News from 2008
Appeals court allows trial against Acceptance to proceed in Orange
Acceptance Indemnity Insurance Company tried to argue that property damage checks counted as settlement offers, but the Ninth District appellate court in Beaumont knocked the insurer down.
New business licenses/assumed names issued in Jefferson County
Orig. Filing Date: 03/20/2008 Certificate #: 72428
Ford cruise control suits consolidated to Travis County MDL
AUSTIN � Travis County District Judge Scott Jenkins has taken charge of lawsuits from 28 counties over fires in Ford engines, with more plaintiffs than anyone can count.
Recent patent/copyright infringement cases filed in U.S. District Courts
Marshall Division, Eastern District of Texas
Utopia in Orange: Shangri La reopens after 50 years
After 50 years, the utopian gardens of Shangri La opened to the public once again.
Medical malpractice suit claims liver damaged during gall bladder surgery
Reaud, Morgan, & Quinn attorney Trenton Bond has filed a medical-malpractice suit on behalf of a woman who claims the doctor performing her gall bladder surgery damaged her liver.
Recent real estate foreclosures
Jefferson County
Texas couple taken advantage of in bankruptcy case, judge says
Abbott DALLAS - A bankruptcy case in which Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott recently joined resulted in punitive damages from a foreclosure rescue company.
Cisco Systems updates blogging policy in light of Troll Tracker defamation suits
TEXARKANA -- After two defamation lawsuits were filed against Cisco regarding the Patent Troll Tracker Web site, Cisco announced it has learned some valuable lessons and has amended its corporate blogging policy.
State Farm goes to trial over denying policy benefits in auto collision
In 2003, Carolyn Henderson was injured in an automobile collision when an "underinsured motorist" swerved into her lane. After the incident, Henderson petitioned her insurance company, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance, for her policy benefits but claims she was unjustly turned down.
Suit alleges HRT therapy caused breast cancer
MARSHALL -- Tyler resident Brenda Simmons alleges her recent diagnosis of breast cancer is the result of eight years of hormone replacement therapy.
Appeals court says Houston cab company not negligent for injury, reverses damages
Justices on the Texas Ninth Court of Appeals reversed and remanded a Montgomery County jury's verdict that a taxicab company negligently entrusted a cab to an independent contractor on March 20.
Front-end collision leads to lawsuit against vehicle modification package manufacturer
MARSHALL -- While riding as a passenger in a 2005 GMC conversion van, Billie R. Price was injured when a pickup truck crossed over the highway's centerline and struck the van. Price believes the van's conversion package failed to protect her causing her injuries.
BREAKING! Jury: DuPont not negligent for former employee's asbestos exposure
Larry Cotten One month ago, plaintiff's attorney Glen Morgan said DuPont's past asbestos safety policies had been so egregious that the company had no right to exist. But a Jefferson County jury did not agree, and found no negligence on the part of DuPont in the death of a former employee of an asbestos-related disease.
Contractor says Penney's never paid for Rita repairs, files lawsuit
A remodeling company has filed suit against J.C. Penney, claiming the retailer never paid for repairs made to local stores following Hurricane Rita.
Legally Speaking: Lawyers Behaving Badly-Part One
Like virtually every lawyer out there, I was required to take a law school class called "Professional Responsibility" and to pass a test called Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) as part of being admitted to the practice of law.
Legal watchdog warns against health Web sites sponsored by personal injury lawyers
AUSTIN -- Health-related Web sites sponsored by personal injury lawyers may appear to be credible online resources but are often designed to "sell, deceive or frighten" health care consumers, according to a new national study by the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest (www.cmpi.org).
Insurer says plaintiff's lawsuit settlement should be used to reimburse worker's comp payout
After a TJ Maxx employee received more than $140,000 in worker's compensation for a slip and fall at work, she also won damages in a civil suit against the janitorial service she claimed caused the fall. Now the insurance carrier wants to be reimbursed for the money it paid out to cover the injury.
Chrysler sued after rollover on local highway
Dodge Ram 1500 Traveling late at night with her granddaughter, Ruth McCall, 76, says her rented Dodge truck "suddenly showed a lack of stability and went out of control" causing the vehicle to rollover and slide across Texas 73 � finally stopping upside down in the median.