News from January 2008
Show to spotlight local musical legacy
Janis Joplin Port Arthur will remember not only one of its most well-known residents but also its musical roots at the 21st Annual Gulf Coast Music Hall of Fame Show.
Suit dismissed for seaman who hurt his back while moving ladder
Atlantic Horizon While working aboard a ship, Carlos Guzman, a Port Arthur resident, injured his back while moving a ladder. He sued his employer and the ship's owner under the Jones Act.
Coon's Illinois silicosis cases moved to Cook County
Brent Coon In the biggest export ever of Madison County lawsuits, Circuit Judge Daniel Stack packaged 33 silicosis claims and shipped them to Cook County.
Spindletop museum to reopen with gusher reenactment
Frank Trost's famous photo of the Spindletop gusher in 1901. BEAUMONT � After Hurricane Rita shut it down for more than two years, the replica of the oil well that put Beaumont on the map is ready to blow its top once again.
'Gross-out factor' makes episiotomy story most-viewed for 2007
Since its first publication in April 2007, the Southeast Texas Record has written about hundreds of Hurricane Rita-related lawsuits, asbestos injury claims, class actions against refineries and countless other civil suits filed in Jefferson County.
New business licenses/assumed names issued in Jefferson County
Orig. Filing Date: 12/21/2007 Certificate #: 71918
Recent real estate foreclosures
Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. has filed an order for foreclosure application on the property of Edward Bernard Cooley.
Appeals court reverses ruling on dilapidated carwash demolition
Justices on the Ninth Court of Appeals reversed and remanded a lower court's ruling that the court did not have jurisdiction to stop the city of Beaumont from demolishing a carwash on Calder.
Dropped Cable Suit Moved to Federal Court
MARSHALL � On July 17, 2006, Jimmy Maassen, a driver for Hunt Transportation, was making a delivery to General Cable Industries in Scottsville when an employee dropped a 500-pound steel cable reel off the truck. Maassen was pinned to the cement while his wife Marcy watched.
Suit alleges hernia repair patches caused infection
Carly Slack Anderson TEXARKANA � After having several surgeries to repair hernias, Marion Teague began to experience abdominal pain and inflammation. Teague claims the mesh patch used to repair the hernias had become infected, requiring additional surgery to remove the patch.
Texas company seeks judgment to stop potential patent suit
American Microsystems' wireless bar code scanner East Texas has become a haven for patent infringement suits in recent years, so one small Texas company thought it could see the writing on the wall when it received a letter regarding patent "issues" from a company it believes makes its living from lawsuits.
Legally Speaking: "He Ain't Heavy � He's My Client"
Whether you've put on a few extra pounds after succumbing to holiday temptations, or if you've struggled with weight issues for years, one of the last places you want to be reminded of your size is the workplace � especially if your physique has nothing to do with your job performance.
Recent patent/copyright infringement cases filed in U.S. District Courts
Marshall Division, Eastern District of Texas
Fired seaman says stress from termination, retaliation caused health problems
After seaman Tom Arriola was fired, he developed ulcers and diabetes, conditions he claims were the result of the stress of his wrongful termination for standing up for his union rights.
60th Court District Jan. 2008
60th COURT DISTRICT
Seaman files Jones Act suit after fall on vessel
A seaman is claiming he slipped and fell because the ship he served on lacked "adequate walking and working surfaces."
Wrongful Death suit seeks $3 M after tractor-trailer collision
TEXARKANA -- The family of a Sara Lee Bakery Group employee is seeking more than $3 million after a tractor-trailer collision led to fatal injuries of Lamar County resident James Watkins.
Family of roofer sues Entergy for wrongful death
The monthly bill that every Entergy customer receives contains a printed warning: "Stay away from power lines." Sound advice, but some occupations require working in close proximity to live wires.