Court Cases - Texas Worker

Court Cases

In re Morales

1st COA – Houston

The First Court of Appeals (Houston) denied Employee-Plaintiff's writ of mandamus because Employee-Plaintiff presented no complaint about a trial court ruling or an action that required the Court to enforce its jurisdiction.

Voelter v. Daimler Trucks of North Amer-ica

Southern Dist. Ct. - Texas

The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) granted summary judgment because the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act’s exclusive-remedy provision barred Plaintiff-Employee's tort claims asserted against Defendant-Employer.

Leonard v. Mesilla Valley Transition Co.

Southern Dist. Ct. - Texas

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (Houston) converted Defendant-Employer's motion to dismiss to a motion for summary judgment. Defendant-Employer argued that Plaintiff-Employee's claims were barred by the Texas Workers' Compensation Act.

Apache Corporation v. Davis

Texas Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Texas reversed the lower court's judgment that "but for" Employee-Plaintiff's complaint of gender discrimination, Employer-Defendant would not have terminated employment when it did. The Court reaffirmed that an employee claiming retaliation must prove that "but for" protected conduct, the employer's prohibited conduct “would not have occurred when it did.” In identifying factors applying the causation standard, the Court emphasized that “[a]n adverse employment action ‘based solely’ on reasons unrelated to [protected conduct] destroys the causal link.”

Alleyton Resource Company v. Ball

14th COA – Houston

The Fourteenth Court of Appeals (Houston) affirmed the final judgment of the lower court which found in favor of the Plaintiff-Employee's claim of retaliation for filing a workers' compensation claim.

Kirsnneiner v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.

Eastern Dist. Ct. - Texas

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas denied Plaintiff-Employee's motion for new trial in a non-subscriber case. The Court found that the jury's verdict was reasonably based on evidence presented at trial.

Deljavan v. Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth

Northern Dist. Ct. - Texas

The U.S. Magistrate for the U.S. District Court - Northern District of Texas (Fort Worth) dismissed Plaintiff-Employee's workers compensation retaliation claim because it did not raise an issue of federal law and the Court declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company v. Ochoa

13th COA – Corpus Christi

The Thirteenth Court of Appeals (Corpus Christi) reversed the lower court’s summary judgment in favor of Plaintiff-Beneficiary. The Court reasoned that, since the Appeals Panel found that Plaintiff-Beneficiary and Decedent-Employee were informally married, Defendant-Carrier had the burden to disprove the marriage. The Court found the evidence presented that Plaintiff-Beneficiary and Decedent-Employee were engaged and agreed to be married at some point in the future with no date yet set, is evidence that they were not presently married at the time of Decedent-Employee’s death. As such, Defendant-Carrier presented more than a scintilla of evidence and raised a genuine issue of material fact as to whether an agreement to be married existed at the time of Decedent-Employee’s death.

Fenley v. Texas Plumbing Supply Company, Inc.

14th COA – Houston

The Fourteenth Court of Appeals (Houston) affirmed the trial court’s summary judgment against the Plaintiff-Employee regarding a claim for workers’ compensation retaliation. The Court found that the Defendant-Employer produced evidence showing there was a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the termination, which shifted the burden back to the Plaintiff-Employee to produce controverting evidence of a retaliatory motive. The Court concluded the Plaintiff-Employee failed to make this showing with respect to the workers’ compensation retaliation claim. The Court reversed the decision of the lower court regarding Plaintiff-Employee’s claim for age discrimination.

Lewis v. Brown

5th COA – Dallas

The Fifth Court of Appeals (Dallas) affirmed the lower court’s judgment granting Defendant-Sheriff’s plea to the jurisdiction. Plaintiff-Employee sought injunctive relief against Defendant-Sheriff—in her official capacity—in relation to Defendant-Sheriff’s actions regarding the use of the county jail and conditions in the county jail amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Both parties briefed the potential application of the Texas Worker’s Compensation Act (TWCA) and that it applies to “work-related injuries.” The Court noted that Plaintiff-Employee specifically pled he had not suffered an injury. The Court concluded that since Plaintiff-Employee pled neither an actionable ultra vires claim nor an actionable claim under the Texas Tort Claims Act, no further discussion was necessary of the TWCA.

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