Houston, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/10/2014 -- A group of over 500 Texas Lottery players has filed a lawsuit against GTECH Corporation, the operator of the Texas Lottery, for more than $248 million in winnings that they claim they should have been paid.

The players allege that the Texas Lottery operator intentionally programmed lottery computers to deem a particular type of winning ticket a non-winner in the now-defunct Fun 5's scratch-off game. Now, hundreds of players are suing GTECH, seeking their winnings and asking that the company be sanctioned with punitive damages.

"The winnings that the players are suing for should have been paid based on the plain language on the tickets," says Richard LaGarde of the LaGarde Law Firm, an attorney for the plaintiffs. "GTECH created the game, wrote the rules that are printed on the tickets, and programmed the ticket redemption machines, but has refused to take responsibility for the fact that many players of this particular game were essentially cheated."

The lawsuit contends that GTECH had a duty to program the ticket redemption machines in accordance with the printed rules of the game, so that all winning tickets are treated as such by the machines. Not only did GTECH fail to do this, claims the lawsuit, but the company also failed to rectify the problem for weeks, even after becoming aware of player complaints.

The Fun 5's scratch-off game has been at the center of a growing controversy since the game was released in early September. Within days of the game's debut, players began complaining that ticket redemption machines were rejecting some winning tickets. The Texas Lottery Commission shut down the game after only seven weeks, citing player confusion over the rules.

"Simply put, GTECH Corporation should not be allowed to sweep its mistake under the rug." says LaGarde. "This lawsuit is intended to hold the company accountable and to help the winning lottery players obtain the prizes they were promised."

The petition, James Steele, et al. v. GTECH Corporation, was filed in the Travis County District Court on Tuesday, December 9, 2014.

Verified petition available at http://cleg.al/steelevgtech.

LaGarde Law Firm, P.C
3000 Weslayan, Ste. 380
Houston, TX 77027
Phone: (713) 993-0660
http://www.lagardelaw.com

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Houston, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/31/2014 -- Businesses entering into litigation can save thousands of dollars in upfront legal fees through LaGarde Law Firm's business contingency fee litigation services, making lawsuits feasible for businesses of all sizes.

With contingency fees, businesses do not pay attorney's fees, the cost of court filings or other expenses associated with actions in a lawsuit. Instead, the law firm working with the business covers all initial costs. Later, the firm receives a portion of the settlement as payment and reimbursement for the costs incurred over the course of the case.

"Lawsuits can often cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to file, which can prevent businesses with valid claims from pursuing their cases," said Mary Ellis LaGarde, an attorney with LaGarde Law Firm.

Over the course of a lawsuit, attorneys and other staff may devote many hours to the case. Their services are traditionally billed at an hourly rate. In addition, the cost of making court filings, hiring expert witnesses and working with a mediator or arbitrator can be significant.

At the same time, the process of litigation can be time-consuming for key players at a company that must now balance litigation with its other responsibilities and functions.

These costs and sacrifices can be unattractive to a business -- especially if it is facing a larger adversary who may have deeper pockets and access to an in-house legal team. The traditional model of legal billing can be risky for such businesses because it comes with no guarantee of winning the case and getting reimbursement for the costs.

Business litigation is a broad field, and the stakes are often high, affecting the fate of both businesses involved in the dispute. Businesses may file suit against other entities for issues including misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, securities fraud and more. Often, hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars are at stake.

"With our business contingency structure, we have an incredible incentive to successfully obtain as high a settlement as possible. Success is the only way we get paid," said Richard LaGarde, another LaGarde attorney.

LaGarde Law Firm determines its business contingency fees on a case-by-case basis, which is outlined at the outset of the attorney-client relationship. The fee may vary based on the anticipated cost of litigating the case, as well as how risky the case will be for the firm to tackle.

About LaGarde Law Firm
LaGarde Law Firm is based in Houston and specializes in business litigation and personal injury law. Husband-and-wife partners Mary Ellis LaGarde and Richard LaGarde have years of experience in the field, and they have offered a business contingency fee model throughout that time.

LaGarde Law Firm offers free, no-obligation consultations to businesses who are considering litigation. Interested persons can schedule a consultation by calling (866) 524-2733.

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