Entergy, a property owner, hired IMC as a contractor and provided workers' compensation insurance for IMC's employees. When an IMC employee was injured, he sued Entergy for negligence. The Texas Supreme Court ruled that property owners who act as general contractors and provide workers' comp insurance to their contractors' employees get the same legal protection as traditional employers—meaning injured workers can only collect through workers' comp, not through lawsuits. This shields property owners from negligence claims if they follow the insurance requirement.
If you're hired by a property owner who provides workers' comp insurance for your employees, that owner likely has immunity from your negligence lawsuits—you're limited to workers' comp benefits only.
Property owners acting as general contractors can now claim statutory employer status and the exclusive remedy defense, just like traditional general contractors, if they provide workers' comp coverage.