Pimentel v. Maverick Maintenance & Supply LLC – 04-24-00792-CV – Feb 25, 2026
The court of appeals reversed the venue transfer from Harris County to Karnes County in a workplace injury case. The court held that the employer’s workers’ compensation exclusivity defense could not be resolved in a venue proceeding and did not negate the pleaded venue facts. Because Harris County was a proper venue when suit was filed, the transfer was improper. The case was remanded to Harris County for further proceedings.
Galvan v. Hyatt Regency San Antonio – 04-24-00829-CV – November 26, 2025
The court of appeals reversed the trial court’s order granting Hyatt’s plea to the jurisdiction and motion to dismiss and remanded the case for further proceedings. The court held that Galvan’s district court petition, though styled as a “breach of contract” claim, was in substance a timely petition for judicial review of a Texas workers’ compensation appeals panel decision under Labor Code § 410.252(a). Applying the statute’s deemed mailing rule, the court concluded Galvan sued only eight days after the presumed mailing date, well within the 45-day deadline. The opinion also notes that several grounds raised in Hyatt’s plea (exclusive remedy, service on DWC, and failure to plead panel determinations) are not jurisdictional and therefore do not support dismissal for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.
B&T Dependable Services, LLC v. Santos – 04-24-00521-CV – Aug 13, 2025
The San Antonio Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s denial of B&T Dependable and Bernell Gardener’s plea to the jurisdiction and motion for summary judgment. The court held that the Division of Workers’ Compensation did not have exclusive jurisdiction over Edward Santos’s negligence claims because they were not based on entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits, following the Texas Supreme Court’s reasoning in Oteka. The court also found appellants failed to prove all elements of their election-of-remedies defense as a matter of law. As a result, Santos’s negligence lawsuit against his alleged employer may proceed despite his prior acceptance of workers’ compensation benefits.
In re Texas Mutual Insurance Company – 04-24-00386-CV – Feb 26, 2025
The 4th Court of Appeals (San Antonio) conditionally granted a writ of mandamus because the trial court clearly abused its discretion by denying Defendant-Employer’s plea to the jurisdiction.
Orta v. SN Operating LLC – 690 S.W.3d 730 – Mar 6, 2024
The 4th Court of Appeals (San Antonio) affirmed the trial court’s summary judgment for Defendant-Non-Subscriber. The Court agreed with the lower court that the Plaintiff-Employee failed to present evidence of causation for heat stroke, which requires medical expert testimony.
City of Laredo v. Torres – 04-22-00453-CV – Oct 4, 2023
The Fourth Court of Appeals (San Antonio) reversed the trial court’s denial of the plea to the jurisdiction and rendered judgment for the City dismissing the case for lack of jurisdiction because the City had no actual knowledge of the premises defect.
Espinoza v. Kansas City Southern Railway Company – 04-22-00732-CV – Aug 23, 2023
Court of Appeals of Texas, San Antonio. Ana Marie Mendez ESPINOZA, Individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of Juan Manuel Espinoza, Jr.; Janice Janet Espinoza; Jonathan Espinoza; and Juliza Espinoza, Appellants v. The KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY, Appellee No. 04-22-00732-CV | Delivered and Filed: August 23, 2023 From the 406th Judicial District […]
Guzzetta v. Brimhall LQ LLC – 678 S.W.3d 251 – Jul 12, 2023
Court of Appeals of Texas, San Antonio. Jerry A. GUZZETTA, Appellant v. BRIMHALL LQ, LLC d/b/a La Quinta Hotel, Appellee No. 04-22-00194-CV | Delivered and Filed: July 12, 2023 Attorneys & Firms APPELLANT ATTORNEY: Carl J. Kolb, Attorney at Law, 501 Congress Ave., Ste. 150, Austin, TX 78767. APPELLEE ATTORNEY: Patrick J. Stolmeier, Attorney at […]
Brackenridge Healthcare, Inc. v. Camero – 04-22-00271-CV – Apr 27, 2023
The Fourth Court of Appeals (San Antonio) reversed the lower court’s order and rendered judgment compelling the parties to arbitration.
Cardinal Senior Care, LLC v. Bradwell – 04-21-00557-CV – Dec 14, 2022
The Fourth Court of Appeals (San Antonio) reversed the trial court’s order denying Defendant-Non-Subscriber’s motion to compel arbitration and stay trial court proceedings. The Court failed to find merit in the Plaintiff-Employee’s argument that because the Plaintiff-Employee filed his suit outside of the one-year limitation in the arbitration agreement—he was no longer subject to the arbitration agreement.