David Yates News
Preschool sued for fingernail clipping mishap of minor, loss of earning capacity damages sought
BEAUMONT – The guardian of a minor who attended Niklem Kids Academy is suing the preschool for a fingernail clipping injury the little girl suffered last April.
Pets can’t be considered ‘stock’ for the purpose of awarding attorney’s fees, Texas appellate court opines
HOUSTON – Man’s best friend isn’t considered a stock animal for the purposes of awarding attorney’s fees, a Texas appellate court recently opined.
Exxon calls Cali climate change lawsuits ‘abusive’ and ‘baseless,’ says attempt to challenge its counter litigation ‘falls flat’
FORT WORTH – California municipalities took aim at Texas-based speech by filing “baseless” climate change lawsuits and a Texas trial court was right to exercise personal jurisdiction over them, according to ExxonMobil’s recently filed appellate brief.
Jury finds YMBL of Beaumont and plaintiff equally at fault for gate-climbing injury, $778K in damages awarded
BEAUMONT – Both the Young Men’s Business League of Beaumont and the man who sued the organization are equally at fault for the injuries the plaintiff suffered while climbing a metal gate, according to a Jefferson County jury.
Legal watchdogs kick off awareness week by reminding Texans that protecting the courts ‘starts with you’
AUSTIN — When it comes to protecting Texas’ courts from frivolous lawsuits, “It Starts With You.” That’s the message that Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse groups are delivering as they kick off Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week, which runs Oct. 1-5.
Ferguson Law Firm secures TRO in fiery I-10 crash
BEAUMONT - The Ferguson Law Firm has secured a temporary restraining order regarding the fiery 18-wheeler crash that occurred on Interstate 10 on Sept. 20.
Texas AG reaches $148M settlement with Uber for data breach
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton and his counterparts from 49 other states and the District of Columbia on Sept. 26 announced a $148 million settlement with California-based ride-sharing company Uber Technologies, Inc. over its one-year delay in reporting a data breach regarding Uber drivers.
New CPR report says ‘campaign to limit access’ has left ‘courts with diminished power’
WASHINGTON – The American civil justice system elicits strong opinions from both sides of lady justice’s scales. And while some argue the courts are being exploited as breeding grounds for frivolous litigation, others view efforts to reform the tort system as an attack to impede access.
Legal battle to designate responsible parties unfolds in suit over Teel shooting
BEAUMONT — A battle to designate responsible third parties in a civil lawsuit involving the shooting death of Kera Teel and her unborn daughter is unfolding.
String of favorable plaintiff verdicts continues in Jefferson County, $205K awarded in auto collision case
BEAUMONT – Fall may be here, but that doesn’t mean things are cooling down at the Jefferson County courthouse, as civil jury trials in recent months continue to end with lucrative outcomes for plaintiffs.
Civil trial against YMBL of Beaumont underway, plaintiff injured while climbing metal gate
BEAUMONT – Jury selection began Monday in a personal injury lawsuit brought against the Young Men’s Business League of Beaumont.
Federal court orders Dallas County to stop unconstitutional bail practices
DALLAS — On Sept. 20, a federal judge in Dallas ordered Dallas County to stop its practice of automatically using money bail to detain people arrested for misdemeanors and felonies, a press release states.
Justices kick Japanese billionaire’s fraud suit against Houston attorney out of Texas court, suit filed over space tourism investment
HOUSTON – A Japanese investor’s efforts to “turn back the clock” on a space tourism venture were recently rejected by the justices seated on the Fourteenth Court of Appeals.
Court finds 'clear and convincing evidence' warrants post-judgment relief for Port Arthur Steam Energy
BEAUMONT - The 172nd District Court of Jefferson County has ruled in favor of Port Arthur Steam Energy against Oxbow Calcining when it issued a post-judgment turnover order mandating that Oxbow deliver flue gas energy generated by the operation of its calciner facility to PASE.
Boat full of Harvey rescuers heaved into energized power line, Entergy sued for $1M
BEAUMONT – Two men performing rescue operations following Hurricane Harvey became in need of rescuing when their boat was forced into an energized power line.
Motiva’s motion for summary judgment denied in fire injury suit
BEAUMONT – Following a Sept. 17 hearing, Motiva Enterprises had its motion for summary judgment denied in a suit brought over injuries suffered after a fire erupted at its Port Arthur facility.
JC slip & fall plaintiff seeks final judgment on $115K verdict
BEAUMONT – Earlier this month, a Jefferson County jury awarded a slip and fall plaintiff more than $115,000 in damages. On Sept. 13, she filed a motion for entry of final judgment on the verdict.
JC jury delivers $44M verdict for fatal workplace accident at ExxonMobil refinery
BEAUMONT – A Jefferson County has returned a$44 million verdict for a workplace accident at the ExxonMobil refinery that resulted in multiple injuries and the death of a worker.
15 years on, Proposition 12 continues to expand health care options across Texas, say tort reform groups
AUSTIN — As Texas marks the 15th anniversary of voter approval of a landmark medical liability reform, the state continues to see dramatic improvement in access to health care.