Opinion ID: 2403597
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Everman's Negligence

Text: The next question is whether there is any evidence to support the jury's finding that Everman was negligent in advising Pre-cast to bring only one and a quarter inch lifting equipment to the project. The basis of Lucas' contention is that Everman knew the concrete beams would be delivered with one and a quarter inch inserts on the edge of the beams and one inch inserts on the face of the beams. Lucas claims Everman should have advised Pre-cast to bring lifting equipment sufficient to lift the beams using either the one inch or one and a quarter inch inserts. The jury found Everman was negligent in advising Pre-cast to bring only one and a quarter inch lifting equipment. The elements of actionable negligence are: the existence of a duty on the part of one party to another; a breach of that duty; and damages to the party to whom the duty was owed proximately caused by the breach of the duty. Rosas v. Buddies Food Store, 518 S.W.2d 534 (Tex. 1975); Bell Helicopter Co. v. Bradshaw, 594 S.W.2d 519 (Tex.Civ.App.Corpus Christi 1979, writ ref'd n.r.e.). Lucas argues that the duty Everman owed to Pre-cast was to correctly advise Pre-cast of what size inserts the beams would contain. Everman has admitted that it owed this duty. There is ample evidence that Everman advised Pre-cast that only one and a quarter inch lifting equipment would be needed for the job. Lucas' basis for maintaining that this advice was erroneous is that Everman knew there would also be one inch inserts on the face of the beams by which the beams should be lifted with one inch lifting equipment. Since we are reviewing this negligence question as a no evidence point, we must consider only the evidence and the reasonable inferences that can be drawn therefrom, in its most favorable light, to support the jury's findings. Dolenz v. Continental National Bank of Fort Worth, 620 S.W.2d 572 (Tex.1981). We must examine only the evidence that tends to prove that Everman's advice was negligence and the proximate cause of Lucas' injuries, and if there is any evidence to support the jury's verdict, the verdict stands in the face of a charge of no evidence. Biggers v. Continental Bus System, 157 Tex. 351, 303 S.W.2d 359 (1957). Lucas points to the testimony of Earl Haley, the president of Everman Corporation, for proof of the alleged negligent advice. Mr. Haley conceded that the plans and specifications called for one inch face inserts. Despite this knowledge, Everman's representative advised that only one and a quarter inch lifting equipment would be needed. He admitted that when the beams are lying flat on the truck bed, they are supposed to be lifted from the one inch face inserts and that he expected the beams to be lifted by the face inserts. From this testimony, the jury was entitled to conclude that advising that only one and a quarter inch lifting equipment was necessary at the job site was a breach of the duty owed to correctly inform Pre-Cast of what equipment would be needed to perform the lifting tasks. Accordingly, Lucas has met the test of Rosas v. Buddies Food Store . Therefore, the court of appeals erred in reversing the judgment against Everman and rendering judgment that Lucas take nothing against Everman. Because of our disposition of the issues of alter ego and Everman's negligence, we do not reach the other points of error raised by the parties and we express no opinion on the correctness of the remainder of the court of appeals' opinion. The judgment of the court of appeals against TXI is reversed and judgment is rendered that Lucas take nothing against TXI. The judgment of the court of appeals for Everman is reversed and the cause is severed. That portion of the cause relating to Everman is remanded to the court of appeals for determination of factual sufficiency.