In Re Hurricane Rita Evacuation Bus Fire

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In Re HURRICANE RITA EVACUATION BUS FIRE

Opinions in this case

Opinion — Peeples
Majority

*71 ON REVIEW BY THE MULTIDIS-TRICT LITIGATION PANEL Justice PEEPLES delivered the opinion for a unanimous Multidistrict Litigation Panel. Before us is a motion to appoint a pretrial judge for six lawsuits, pending in two counties, which arise from one common incident. For the reasons stated below, we grant the motion without an oral hearing. See rule 13.3(k). A pretrial judge has been appointed by separate order. On September 22, 2005, as Hurricane Rita approached the southeast Texas gulf coast, defendant Brighton Gardens evacuated some of the residents from its assisted living and health care facility in Houston, placing them on a bus that had been chartered through defendant Global Charter Services. Early the next day, the bus caught fire near Dallas, causing the death of twenty-three persons and injuring several others. Six lawsuits arising from this incident have been filed in state court— four in Hidalgo County and two in Harris County. Two other cases have been filed in federal court. The defendants have asked this panel to consolidate the eight state cases for pretrial proceedings before one judge. Several of the plaintiffs have objected to that request; one firm representing plaintiffs does not object, provided that a pretrial judge from Houston is chosen. Administrative rule 13 empowers the MDL Panel to transfer related cases (i.e. those involving one or more common questions of fact) from trial courts in different counties to a single pretrial court for coordinated pretrial handling. The pretrial court’s authority over transferred cases is extensive and complete. See Rule 13.6. From time to time, as the pretrial court concludes that cases are ready for trial, it will remand them to the original trial courts for trial in the county of venue. See Rule 13.7. The MDL panel may order transfer if it will (1) serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and (2) promote *72 the just and efficient conduct of the litigation. See Rule 13.3. The movant need not show that anyone has already been inconvenienced or that there are existing problems to be addressed. See In re Silica Products Liability Litigation, 166 S.W.3d 3 (Tex. M.D.L. Panel 2004). Instead we must simply be convinced that transfer to a pretrial judge would promote Rule 13⅛ goals of convenience and efficiency. These cases arise from one common event, and no one has seriously denied that the liability issues in each of them will be substantially the same. We recognize that different attorneys will develop and try their cases differently, that not every defendant before us has been sued in every case, that different expert witnesses may be involved, and that the damages will differ from case to case, as they always do. But the lawyers will be examining the same large pool of employees and fact witnesses. At the least, the witnesses will include those who dealt with the bus as it made its way from South Texas to Houston and then toward Dallas, those who witnessed the fire itself, those who responded to the scene to provide rescue and medical care, and those who investigated it. When rule 13 voices its concern for efficiency and for the convenience of parties and witnesses, it has such persons in mind. While none of them have yet been subjected to conflicting demands or repetitive discovery, we conclude that assigning one pretrial judge to handle the cases arising from this one tragic event will further rule 13⅛ laudable goals of efficiency and convenience. Plaintiffs argue that many of them are not similarly situated. Some plaintiffs, for example, were receiving healthcare at Brighton Gardens, and on some causes of action they may have to comply with the statutory rules for healthcare claims. See Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ch. 74. Other plaintiffs may have been on the job for their employers during the incident and may therefore face workers compensation issues that other plaintiffs do not. There may indeed be differences. But every case is different. No two cases are alike. A rule 13 transfer of cases does not require that the cases be congruent or anything close to it. It requires only that cases be “related” — i.e. that they involve one or more common questions of fact— and that transfer will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation. Because these criteria are overwhelmingly shown in this group of lawsuits arising from the same event, the Motion to Transfer is granted. ORDER OF MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION PANEL APPOINTMENT OF PRETRIAL JUDGE IN THE FOLLOWING MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION CASE: The Joint Motion for Transfer, filed by Sunrise Senior Living Services, Inc. et al., under the Texas Rules of Judicial Administration, is granted. Pursuant to Administrative rule 13, the causes listed on the First Amended Appendix A of the Joint Motion for Transfer, attached hereto and incorporated herein for all purposes, and tag-along cases if any, are transferred to Judge Rose Guerra Reyna of the 206th District Court of Hidalgo County. APPENDIX A Re: No. 05-1073; In Re: Hurricane Rita Evacuation Bus Fire Mr. Andrew Weber, Clerk Supreme Court of Texas Supreme Court Building *73 201 West 14th, Rm. 104 Austin, Texas 78701 Dear Mr. Weber: Enclosed for filing in the above-referenced cause are four copies of the First Amended Appendix A to the Joint Motion to Transfer Pursuant to Texas Rule of Judicial Administration 13, which was filed on December 20, 2005. An electronic version of the enclosed First Amended Appendix is also being transmitted to Ms. Claudia Jenks of your office. Please file-stamp the enclosed extra copy of this document and return it in the self-addressed, postage-paid stamped envelope for our file. By copy of this letter, all counsel of record are being provided a copy of the enclosed motion. Thank you for your assistance. ec: Justice David Peeples Fourth Administrative Judicial Region 100 Dolorosa San Antonio, Texas 78205-3038 Justice Bea Ann Smith Third Court of Appeals 209 W. 14th Street, Room 101 Price Daniels Bldg. Austin, Texas 78701 Justice George Hanks First Court of Appeals 1307 San Jacinto, 10th Floor Houston, Texas 77002 Justice Douglas Lang Fifth Court of Appeals George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Bldg. 600 Commerce, 2nd Floor Dallas, Texas 75202-4658 Justice Errlinda Castillo Thirteenth Court of Appeals Nueces County Courthouse 901 Leopard St., 10th Floor Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 Claudia Jenks, Deputy Clerk Supreme Court of Texas Supreme Court Building 201 West 14th, Rm. 104 Austin, Texas 78701 cc: Robert Luke Ron Simon Simon & Luke, LLP 2929 Alen Parkway, 42nd Floor Houston, Texas 77019 Dick DeGuerin DeGuerin, Dickson & Hennessy CMRRR 7002 2030 0005 7017 3694 CMRRR 7002 2030 0005 7017 3687 CMRRR 7002 2030 0005 7017 3670 CMRRR 7002 2030 0005 7017 3663 CMRRR 7002 2030 0005 7017 0112 Claudia.Jenks@courts.state.tx.us Kenneth Tekell State Bar No. 19764000 Tekell, Book, Matthews & Limmer 1221 McKinney, Suite 4300 Houston, Texas 77010 Amanda S. Hilty Ronald L. Bair *74 1018 Preston, 7th Floor Houston, Texas 77002 Frank Costilla Law Offices of Frank Costilla, PPLC Five East Elizabeth Street Brownsville, Texas 78520 Larry D. Warren Mark A. Cooper Ball & Weed, P.C. 745 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 500 San Antonio, Texas 78212-3191 Craig Vittitoe Adams & Graham, L.L.P. 222 East Van Burén, West Tower Harlingen, Texas 78550 Jim M. Perdue, Jr. Joe N. Perdue Priscilla Walters The Perdue Law Firm, LLP 2727 Allen Parkway, Suite 800 Houston, Texas 77019 Michael Garza Garza & Vela, LLP Texas State Bank Tower 3900 North 10th Street, Suite 950 McAllen, Texas 78501 John Dacus HaRtline, Dacus, Barger, Dreyer & Kern, LLP 6688 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1000 Dallas, Texas 75206 Darrell L. Barger Hartline, Dacus, Barger, Dreyer & Kern, LLP One Shoreline Plaza, Suite 2000 800 North Shoreline Blvd. Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 The Bair Law Firm, P.C. 14711 Pebble Bend Drive Houston, Texas 77068 Eduardo Roberto Rodriguez Mitch Chaney Rodriguez, Colvin, Chaney & Saenz, L.L.P. 1201 East Van Burén P.O. Box 2155 Brownsville, Texas 78520 J. A. “Tony” Canales Canales & Simonson, P.C. 2601 Morgan Avenue P.O. Box 5624 Corpus Christi, Texas 78465-5624 Richard Warren Mithoff Mithoff Law Firm Penthouse, One Allen Center 500 Dallas, Suite 3450 Houston, Texas 77002 Michael L. Brown Brown & Adkins 712 Main Street, Suite 2120 Houston, Texas 77002 Mark E. Enright Arnstein & Lehr, LLP 120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60606-3910 Charles Lyman BARKER, Lyman, Twining, Weiberg & Ferrell, PC 1221 McKinney Street, Suite 3600 Houston, Texas 77010 FIRST AMENDED APPENDIX A 1. Cause No. C-2365-05-F; Aggie Foster, on Behalf of the Person and Estate of Lillie Spies v. Global Limo, Inc., Global Charter Services, Inc., d/b/a “The BusBank”, and Century MCT Charter Tours, Inc., Global Limo, Inc., and Juan Robles Gutierrez; In the 398th Judicial District Court of Hidal-go County, Texas (“Foster”) The following counsel have appeared to date in this litigation: Robert Luke *75 SBN: 00789463 Ron Simon SBN: 00788421 Simon & Luke, LLP 2929 Allen Parkway, 42nd Floor Houston, Texas 77019 713/335-4900 713/335-4949 (fax) Email: Robert@simonluke.com Ron@simonluke.com Counsel for Plaintiff Aggie Foster, on Behalf of the Person and Estate of Lillie Spies Dick DeGuerin SBN: 05638000 DeGuerin, Dickson & Hennessy 1018 Preston, 7th Floor Houston, Texas 77002 713/223-5959 713/223-9231 (fax) Email: ddeguerin@aol.com Counsel for Plaintiff Aggie Foster, on Behalf of the Person and Estate of Lillie Spies Frank Costilla Law Offices of Frank Costilla, PPLC Five East Elizabeth Street Brownsville, Texas 78520 956/541-4982 956/544-3152 (fax) Email: info@costillalaw.com Counsel for Plaintiff Aggie Foster, on Behalf of the Person and Estate of Lillie Spies Larry D. Warren State Bar No. 20888450 Mark A. Cooper State Bar No. 24025752 Ball & Weed, P.C. 745 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 500 San Antonio, Texas 78212-3191 210/731-6300 210/731-6499 (fax) Email: ldw@ball-weed.com mac@ball-weed.com Counsel for Global Limo, Inc. Craig Vittitoe Adams & Graham, L.L.P. 222 East Van Burén, West Tower Harlingen, Texas 78550 956/428-7495 956/428-2954 (fax) Email: CHVittitoe@adamsgraham.com Counsel for Global Charter Services Ltd. Charles Lyman Barker, Lyman, Twining, Weiberg & Ferrell, PC 1221 McKinney Street, Suite 3600 Houston, Texas 77010 713/759-1990 713/652-1990 (fax) Email: clyman@barkerlyman.com Counsel for Century Services d/b/a Century McMynn Leasing a/k/a RNJ McMynn Leasing 2. Cause No. C-2495-05-I; Lerline Fuller and Marie Ceres. Each Individually v. Century Services, Inc., d/b/a Century McMynn Leasing, a/k/a R & J McMynn Leasing and M Mynn Leasing, Global Charter Services, Inc., d/b/a The BusBank, MCT Charter Tours, Inc., Global Limo, Inc., and Juan Robles Gutierrez; In the 398th *76 Judicial District Court of Hidalgo County, Texas (“Fuller”) The following counsel have appeared to date in this litigation: Jim M. Perdue, Jr. SBN: 00788180 Joe N. Perdue SBN: 24034624 Priscilla Walters SBN: 20819100 The Perdue Law Firm, LLP 2727 Allen Parkway, Suite 800 Houston, Texas 77019 713/520-2500 713/520-2525 (fax) Email: jperdue@perduelaw.com joeperdue@perduelaw.com pwalters@perduelaw.com Counsel for Plaintiffs Lerline Fuller and Marie Ceres, Each Individually Michael Garza Garza & Vela, LLP Texas State Bank Tower 3900 North 10th Street, Suite 950 McAllen, Texas 78501 956/994-3100 956/381^4440 956/994-3174 (fax) Counsel for Plaintiffs Lerline Fuller and Marie Ceres, Each Individually Larry D. Warren State Bar No. 20888450 Mark A. Cooper State Bar No. 24025752 BALL & WEED, P.C. 745 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 500 APPENDIX A — Continued San Antonio, Texas 78212-3191 210/731-6300 210/731-6499 (fax) Email: ldw@ball-weed.com mac@ball-weed.com Counsel for Global Limo, Inc. Craig Vittitoe Adams & Graham, L.L.P. 222 East Van Burén, West Tower Harlingen, Texas 78550 956/428-7495 956/428-2954 Email: CHVittitoe@adamsgraham.com Counsel for Global Charter Services, Ltd. 3. Cause No. C-2366-05-E; Mary Gillette, Now Deceased, by and through the Independent Executrix of her Estate, Vicki Whitlow Thomas v. Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. a/k/a Brighton Gardens of Bellaire, Global Limo, Inc., Juan Robles Gutierrez, and Bus-bank; In the 275th Judicial District Court of Hidalgo County, Texas (“Gillette”) The following counsel have appeared to date in this litigation: Amanda S. Hilty SBN: 09683030 Ronald L. Bair SBN: 01554900 The Bair Law Firm, P.C. 14711 Pebble Bend Drive Houston, Texas 77068 713/862-5599 713/868-9444 (fax) Email: ahilty@bairhilty.com rbair@bairhilty.com *77 Counsel for Plaintiffs Mary Gillette, Now Deceased, by and through the Independent Executrix of her Estate, Vicki Whitlow Thomas David J. Beck State Bar No. 00000070 Joe W. Redden, Jr. State Bar No. 16660600 Fields Alexander State Bar No. 00788528 Thomas Ganucheau State Bar No. 00784104 Beck, Redden & Secrest, L.L.P. 1221 McKinney, Suite 4500 Houston, Texas 77010 713/951-3700 713/951-3720 (fax) Email: dbeek@brsfirm.com jredden@brsfirm.com falexander@brsfirm.com tganucheau@brsfirm.com Counsel for Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. Mitch Chaney Rodriguez, Colvin, Chaney & Saenz, L.L.P. 1201 East Van Burén P.O. Box 2155 Brownsville, Texas 78520 956/542-7441 956/541-2170 (fax) Email: mc.chaney@rcclaw.com Counsel for Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. J.A. “Tony” Canales Canales & Simonson, P.C. 2601 Morgan Avenue P.O. Box 5624 Corpus Christi, Texas 78465-5624 361/883-0601 361/884-7023 (fax) Email: tonycanales@canalessimonson.com Counsel for Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. Larry D. Warren State Bar No. 20888450 Mark A. Cooper State Bar No. 24025752 BALL & WEED, P.C. 745 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 500 San Antonio, Texas 78212-3191 210/731-6300 210/731-6499 (fax) Email: ldw@ball-weed.com mac@ball-weed.com Counsel for Global Limo, Inc. John Dacus Hartline, Dacus, Barger, Dreyer & Kern, LLP 6688 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1000 Dallas, Texas 75206 214/369 2100 214/369-2119 (fax) j dacus@hdbdk.com Darrell L. Barger Hartline, Dacus, Barger, Dreyer & Kern, LLP One Shoreline Plaza, Suite 2000 800 North Shoreline Blvd. Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 361/866-8009 361/866-8039 dbarger@hdbdk.com Counsel for Motor Coach Industries International, Inc. Mark Enright *78 John T. Wagener Arnstein & Lehr, LLP 120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60606-3910 312/876-7100 312/876-0288 (fax) Counsel for Motor Coach Industries International, Inc. Charles Lyman Barker, Lyman, Twining, Weiberg & Ferrell, PC 1221 McKinney Street, Suite 3600 Houston, Texas 77010 713/759-1990 713/652-1990 Email: clyman@barkerlyman.com Counsel for Century Services d/b/a Century McMynn Leasing a/k/a RNJ McMynn Leasing (Please note that this Defendant has filed also filed a Special Appearance in this matter) 4. Cause No.2005-70990; Richard S. Lenzner, Individually, and as Independent Executor of the Estate of Natalie G. Lenzner, Deceased, Carl A. Lenzner and Michelle Lenzner Tell v. Global Charter Services, Ltd., Global Charter Services, Ltd. d/b/a The Bus Bank, The BusBank, Global Limo, Inc., Juan Gutierrez Robles, Sunrise Senior Living Services, Inc., Sunrise Senior Living Services, Inc. d/b/a Brighton Gardens, and Brighton Gardens; In the 334th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (“Lenz-ner”) The following counsel have appeared to date in this litigation: Richard Warren Mithoff SBN: 14228500 William J. Stradley SBN: 19353000 Janie L. Jordan SBN: 11012700 Mithoff Law Firm Penthouse, One Allen Center 500 Dallas, Suite 3450 Houston, Texas 77002 713/654-1122 713/739-8085 (fax) Email: rmithoff@mithofflaw.com Counsel for Plaintiffs Richard S. Lenz-ner, Individually, and as Independent Executor of the Estate of Natalie G. Lenzner, Deceased, Carl A. Lenzner and Michelle Lenzner Tell Michael L. Brown SBN: 14228500 Brown & Adkins 712 Main Street, Suite 2120 Houston, Texas 77002 713/216-2444 713/216-2440 (fax) Counsel for Plaintiffs Richard S. Lenz-ner, Individually, and as Independent Executor of the Estate of Natalie G. Lenzner, Deceased, Carl A. Lenzner and Michelle Lenzner Tell Larry D. Warren State Bar No. 20888450 Mark A. Cooper State Bar No. 24025752 BALL & WEED, P.C. 745 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 500 San Antonio, Texas 78212-3191 210/731-6300 210/731-6499 (fax) *79 Email: ldw@ball-weed.com mac@ball-weed.com Counsel for Global Limo, Inc. David J. Beck State Bar No. 00000070 Joe W. Redden, Jr. State Bar No. 16660600 Fields Alexander State Bar No. 00783528 Beck, Redden & Secrest, L.L.P. 1221 McKinney, Suite 4500 Houston, Texas 77010 713/951-3700 713/951-3720 (fax) Email: dbeck@brsfirm.com jredden@brsfirm.com falexander@brsfirm.com Counsel for Defendants Sunrise Senior Living Services, Inc. and Sunrise Senior Living, Inc., d/b/a Brighton Gardens of Bellaire (Defendant notes that “Sunrise Senior Living, Inc., d/b/a Brighton Gardens of Bellaire” and “Brighton Gardens” were incorrectly named as Defendants) Kenneth Tekell State Bar No. 19764000 Tekell, Book, Matthews & Limmer 1221 McKinney, Suite 4300 Houston, Texas 77010 713/222-9542 713/655-7727 (fax) Email: cctbml@swbell.net Counsel for Global Charter Services, Inc. d/b/a The BusBank 5. Cause No.2005-65697; Karl Lothman and Kurt Lothman, Individually, and as Personal Representatives of the Es-tote of Lester Lothman, Deceased v. Global Charter Services, Ltd., Global Charter Services, Ltd. d/b/a The Bus-bank, The Busbank, Global Limo, Inc., Juan Gutierrez Robles, Sunrise Senior Living Services, Inc., Sunrise Senior Living Services Inc. d/b/a Brighton Gardens, and Brighton Gardens; In the 129th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas (“Lothman”) The following counsel have appeared to date in this litigation: Richard Warren Mithoff SBN: 14228500 William J. Stradley SBN: 19353000 Janie L. Jordan SBN: 11012700 Mithoff Law Firm Penthouse, One Allen Center 500 Dallas, Suite 3450 Houston, Texas 77002 713/654-1122 713/739-8085 (fax) Email: rmithoff@mithofflaw.com Counsel for Plaintiffs Karl Lothman and Kurt Lothman, Individually, and as Personal Representatives of the Estate of Lester Lothman, Deceased David J. Beck State Bar No. 00000070 Joe W. Redden, Jr. State Bar No. 16660600 Fields Alexander State Bar No. 00783528 Beck, Redden & Secrest, L.L.P. 1221 McKinney, Suite 4500 Houston, Texas 77010 713/951-3700 *80 713/951-3720 (fax) Email: dbeck@brsfirm.com jredden@brsfirm.com falexander@brsfirm.com Counsel for Defendants Sunrise Senior Living Services, Inc., and Sunrise Senior Living Services, Inc. d/b/a Brighton Gardens of Bellaire (Defendant notes that “Sunrise Senior Living, Inc., d/b/a Brighton Gardens of Bellaire” and “Brighton Gardens” were incorrectly named as Defendants) Larry D. Warren State Bar No. 20888450 Mark A. Cooper State Bar No. 24025752 BALL & WEED, P.C. 745 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 500 San Antonio, Texas 78212-3191 210/731-6300 210/731-6499 (fax) Email: ldw@ball-weed.com mac@ball-weed.com Counsel for Global Limo, Inc. Kenneth Tekell State Bar No. 19764000 Tekell, Book, Matthews & Limmer 1221 McKinney, Suite 4300 Houston, Texas 77010 713/222-9542 713/655-7727 (fax) Email: cctbml@swbell.net Counsel for Global Charter Services, Inc. d/b/a The BusBank 6. Cause No. C-2434-05-A; Sheila White, Bernadette Nanez, and Marce-lia Loyano, Each Individually v. Century Services, Inc., d/b/a Century McMynn Leasing, a/k/a R & J McMynn Leasing and M Mynn Leasing, Global Charter Services, Inc., d/b/a The BusBank, MCT Charter Tours, Inc., Global Limo, Inc., and Juan Robles Gutierrez; In the 398th Judicial District Court of Hidalgo County, Texas (“White”) The following counsel have appeared to date in this litigation: Jim M. Perdue, Jr. SBN: 00788180 Joe N. Perdue SBN: 24034624 Priscilla Walters SBN: 20819100 The Perdue Law Firm, LLP 2727 Allen Parkway, Suite 800 Houston, Texas 77019 713/520-2500 713/520-2525 (fax) Email: jperdue@perduelaw.com joeperdue@perduelaw.com pwalters@perduelaw.com Counsel for Plaintiffs Sheila White, Bernadette Nanez, and Marcelia Loya-no, Each Individually Michael Garza Garza & Vela, LLP Texas State Bank Tower 3900 North 10th Street, Suite 950 McAllen, Texas 78501 956/994-3100 956/381-4440 956/994-3174 (fax) Counsel for Plaintiffs Sheila White, Bernadette Nanez, and Marcelia Loya-no, Each Individually Larry D. Warren *81 State Bar No. 20888450 Mark A. Cooper State Bar No. 24025752 BALL & WEED, P.C. 745 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 500 San Antonio, Texas 78212-3191 210/731-6300 210/731-6499 (fax) Email: ldw@ball-weed.com mac@ball-weed.com Counsel for Global Limo, Inc. Craig Vittitoe Adams & Graham, L.L.P. 222 East Van Burén, West Tower Harlingen, Texas 78550 956/428-7495 956/428-2954 (fax) Email: CHVittitoe@adamsgraham.com Counsel for Global Charter Services, Ltd. d/b/a The BusBank Charles Lyman Barker, Lyman, Twining, Weiberg & Ferrell, PC 1221 McKinney Street, Suite 3600 Houston, Texas 77010 713/759-1990 713/652-1990 (fax) Email: clyman@barkerlyman.com Counsel for Century Services d/b/a Century McMynn Leasing a/k/a RNJ McMynn Leasing