Deaths during a fun run, tree service and an international flight, plus features on Houston Texans tickets, are among the issues sparking new lawsuits of interest in Southeast Texas.
Fernando Ramos, et al., v. Run In Texas, et al.
Harris County District Court, Jan. 20
Alejandro Ramos' estate and his parents seek more than $1 million from Run in Texas and the City of Houston for the events surrounding his death at Lake Houston Wilderness Park.
Run In Texas organized a 5K and 10K nighttime trail run in August 2023 called "El Chupacabra de Houston Night."
"Lake Houston Wilderness Park is vast and covered in thick brush," the suit says. "The main trails in the park intersect with smaller trails and even smaller trails offshoot from bigger trails.
"Accidents, injuries and runners becoming lost are foreseeable and highly likely, especially at night in the park."
Ramos, 31 years old, wore a big with an electronic chip to track his time, but the event's organizer didn't make sure everyone who started, ended, the suit says.
Ramos' family never heard from him during the race. His body was found on an offshoot trail, having died from a genetic condition in his heart.
"Alejandro was lost, alone, frightened and disoriented before he died," the suit says.
"If he had collapsed on the running trail, it is more likely than not that other runners or emergency personnel would have saved his life."
Javier Gutierrez of The Gutierrez Law Firm in Bellaire represents the plaintiffs.
The Estate of Ramaben Bhakta v. Turkish Airlines
Harris County District Court, Jan. 20
Ramaben Bhakta was flying from Istanbul to Houston in January 2023 when she collapsed in the restroom due to suspected cardiac arrest. A doctor on board asked staff for an Ambu device to help with her breathing.
But the Ambu was missing a bag that helps with respiratory contractions, the suit says. When the doctor tried to find a functional device, a flight attendant said she could perform CPR, the suit says.
By the time the doctor came back, CPR had been abandoned, husband Vitthalbhai says. She was dead when the plane completed an emergency landing in Dallas.
"Vitthalbhai watched his wife die in front of him," the suit says.
Carmen Castro Vasquez v. The James Hernandez Law Firm
Harris County District Court, Jan. 22
A rare claim for barratry is made by Vasquez against the law firm, which allegedly texted Vasquez out of nowhere in the weeks after a September automobile wreck.
Someone named Kevin at The James Hernandez Law Firm texted Vasquez.
"Plaintiff in no way sought out or invited Defendants' solicitations," the suit says. "To this day, Plaintiff does not know how the defendants truly were able to obtain the plaintiff's contact information."
Vasquez seeks a penalty of $10,000 for barratry, citing penal code that says an attorney, doctor or private investigator, with intent to obtain economic benefit, solicits employment in person or by telephone.
The Estate of Santos Sauceda-Gomez v. Oscar Camilo Bustos, et al.
Harris County District Court, Jan. 23
Sauceda-Gomez was working as a tree-pruner on April 13, 2023, when he fell out of a tree in Humble. The wrongful death lawsuit brought by his brother seeks more than $1 million from his employer.
They are accused of failing to provide a reasonably safe work enironment and failing to prohibit unsafe practices of its employees.
The suit also names the property owner for failing to maintain the trees on his property.
TicketMatrix LLC v. Houston NFL Holdings
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Jan. 26
The NFL's Houston Texans face a patent infringement lawsuit over technology for providing enhanced player's tickets features.
A summary of the inention says organizers of a tournament can sell tickets that reference a player or players rather than a match or game. The fan can attend any match played by the players referenced on the ticket.