News from September 2014
Fifth Circuit allows federal safety board review Transocean's role in Deepwater Horizon incident
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board will be allowed to conduct an in-depth investigation into Transocean’s role in the 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.
Driver asks for $1 million in Jefferson County crash lawsuit
A Madison County woman is asking a Jefferson County woman to pay more than $1 million after an alleged crash on state Highway 75. Phyllis Green Taylor filed a lawsuit against Jaclyn Nicole Carpenter on Aug. 18 in Jefferson County District Court. According to the complaint, the crash happened Dec. 27, 2012, at the intersection of state Highway 75 and Interstate Highway 45 when Carpenter crashed into
Groves man sued after alleged drunk driving crash
An Orange County man accuses a Groves driver of negligence for allegedly driving drunk and causing a crash. Allan Sauberan filed a lawsuit against Rafael Moreno on Aug. 18 in Jefferson County District Court. According to the complaint, Moreno was driving intoxicated Jan. 20 when he crashed into Sauberan's vehicle. Sauberan says he was seriously hurt in the collision. The lawsuit does not provide any
Beaumont man sued over relative's unpaid student loans
A Beaumont man is being sued for allegedly not paying back nearly $35,000 in his relative's student loans.National Collegiate Student Loan Trust 2006-3 filed a lawsuit against Earl Bienemy Aug. 19 in Jefferson County District Court. Monique Bienemy agreed to borrow money from JPMorgan Chase Bank, according to the complaint, to fund her education at Prairie View A&M University for the 2006-07 school
Student loan company seeks money from Beaumont woman
A Beaumont woman is accused of failing to repay nearly $41,000 in student loans.National Collegiate Student Loan Trust 2007-2 filed a lawsuit Aug. 19 in Jefferson County District Court against Belen Burks. According to the complaint, Burks signed a student loan promissory note with Bank of America to attend Stephen F. Austin University. The original loan, part of the Student Loan Trusts, allowed for
Beaumont men accused of defaulting on student loans
Two Beaumont men are being sued for allegedly defaulting on nearly $20,000 in student loans. The National Collegiate Student Loan Trust 2005-3 filed a lawsuit Aug. 19 in Jefferson County District Court against Pimbly Guidry and George Fontenot.Guidry allegedly borrowed money from Charter One Bank to attend Lamar University for the 2004-05 school year. According to the complaint, the loan, guaranteed
Former Deepwater Horizon claims administrator asks Supreme Court to review case
NEW ORLEANS – The former Deepwater Horizon claims chief has filed a brief asking the nation’s highest court to weigh in on the question of whether oil spill claimants should be required to show proof of damage from the Gulf oil spill before collecting settlements from oil giant BP PLC.
Hays County couple sues over allegedly botched repair job
A Hays County couple says Allstate Insurance and a San Marcos auto repair shop failed to properly handle damage done to their SUV. Micah and Ericka Harrison filed a lawsuit Aug. 15 in Jefferson County District Court against Allstate Insurance Co., Ralph Villapando, Michael J. Roche, Brian Garret, Service King No. 85 Collision Repair Center and Chris Thurston. The Harrisons say they purchased Allstate
Old American Insurance accused of deceptive practices
An Orange County woman is suing an insurance company she alleges failed to notify her of a canceled policy until after she filed an accident claim. Alisa Lynn Lemoine filed a lawsuit against Old American Insurance Co. of Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 15 in Jefferson County District Court. Lemoine alleges she bought car insurance from Old American. Lemoine says she was involved in a crash Nov. 22, 2012,
Man accuses Galveston police of violating rights, seeks $1M
A Galveston police officer and the city's chief of police are being sued after a man's wrist allegedly was broken during an arrest.Timothy Lyons filed the lawsuit Aug. 14 in Galveston County District Court against Galveston Police Chief Henry Porretto and Officer G. Gainer. According to the petition, Lyons called police to report that a prescription was fraudulently filled using his name on Jan. 3
Woman sues owner of LaMarque McDonald's for $200K over fall
A Frankston woman alleges she was hurt when she slipped on a wet floor at a LaMarque McDonald's restaurant.Dana Wilson filed a lawsuit Aug. 13 in Galveston County District Court against Robert Flores, doing business as McDonald's No. 17796. According to the complaint, Wilson walked into the LaMarque McDonald's in August 2013 and fell after slipping on some water that had been left on the floor.
Former teacher accuses Houston school district of discrimination
A former teacher with the Houston Independent School District alleges he was fired because of his race and for filing grievances against his school.Robert Green filed a lawsuit in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas on Aug. 14 against the Houston Independent School District. Green, who describes himself as an African-American male, says he was working for the school district as a
Credit Union files foreclosure notice against Beaumont couple
A credit union has filed a foreclosure notice against the owners of home on Avie Lane in Beaumont. Education First Federal Credit Union filed the application for an expedited foreclosure order against Devlin W. McCraney and Traci L. McCraney on Aug. 18 in Jefferson County District Court. Education First Federal Credit Union says the McCraneys took out a home equity line of credit on their home at 5435
Discrimination suit filed against Houston plant owners
A Houston man says his former employer fired him once because of his ethnicity and a second time in retaliation for a discrimination complaint. Cleveland McGuire filed a lawsuit against Mundy Companies Inc. of Houston, doing business as Mundy Maintenance Service & Operations, on Aug. 14 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas.
Salsa maker accused of stealing name
A Houston salsa maker is being sued for trademark infringement for allegedly using a product name that already belongs to another salsa company.Salajo LLC filed a lawsuit Aug. 8 against Salinas Salsa Co. in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas. Salajo began its business in March 2013, according to the complaint, and purchased online domain name "salinassalsacompany.com."
Houston car dealer accused of negligence over employee's crash
A Houston car dealer is being sued after one of its employees allegedly rear-ended another car while taking a customer's car to get serviced.Al N. Petit filed a lawsuit Aug. 8 in Galveston County District Court against William Cepica, David McClure and Westlex Corp., doing business as Northside Lexus.According to the complaint, Petit was traveling east on Kingwood Drive in Kingwood and stopped at a
Alleged troll that sued eBay over PTO reexamination dismisses lawsuit
MARSHALL (Legal Newsline) – An alleged “patent troll” that sued eBay earlier this year for daring to ask the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a reexamination of three patents has dismissed its lawsuit.
Morris Bart meltdown: La. attorney attacked at law firm building by co-worker’s husband
NEW ORLEANS – An attorney at one of the largest plaintiff’s firms in Louisiana was sent to the hospital recently after being attacked by the husband of a co-worker who alleged the two were having an affair.
After cases of alleged fraud exposed, claims administrator says tax documents not routinely verified in claims
NEW ORLEANS – After investigators found that two high-profile claims in the BP oil spill case were based on fraudulent tax documents, the man tasked with paying settlements says he has no plans to routinely authenticate IRS filings of claimants prior to cutting a check.
Warner says Senate should’ve taken up, passed House bill on patent reform
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Senate was wrong for not passing the House’s patent reform bill, one U.S. Senate Democrat said.