
33
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