From VerdictSearch Texas

Electrician's apprentice at fault for shock

An electrician's apprentice was mostly to blame for his injuries when he was shocked while installing a light in a J.C. Penney store. Antonio Briseno said he assumed that the power was off because the old fixture had already been taken down, exposing the wires. He sued J.C. Penney, which was granted a summary judgment. The case went to trial against his employer and the general contractor. The jury found Briseno 76 percent negligent, his employer 12 percent negligent, and the general contractor 12 percent negligent. Therefore, Briseno took nothing, even though the jury found damages of $78,500.

Briseno v. J.C. Penney Corporation Inc.
Webb County

Plaintiff gets $55K for back and neck injuries

A driver who claimed neck and back injuries in a broadside collision agreed to a $55,000 settlement. Vincent Borg sued his insurer, Metropolitan Lloyd's of Texas, for uninsured motorist benefits. Metropolitan Lloyd's denied that the uninsured motorist was negligent. According to the defense, Borg failed to keep a proper lookout. Borg claimed disc bulges at C6-7, L3-4 and L4-5 and a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. The parties settled about two months before trial and they agreed that Borg's knee problems were not related to the accident.

VIEW THE FULL CASE Borg v. Metropolitan Lloyd's of Texas
Federal

Family of man fatally struck by train after drinking awarded $1M

The family of a man who was found dead next to railroad tracks after a night of drinking was awarded a little more than $1 million. Michael Barton, 40, was seen leaving the Porter Cocktail Lounge at about 11:30 p.m. His body was found at the nearby tracks the next morning. Investigators determined that the massive blunt force injuries were the result of being struck by a train. His family claimed that he had been drinking in the bar since 2:30 p.m. and was repeatedly served despite being visibly intoxicated.

VIEW THE FULL CASE Barton v. Porter Private Club Corp.
Harris County

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Largest Texas Settlements:

(2012 only; based on cases reported by VerdictSearch)

SETTLEMENT	CASE	VENUE	DATE
$250,400,000	TiVo Inc. v. Verizon Communications Inc.	Federal	Sept. 24
$158,000,000	State of Texas v. Janssen L.P.	Travis	May 16
$34,000,000	Behm v. Summit Structures LLC	Dallas	May 24
$10,050,000	Barksdale v. Richardson	Upshur	May 16
$5,100,482	Guardiola v. Christus Health	Federal	April 13
$3,300,000	Bates v. Chrysler Group LLC	Johnson	April 13
$3,000,000	Garrison v. Crown Roofing Inc.	Federal	Dec. 18
$2,700,030	Estate of Greenhouse v. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Inc.	Harris	April 20
$2,650,000	Gonzales v. BOS Solutions Inc.	Johnson	Oct. 26
$2,500,000	Bynum v. Cardenas	AAA	Sept. 12