1
... S ee Te x. R. App
. P. 47. 4. 

## CO URT OF APPEA LS SE CO ND D IS T RIC TO F T E XAS FORT WORTH
NO. 2
- 0 9
- 0 1 3
- CV L AUR A H AL L S OL OM ON AP P E L L ANT
V
. T & M CO N TRA C TO RS, I N C
. A PPELL EE D/ B / A T & M CONS T R UC T I ON

----- ----- -- FR O M THE 48TH DI STRI CT CO URT O F TARRA NT CO UN TY

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### MEMORANDU M OPI NI ON 1

----- ----- -- Th e t r i al cour tdeni ed A ppel l antLaura H al l So l om on’ s m ot i on for new t r i al i n h e r n e g l i g e n c e s u i ta g a i n s tAp p e l l e e T & M Co n t ra c t o rs , I nc . d / b / a T & M C onst r uct i on ( “T& M ”) , and she n o w a p p e a l s. I n one i ssue, So l om on argues th a t th e tri a l c o u rt e rre d b y d e n y i n g h e r m o ti o n fo r n e w tri a l b e c a u s e th e j u ry ’s2

v e rd i c t w a s a g a i n s t th e g re a t w e i g h t a n d p re p o n d e ra n c e o f th e e v i d e n c e . W e d i s a g re e , a n d , a c c o rd i n g l y , w e a ffir m . Sol om on f i l e d s ui tf or d a m a ge s a ga i ns tt he W oo ds o f Be df ord, TM G M i l es t one M ana gem ent , and T& M for i nj ur i es s he su st ai ned f rom fal l i ng i nt o a hol e att he W ood s of Bed ford apar t m entcom pl ex. She cl ai m ed t hatas an i n v i te e , sh e w a s o w e d a d u ty o f c a re b y th e d e fe n d a n ts a n d th a tt h e y w e re neg l i gen tby ( 1) crea t i ng a nd m ai nt ai ni ng a n unrea so nab l y da nge rous co ndi t i on, ( 2) fai l i ng t o w ar n he r of t he dan gerous con di t i on, ( 3) fai l i ng t o pl ac e w ar ni ng si gns an d ba r r i ers a rou nd t he dan gerous co ndi t i on, ( 4) fai l i ng t o c or rec tt he unrea so nab l y da nge rous co ndi t i on, an d ( 5 ) fai l i ng t o prope r l y m ai nt ai n t he prem i ses. S ol om on s et t l ed w i t h t he W oods of Bedford a nd TM G M i l es t one M ana gem entan d proce ede d t o t r i al i n he r s ui tag ai ns tT& M
. The j ur y c harge as ke d w het her

T& M an d Sol om on w ere neg l i gen t , and , i f so , w hatpe rce nt age of negl i gence w as at t r i butabl e t o e a c h . Th e charge i nst r uct ed t he j ury t hat T& M w as ne gl i gen tw i t h res pec tt o t he con di t i on of t he prem i se s i f

t he c o n d it io n p o s e d a n u n re a s o n a b l e ris k o f h a r m ; itk n e w o r

re a s o n a b ly s h o u ld have kno w n of

t he dang er ; and i tfai l ed t o exerci se ordi nary c a re t o prot ect Sol om on f rom t he dan ger , by bot h fai l i ng t o a deq uat el y w ar n he r of t he cond i t i on and by fai l i ng t o m ake t he cond i t i on reasonabl y safe. The j ury w as2

... Cro p p e r v . Ca t e r p i l l a r

T ra c t o r Co ., 7 5 4 S .W .2 d 6 4 6 , 6 5 1 (T e x . 1 9 8 8 ); s e e H e rb e rt v . H e rb e rt , 7 5 4 S .W .2 d 1 4 1 , 1 4 4 (T e x . 1 9 8 8 ).

3

... T e x . R . C i v . P . 3 2 4 (b )(2 )– (3 ); In re M .S
. , 115 S. W
. 3d 534 , 5 47 (Tex. 2 0 0 3 ). 3 fur t her i nst r uct ed t hatnegl i gence as t o S ol om on m e a n t t he “fai l ure t o use ordi nary c a re; t hati s, fai l i ng t o do t hatw hi ch a person of ordi nary pr uden ce w oul d have do ne und er the sam e o r

si m i l ar ci rcum st ances or

doi ng t hatw hi ch a person of

ordi nary pr uden ce w oul d not have do ne und er the sam e o r

si m i l ar ci rcum st ances. ” The j ur y found Sol om on 80% neg l i gen t and T& M 20% neg l i gent. T he t r i a l c o u r te n t e re d a j u d g m e n ti n a c c o rd a n c e w i t h t h e j u r y ’ s v e rd i c t , order i ng t hatS ol om on t ake n ot hi ng. S ol om on f i l ed a m ot i on for new t r i al , w hi ch t he t r i al cou r tde ni ed. S t andard of

Rev i ew W h e n th e p a rty w i th th e b u rde n o f p roo f a p p e a l s from a j u ry’s fa i l u re to f i nd, t he part y m us t sh ow t hat t he fai l ure t o f i nd i s aga i ns t t he grea t w ei ghtan d prepon derance of t he evi dence. 2 A co m pl ai ntt hata j ur y a ns w er

i s aga i ns tt he ove r w hel m i ng w ei ghtof t he evi den ce m us th av e b ee n rai se d i n a m ot i on for n e w t r ia l. 3 W e revi ew a t r i al cour t ’ s den i al o f a m ot i on for

n ew tr i al for

abuse4
... D o l g e n c o r p o f T e x . , I n c . v . L e r ma , 2 8 8 S .W .3 d 9 2 2 , 9 2 6 (T e x . 2 0 0 9 ); H ogu e v . P rop at h Lab. , I nc. , 1 9 2 S .W .3 d 6 4 1 , 6 4 7 ( T e x . A p p .— F o rtW o rt h 2 0 0 6 , p e t. d e n i e d ).

5
... G ol den Ea gl e Arche r y, I nc. v. Ja ck so n , 1 16 S. W
. 3d 757, 761 (Tex. 2 0 0 3 ).

6
... Id
. 7
... Ke r by v. A bi l ene Chr i st i an C ol l ege , 503 S
. W
. 2d 526, 528 (Tex. 1 9 7 4 ); se e also Y o u n g v . T h o ta , 2 7 1 S .W .3 d 8 2 2 , 8 2 9
– 3 0 (T e x . A p p .— F o rt W or t h 2 00 8, p e t . f i l e d ) (d i s c u s s i n g c o n t r i b u t o r y n e g l i g e n c e a n d c a u s a t i on v e rs u s e x a c e rb a ti o n o f i nj u ri e s ).

8

... S ee T e x . C i v . P ra c . & R e m . C o d e A n n . § 3 3 .0 0 1 (V e rn o n 2 0 0 8 ). 4 of di sc ret i on. 4 W hen con ducti ng a fact ual suf f i ci ency revi ew , a cou rto f appeal s m ust n o t m e rel y s u b sti tu te i ts j u d g m e n t fo r th a t of th e tr i e r of fac t. 5 Th e t r i er of fact i s th e so l e j u d g e o f t h e cre d i b i l i ty o f w itn e s s e s a n d the w e i g h t t o b e g i v e n to t hei r t es t i m ony. 6 A n a ly s is C ont r i but or

y ne gl i gen ce i s neg l i gen ce w i t h a “c aus al connec t i on w i t h t he acci dent t hatbutfor t he cond uctt he acci dent w oul d not have hap pened , ” as opp osed t o negl i gence t hat“m erel y i ncreases or adds t o t he ext entof t he l oss o r i nj u ry o c c a s i o n e d b y a n o th e r’s n e g l i g e n c e .” 7 I n T ex as, a pl ai nt i f f m ay be con t r i but or i l y ne gl i gen tan d s t i l l rec ov er , butnoti f he r pe rce nt age of re s po ns i bi l i t y for

h e r d a m a ge s i s g re a t e r

t ha n 50%
. 8 The j ur y “ i s gi ven w i de9

... R o sel l v. C ent . W
. M ot or Stages, I nc. , 8 9 S. W
. 3d 6 43 , 6 59 ( Te x. A p p .— D a l l a s 2 0 0 2 , p e t. d e n i e d ).

10

... See Ker by , 503 S. W
. 2d a t528; se e also E l b a o r v. S m i th , 845 S
. W
. 2d 24 0, 2 45 (Tex
. 1 99 2) ( hol di ng t hatthe t r i al co ur tsho ul d have i ncl uded a re q u e s te d c o n tri b u to ry n e g l i g e n c e q u e s ti o n i n th e j u ry c h a rg e b e c a u s e th e re w as s om e ev i den ce t hatw i t houtt he pl ai nt i f f’ s con duc t , t he com pl ai ned
- of i nj u ry m i g h t n o t h a v e o c c u rre d ). 5 l at i t ude ” i n appor t i oni ng res pons i bi l i t y for an ac ci den t , an d e ven i f a di f ferent perce nt age co ul d be al l oca t ed unde r t he evi den ce , “ an app el l at e c ourtm ay not s u b s ti tu te i ts j u d g m e n t fo r th a t o f th e j u ry .” 9 The j ur y i n t hi s ca se found t hatbot h T& M an d Sol om on w ere n egl i gen t and ap port i one d 80% of t he res pons i bi l i t y for the ac ci den tt o Sol om on. 10 So l o m o n a rg u e s t h a t t h e j u r y ’ s f i n d i n g w a s a g a i n s t t h e g re a tw ei ghtan d prepon derance of

t he evi dence because T& M fai l ed t o t ake m easures t o m ake t he con di t i on rea so nab l y saf e, fai l ed t o w ar n vi si t ors att he com pl ex abo utt he dang erous hol es by w ay of bar r i cadi ng t he areas, and fai l ed t o gi ve any other ver bal or

vi su al w ar ni ng. A tt r i al , t he evi den ce es t abl i sh ed t hatT & M w as hi red t o rem ove t he W ood s’ previ ousl y exi st i ng w ood en car por t s and repl ace t hem w i th m et al ca r port s su pport ed by s t ee l be am s. I n order t o seta new pos t , T& M w oul d c ut a 1 9"– 22 " square i n t he concret e an d auger a four - foot hol e i nsi de t he square. U p o n le a v in g t h e w o rk s i te e a c h ev e n i n g , T & M em p l o y e e s w e re s u p p o se d to6

cov er t he hol es w i t h a four - by- four s ec t i on of t hree - qua r t er - i nch t hi ck pl yw ood and ba r r i ca de t he area us i ng y el l ow ca ut i on t ape an d sa w horse s or co nes . The par t i es i nt rodu ced confl i ct i ng evi dence abo utw het her t hi s w as proper l y don e. Sol om on t es t i f i ed t haton June 28, 2005 , s om e t i m e a ft er 5: 00 p. m . , s he d ro v e to th e a p a rtm e n t c o m p l e x to m e e t h e r th e n b o y f r ie n d (n o w h u s b a n d ), daug ht er , and son- i n- l aw , al l of w hom l i ved i n t he com pl ex. S he t est i f i ed t hat
w h e n s h e a rri v e d a t th e W o o d s o n t h e d a y i n q u e s ti o n , sh e n o ti c e d th a t “ th e re w as s om e c ons t r uct i on proj ec tgoi ng on ” i nvol vi ng t he repl ac em entof pa r ki ng spaces. She al so t est i f i ed t hateven before she ar r i ved att he W ood s, she w as aw are thatco nst r uct i on w oul d be ong oi ng becau se she had seen si gns t o t hat e ffec t. S o lo m o n fo u n d a n a v a ila b le p a r k in g s p a c e t h a t w a s n e x tt o t h e s p a c e in
w hi ch her

boy f r i end ha d pa r ke d hi s t r uck
. She not i ce d i n t he spota pi ec e o f pl yw ood w i t h nai l s st i cki ng ou tof i t . There w ere ot her par ki ng spaces ava i l abl e, b ut S ol om on de ci ded t o pa r k i n t he sp ac e w i t h t he boa rd. She t e s t if ie d t h a tt h e p a r k i n g s p a c e w a s n o tb a r r ic a d e d o r t a p e d o f

f . T h e n a ils in t he board w ere cur

ved, b u t s h e b e l i eved t hey cou l d do dam age t o her t i res. She “ pos si bl y” co ul d ha ve par ke d i n t he sp ac e w i t houtdr i vi ng ov er t he boa rd, but she deci ded t o m ove t he p l y w o o d before par ki ng t here. She st opp ed her ca r , gotout , an d l i ft ed t he pl yw ood. U pon doi ng so, she st epp ed for w ard a nd7

fe l l i n t o a l a rg e h o l e t h a th a d b e e n c o v e re d b y t h e p l y wo o d , i nj u r i n g h e rs e l f
. At t r i al , sh e ac kno w l edg ed t hat sh e w as hol di ng t he boa rd i n s uch a w ay t hats he cou l d nots ee t he ground i n f ront of her as sh e w al ke d. A ft er he r ac ci den t , s he d i d n o t re p o rt w h a t h a p p e n e d to a n y o n e , n e v e r a s k e d h e r b o y fri e n d to re p o rt i tt o anyo ne, and never asked her

daugh t er

t o repor ti tt o anyo ne. S ol om on’ s husband Ji m t est i f i ed o n h e r b e h al f
. H e st at ed t hataft er Sol om on’ s ac ci den t , he t ook he r t o t he hos pi t al , an d t hatw hen he ret ur ned , so m eon e h ad cov ered t he hol e a gai n w i t h t he sa m e pl ank of w ood. H e d i d not see any caut i on t ape or bar r i cade m ar ki ng t he area. Trey M urchi son, t he T & M em pl oyee i n charge of t he T & M w or k crew , t es t i f i ed by d epo si t i on. He st at ed t hatatt he end of ever y w or k d ay, he m ade sure t hatt he crew cordon ed off any area w here ho l es had been du g and t hat he had chec ked t he area before t he crew l eftt hatday. Sol om on’ s at t or ney sh ow ed hi m a phot ograph t ak en by Carol H ar m s, t he f i an cé e of a res i den tof t he com pl ex. The phot ograph s how ed a p ar ki ng s pac e w i t h a pi ec e o f pl yw ood i n i tthatha d no bar r i ca di ng or ca ut i on t ape m ar ki ng i tof f
. W hen s how n t he p i c tu re , M u rc h i s o n a c k n o w l e d g e d th a t n o b a rri c a d e s w e re v i s i b l e i n th e p i c tu re but t es t i f i ed t hat su ch a hol e i s st i l l s ec ure a s l ong a s t he pl yw ood i s cov er i ng i t . T& M ’ s ow ner , Ti m G i l es, w as al so asked abou t t he pi ct ure. H e st at ed t hat t he onl y t i m e t hatt he area w as notbar r i caded or t aped off

w as w hi l e h i s crew8

w as w or ki ng. He as se r t ed t hatH ar m s’ s pi ct ure s how ed no ba r r i ca des or t ape bec aus e i tw as t ak en w hi l e t he crew w as t here w or ki ng. M urchi so n furt her

t es t i f i ed t haton t he day of Sol om on’ s i nj ur

y, he rec e i v e d a c a l l fro m G i l e s te l l i n g h i m tha t so m e o n e h a d rep o rt e d an ac c i d e n t. H e t est i f i ed t hat he m ett he apar t m entcom pl ex m ai nt enance m an, Br i an Jam es, and t he tw o m en i ns pec t ed t he a rea w here h ol es ha d be en dug t hatda y a nd fo u n d n o u n c o v e red h o l e s an d n o e v i d e n c e o f a n ac c i d e n t. W h e n h e w e n t t o t he si t e, he saw thatt he bar r i cades, cones, and pl yw ood w ere al l st i l l i n pl ace. Li sa Cr um pt on, t he com m un i t y di rec t or of t he W oods , t es t i f i ed t haton t he day of Sol om on’ s ac ci den t , a con t rac t or i n t he com pl ex t o do cou nt ert op ref i ni sh i ng c am e i nt o t he of f i ce and m ent i one d an ac ci den t had occ ur red outon t he prope r t y. He di d not gi ve an exa ct l oca t i on or nam e of t he i nj ured perso n. Bas ed on t hatrepo r t , C r um pt on w entoutont o t he prope r t y t o s ee w here t he acci dent m i ght have hap pened , but s h e d i d not see anyone or any probl em . S he cal l e d J a m es and som eone w i t h T & M t o repor tt he possi bi l i t y of an a c c i d e n t. S h e te s ti fi e d th a t n o o n e e v e r c o n ta c te d t h e o ffi c e to re p o rt Sol om on’ s ac ci den t . She f urt he r s t at ed t hats he per i odi ca l l y i ns pec t ed t he prope r ty dur i ng t he t i m e con st r uct i on w as ongo i ng a nd t hats he nev er s aw an y a rea s th a t sh o u l d h a v e b e e n b a rr i c a d e d b u t w e re n o t.9

Jam es t es t i f i ed t hathe an d M urchi so n i ns pec t ed t he area aft er l ea r ni ng t h a ta n a c c i d e n th a d o c c u r re d a n d t h a th e d i d n o ts e e a n y h o l e s u n c o v e re d
. He fu r t h e r t e s t if ie d t h a th e h a d n e v e r s e e n a n y a re a s t h a th a d n o tb e e n p ro p e r ly cordon ed off

d ur i ng t he t i m e o f

the con st r uct i on. H e tes t i f i ed t hatthere w ere, how eve r , s om e h ol es i n t he st ree t , t hat t hos e w ere c ove red w i t h pl yw ood, an d t hatsom e of

t hose di d not have bar r i cades. To m m y W ood el l , a for m er resi dent of

t he W ood s, and H ar m s, hi s f i ancée, t e s t if ie d b y d e p o s it io n . W o o d e ll t e s t if ie d t h a th e is in v o lv e d in h is o w n la w s u it res ul t i ng from i nj uri es he al l ege dl y s uf fered f rom fal l i ng i nt o a hol e i n t he p a rk i n g l o t tw o d a y s b e fo re S o l o m o n ’s a c c i d e n t . B o th W o o d e l l a n d H a rm s t es t i f i ed t hat W oode l l w as i nj ured w hen t he t w o a t t em pt ed t o m ove a pi ec e o f p ly w o o d in a p a r k in g s p a c e w it h n a ils s t ic k in g o u to f it
. B o t h t e s t if ie d t h a tit
w as ne xtt o a s pac e i n w hi ch a n ei ghbor w i t h yo ung c hi l dren oft en par ke d, an d th a t b e c ause t hey di d not w antanyon e t o gethur tby t he nai l s, t hey deci ded t o m ove t he boa rd. Har m s t es t i f i ed t hatt he area w i t h t he boa rd w as not su r rounde d by bar r i ca di ng or caut i on t ape . W hen W oode l l l i ft ed t he boa rd a nd t ook a st ep for

w ard, he fel l i nto t he hol e t hatt he boa rd ha d be en cov er i ng. H a rm s a d m i tted tha t W o o d e l l h a d b e e n d ri n k i n g b e fo re h i s a c c i d e n t. H a r m s t e s t if ie d t h a tt h e n e x td a y , s h e w e n to u tt o t h e w o r k c re w a n d t o ld t h e p e rs o n p o i n te d o u t to h e r a s th e fo re m a n a b o u t w h a t h a p p e n e d
. S h e d id10

not descr i be W ood el l ’ s i nj ur i es butdi d t el l t he person t hatW ood el l had fal l en i nt o a hol e. She tes t i f i ed t hatt he m an m usthave heard her because she w as abou tfour

or f i ve feetaw ay but t hathe onl y st ared ather and di d not say anyt hi ng t o her
. That sam e d ay, H ar m s t ook ph ot ographs of t he hol e i n w hi ch W oode l l al l ege dl y fel l , t he boa rd t hat had bee n c ove r i ng i t , an d t he area around i t. S h e to o k p i c tu re s o f th e w o rk c re w a b o u t a w e e k l a te r. Bot h H ar m s and W oode l l t es t i f i ed t hatt hey w ere aw are of t he w or k b ei ng done i n t he par ki ng l ot . W oode l l t es t i f i ed t hats om e a rea s w ere b ar r i ca ded but t hatt he area of

t he pl yw ood- cov ered hol e i n w hi ch he i nj ured hi m se l f w as not bar r i ca ded or

t ape d of

f
. H ar m s al so t es t i f i ed t hatt he area w as notba r r i ca ded
. W oode l l ’ s ac ci den toc cur red on a Sund ay, an d he co ul d nots ay w het her t ape had be en up a round t he area ea r l i er i n t he day or i f s om eon e h ad rem ove d t he t ape. W hen as ked i f he w oul d have s t epped i n t he hol e i f he had no trem oved t h e p ly w o o d , W o o d e ll re s p o n d e d , “ T h e re w o u ld b e n o w a y t o fa ll in t h e h o le if y o u d i d n ’t m o v e th e p l y w o o d .” I n M urchi so n’ s dep os i t i on t es t i m ony, he den i ed t hatH ar m s t ol d hi m ab out W oode l l ’ s ac ci den t , t es t i f yi ng t hathe w as notm ade aw are o f an i nci den tt ak i ng p la c e o n J u n e 2 6 , 2 0 0 5 , u n t il h e re c e iv e d a c a ll f ro m C r u m p t o n in fo r m in g h im t hatt he apa r t m entcom pl ex had rec ei ved a l et t er f rom an at t or ney repres ent i ng W o o d e ll. M u rc h is o n t e s t if ie d t h a tt h e c o m p a n y d id n o tu s e p ly w o o d w it h n a ils11

i n i tt o cove r

hol es and t hathe had never see n pl yw ood w i t h na i l s i n i tco ver i ng a h o l e at th e j o b si te. M u rch i so n w a s s h o w n a p ic tu re, t a k e n b y H a rm s, o f a p i e c e o f p ly w o o d c o v e ri n g o n e o f t h e h o l e s, an d the p l y w o o d h a d n a i l s i n i t. H ar m s i den t i f i ed t he boa rd i n t he pi ct ure as t he one t hat W oode l l had m ove d. M urchi son t est i f i ed t hathe never saw such a board cover i ng any of t he hol es, and i f he had , he w oul d not hav e al l ow ed i t bec aus e of t he pot ent i al dam age t o hi s e q u i p m e n t . W h e n a s k e d b y T &M ’ s a t t o r n e y , h e a g re e d t h a tt he phot ograph di d not sh ow w het her any of t he nai l s ac t ual l y prot r ude d t hrough t he boa rd. S o lo m o n ’s b o s s , D r . M a r t in W a x , t e s t if ie d t h a ts h e c a lle d h im s o m e t im e aft er he r ac ci den tt o t el l hi m abouther i nj ur y and t hatshe w oul d notbe co m i ng i nt o w or k t he next day. H e t est i f i ed t hat she descr i bed w hat had hap pened as g e t t in g o u to f

h e r c a r a n d “ n o th a v [in g ] s o lid g ro u n d w h e re s h e e x it e d ” ; t h a tit
w as “ a f

oot i ng i ss ue” ; and t hat sh e nev er t ol d hi m t hats he l i ft ed a b oard a nd st epped i nt o an expo sed hol e. Th e dangerous cond i t i on w as t he hol e. A quest i on at t r i al w as w het her T& M had t aken st eps t o m ake t he cond i t i on reasonabl y safe. T& M cont ended t hat i t us ed new pi ec es of pl yw ood t o cov er t he hol es an d t hati tba r r i ca ded t he area s ur roundi ng t he hol e. I tal so cont end ed t hateven w i t houtba r r i ca des , t he hol e w as saf

e as l ong as t he board w as cover i ng i t . W ood el l suppor t ed t hat12

cl ai m w hen he adm i t t ed t hat t here w oul d be no w ay t o fal l i n t he hol e w i t hout m ovi ng t he boa rd. S o l o m o n a rgu e d tha t t h e h o l e w a s n o t m a d e sa fe b y T & M ’s effo rt s b e c a u s e t h e a re a w a s n o tb a r r ic a d e d a n d t h e p l y w o o d h a d n a ils in it . B u tit
w as not t he nai l s t hem sel ves t hat caused S ol om on’ s i nj ury. Rat her , i tw as her dec i si on t o m ove t he boa rd bec aus e of t he nai l s so t hats he cou l d pa r k i n t he sp ac e w here t he boa rd w as l oca t ed. She adm i t t ed at t r i al t hat ot her par ki ng s p a c e s w e re a v a ila b le a n d t h a tif s h e h a d b e e n w o r r ie d a b o u td r iv in g o v e r n a ils i n t he boa rd, s he co ul d hav e p ar ke d e l se w here w i t houtha vi ng t o m ove t he boa rd. The pi ct ure o f t he nai l
- r i dde n b oa rd t ha tSol om on us ed t o s how t he rea so n a b l e n e ss o f he r ac ti o n s w a s ta k e n the d a y b e fo re S o l o m o n ’s ac c i d e n t, di d not show nai l s prot r udi ng t hroug h t he board, and w as notest a b l i shed as bei ng t he sa m e b oard l at er cov er i ng t he hol e t hatca us ed her i nj ur y. Sol om on acknow l edged t hati tw as possi bl e t hatshe c o u l d have par ked i n t he space
w i t houtdr i vi ng ov er t he boa rd; rat her

t han at t em pti t , s he m ade t he dec i si on t o m ove t he boa rd. Bot h W oode l l an d Sol om on t es t i f i ed t ha tt hey w oul d not have fal l en i f

t hey had not m oved t he boards cover i ng t he hol es. The j ury al so hea rd Sol om on a gree w i t h t he s t at em entof T& M ‘ s at t or ney t hatw hen s he pi ck ed up t he board, sh e hel d i ti n s uch a w ay t hati tobs t r uct ed her vi ew of11
... G o l d e n E a g l e A rc h e ry , 116 S. W
. 3d a t761. 13 w here s he w as w al ki ng a nd t hat“ i t ’ s a g ood i dea t o be ab l e t o s ee w here y ou a re g o i n g a n d k n o w w h e re y o u a re s te p p i n g b e fo re y o u s ta rt w a l k i n g .” Sol om on s ee m s t o a rgue t hat T& M sh oul d hav e kno w n t hatco ver i ng t he hol e w i t h a b oard w i t h nai l s i n i tw as no ten oug h t o m ake t he area safe because by t he t i m e o f

he r ac ci den t , an ot her

pe rso n ha d be en i nj ured w hen he at t em pt ed t o m ove a boa rd w i t h na i l s i n i t , an d T& M ha d be en i nfor m ed of t he p ro b l e m . T h u s , T & M s h o u l d h a v e k n o w n th a t c o v e ri n g th e h o l e s w i th a b o a rd
w i t h na i l s w oul d crea t e a c ondi t i on t hatco ul d l ea d t o i nj ur y. Butev en as su m i ng th a t s u c h k n o w l e d g e w o u l d m a k e T & M m o re n e g l i g e n t th a n S o l o m o n , th e j u ry heard confl i ct i ng t est i m ony ab out w hat T& M knew and w hen, and t he j ury w as f ree t o a cc eptone ve rsi on a nd di srega rd a not her
. And al t hough Sol om on contends t hat T& M m ade t he cond i t i on of t he hol e m ore dangerous because a p e rs o n lik e h e r

w o u ld s e e n a ils p ro t r u d in g f ro m t h e b o a rd a n d b e l ie v e t h a tit const i t ut ed a dang erous cond i t i on for everyone at t he com pl ex, the ev i dence doe s nots upporta f i ndi ng t hat sh e ac t ed outof co nce r n t hatt hi rd pa r t i es m i ght be i nj ured. H er

professed concer n w as for her t i res. Th e j ury— t he sol e j udg e o f the credi bi l i t y of

tes t i f yi ng w i t nesses 11

— h e a rd c o nf l i ct i ng evi dence abo utw het her T& M proper l y bar r i caded par ki ng areas12

... S ee R o s e ll , 8 9 S .W .3 d a t6 5 9 (n o t in g t h a tju r y h a s w id e la t it u d e in a p p o rti o n i n g re s p o n s i b i l i ty fo r a n a c c i d e n t). 14 w h e re w o r k w a s b e in g d o n e a n d w h e t h e r itu s e d n e w p ly w o o d o r re u s e d o ld pl yw ood w i t h prot r udi ng na i l s. From t he evi den ce att r i al , t he j ur y c oul d ha ve c o n c l u d e d tha t al th o u g h T & M sh o u l d h a v e d o n e a b e tter j o b w i th sa fety m ea su res an d w as ne gl i ge nt i n i t s fai l ure t o do so , Sol om on w oul d notha ve b e e n inju re d a b s e n t h e r o w n n e g lig e n c e a n d t h a t s h e w a s p r im a r ily re s p o n s ib le for her acci dent. The j ury c o ul d have bel i eved, based on t he evi dence pres ent ed, t hatSol om on w as aw are o f co ns t r uct i on goi ng on i nvol vi ng w or k o n t he par ki ng s pac es , t hats he had ot her par ki ng s pac es av ai l abl e t o he r , t hatt he b o a rd w a s n o td a n g e ro u s t o d r iv e o v e r , t h a tif s h e h a d n o tt a k e n it u p o n h e rs e lf t o m o v e t h e b o a rd , s h e c o u l d n o th a v e fa lle n in t h e h o le , a n d t h a ts h e c o u ld have avoi ded t he acci dent by w at chi ng her st ep. I t s f i ndi ng w as notso agai nst t h e g re a tw e ig h ta n d p re p o n d e ra n c e o f t h e e v id e n c e s o a s t o b e m a n ife s t ly u nj u st. 12 W e over r ul e So l om on’ s sol e i ssue. H a v i n g o v e rru l e d S o l o m o n ’s s o le i s s u e , w e a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’s j u d g m e n t. P E R CU R I AM 

### PANE L: DAU PHINO T, GARDN ER, an d WALKER , J J. DELI VERE D: Dec embe r 3 1, 2009