Opinion ID: 1687228
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the barajases' summary judgment

Text: In the trial court, the Barajases' moved for partial summary judgment against Kelsey-Hayes. The Barajas alleged that their summary judgment evidence showed, as a matter of law, that Kelsey-Hayes manufactured the wheel that caused Jimmy Barajas' death. Their evidence consisted of photographs of the wheel, the Budd Company's expert witness' deposition, Firestone's in-house expert's deposition, and the Barajas' expert witness' affidavit. All the experts examined the photographs of the wheel. The Barajases' expert testified that he compared the photographs with wheels he knew Kelsey-Hayes manufactured. He said the wheel in question was a 16.5-inch nominal diameter wheel. The wheel exhibited certain characteristics that assisted in identifying the manufacturer. These characteristics included: (1) the disc was riveted to the rim as opposed to being welded; (2) a single locating pin on the disc the center which was on the same diameter as the centers of the bolt holes; and (3) the location and shape of the hub cap humps. After reviewing the photographs, other Kelsey-Hayes wheels, and Kelsey-Hayes drawings, and taking into account the characteristics of the wheel in question, the expert concluded Kelsey-Hayes manufactured the wheel. He further stated that three other wheel manufacturers did not manufacture the wheel. He stated that a distinctive design feature of the wheel was that the disc was riveted to the rim. Whereas, in the case of the other three manufacturers, the disc was welded to the rim. He did not discuss any wheel Firestone manufactured. The Barajases offered the Budd Company expert's deposition. He testified that the wheel exhibited characteristics consistent with wheels Kelsey-Hayes manufactured. He identified the characteristics as rivets connecting the disc and rim instead of welds and the location and shape of the hub cap humps. He had not seen this combination of characteristics on any wheel manufactured by anyone other than Kelsey-Hayes. The Firestone expert testified that the Kelsey-Hayes wheel was consistent with the characteristics of the wheel in question. He said he had never seen a wheel with the characteristics of the wheel other than one made by Kelsey-Hayes.