In Texas, like most states, performance under a contract containing a force majeure clause may be excused by acts of god or other exigent circumstances defined by the clause. Force majeure is a creature of contract and will only be applicable to the extent expressed in the contract. “The scope and effect of a “
Texas Court of Appeals Holds Workers Compensation Nonsubscribing Workers Compensation Employer Liable for Employee’s Injuries Sustained in Fall from Ladder
Texas Court of Appeals Holds Workers Compensation Nonsubscribing Workers Compensation Employer Liable for Employees Injuries Sustained in Fall from Ladder
The benefit to Texas employers in maintaining workers compensation insurance is that they are shielded from liability to employees injured on the job. In exchange, employees are entitled to recover workers compensation benefits for injuries
Business Purchasing Defective Ethane Pumps Not Required to Give Seller Opportunity to Cure Defects
It can be tricky to preserve your rights to recover damages for breach of warranty involving goods, including expensive commercial equipment, as exemplified in a recent Houston Court of Appeals case. Equistar Chemicals, LP v. ClydeUnion DB, Ltd., 579 S.W.3d 505, 509 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2019, pet. filed).
In this case, Equistar Chemicals,
Multi-Million Dollar Judgment against IBM Reversed by Texas Supreme Court
Introduction. The Texas Supreme Court reversed a judgment rendered against IBM originally in the amount of $21 million because Lufkin Industries disclaimed its reliance upon IBM’s misrepresentations in the written contract between the parties. Int’l Bus. Machines Corp. v. Lufkin Indus., LLC, 573 S.W.3d 224 (Tex. 2019), reh’g denied (May 31, 2019).
Background
The Fan Expo, LLC vs. National Football League
Introduction. The Fan Expo, LLC sued the NFL for tortious interference with Fan Expo’s contract with Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA). The trial court granted the NFL’s motion for summary judgment and rendered a take nothing judgment against Fan Expo leading
Texas Supreme Court Holds Tenant Justified in Terminating Commercial Lease but Reverses Million Dollar Attorney Fee Award
Introduction. The case of Rhormoos Venture v. UTSW DVA Healthcare, LLP, addressed the issue of whether a tenant is legally permitted to terminate a commercial lease based upon the landlord’s material breach of the lease. 16-0006, 2019 WL 1873428 (Tex. Apr. 26, 2019). The court reviewed its prior decisions on this issue and
Family Business Divorce Gone Bad over Division of Concrete Business
Introduction. The case of Zermeno v. Garcia is about a business divorce gone bad, leading to costly and protracted litigation between family members over the operation of a family-owned concrete business. 14-17-00843-CV, 2019 WL 2063090 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] May 9, 2019, no pet. h.). After the initial lawsuit was filed, the parties entered
Fraud Verdict in Favor of Real Estate Investors Reduced from $7,897,981 to $1,410,400
Introduction. The case of Jang Won Cho v. Kun Sik Kim, involves a dispute between 3 investors who invested in a retail strip shopping mall venture in Houston, Texas. No. 14-16-00962-CV, 2019 WL 1442412 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Apr. 2, 2019, no pet. h.). The 3 investors formed a corporation in which they
Contractor Can be Held Liable for Negligence in Premises Defect Case According to San Antonio Court of Appeals
Introduction. The San Antonio Court of Appeals has held that a property owner’s personal injury premises defect claim sounded in negligence rather than premises liability, even though the injuries were not caused by a contemporaneous activity of the contractor allegedly at fault. Arredondo v. Techserv Consulting & Training, Ltd., 567 S.W.3d 383 Tex. App.—San
Texas U.S. District Court Denies Employer’s Request to Enjoin Former Employees from Violating Non-Competition Agreements and Misappropriating Trade Secrets
Lawsuits involving alleged violations by former employees of non-competition agreements are often hotly contested and involve injunctive relief. These cases can be challenging for the employer to obtain relief because covenants not to compete are governed by statutory law requiring these restrictive covenants to be reasonable as to time, geographical area, and scope of activity