William H. Chamblee and Weston Hall secured a $1.85 million verdict in favor of Waco-based Central Freight Lines, finding that a company breached its contract to provide Central Freight with workers’ compensation insurance and claims administration services. A Texas state court jury in Rockwall County found that Rockwall-based Trendsetter HR and its owner, D.W. Bobst, failed to honor the terms of the contract and wrongfully billed Central Freight for services and coverage that were never provided. Central Freight is requesting that interest be added to the verdict amount, which could push the final award to more than $2 million.
For more than three years, Trendsetter accepted payments from Central Freight but failed to properly deposit the funds for workers’ compensation coverage. As Central Freight’s lawsuit alleged, Trendsetter made “every effort to protect itself in anticipation of the looming regulatory and coverage problems it had created for Central, as well as the likelihood for litigation.”
Trendsetter originally sued for breach of contract in 2013 after Central Freight stopped its payments following a series of audits and documentation demands that Trendsetter did not meet.
The verdict received coverage in multiple news outlets, including The Waco Tribune Herald, Landline Magazine, The Trucker.com, and The Texas Lawbook (password protected).
Attorneys: William H. Chamblee; Weston Hall
