THE ONE-SATISFACTION RULE
The one-satisfaction rule is the longstanding proposition that precludes a plaintiff from recovering twice for the same injury. Utts v. Short, 81 S.W.3d 822, 831 (Tex. 2002) (citing Crown Life Ins. Co. v. Casteel, 22 S.W.3d 378, 390 (Tex. 2000)); Galle, 262 S.W.3d at 573. The rule applies when several defendants commit the same act and when multiple defendants commit technically different acts that result in a single injury. Crown Life, 22 S.W.3d at 390; Galle, 262 S.W.3d at 573.
The one-satisfaction rule guards against a plaintiff's "receiving a windfall `by recovering an amount in court that covers the plaintiff's entire damages, but to which a settling defendant has already contributed.'" Galle, 262 S.W.3d at 573 (quoting Osborne v. Jauregui, 252 S.W.3d 70, 75 (Tex. App.-Austin 2008, pet. denied) (en banc)).
The one-satisfaction rule guards against a plaintiff's "receiving a windfall `by recovering an amount in court that covers the plaintiff's entire damages, but to which a settling defendant has already contributed.'" Galle, 262 S.W.3d at 573 (quoting Osborne v. Jauregui, 252 S.W.3d 70, 75 (Tex. App.-Austin 2008, pet. denied) (en banc)).
SOURCE: AUSTIN COURT OF APPEALS - 03-10-00499-CV – 8/23/2013
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