Opinion ID: 1860539
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sykes's Burden of Proof

Text: For his second point on appeal, Sykes argues alternatively that, even if liability in a tort action under Arkansas Code Annotated section 11-9-105(b) is not strict, he has established Appellees' negligence by a showing that they failed to maintain workers' compensation insurance coverage. Sykes cites case law for the proposition that the failure of a defendant to perform a duty imposed upon him or her by statute is evidence of negligence on his or her part. Mays v. Ritchie Grocer Co., 177 Ark. 35, 5 S.W.2d 728 (1928). However, the same authority also stands for the rule that such negligent conduct, in the absence of evidence showing it to have been the proximate cause of the injury complained of, furnishes no legal ground of complaint. Id. at 35, 5 S.W.2d at 729. Appellees' noncompliance with Arkansas Code Annotated section 11-9-404 (Supp.2007), in failing to secure the payment of compensation, may have been negligent. Yet, without a showing that such negligence was the proximate cause of Sykes's injuries, there can be no recovery of damages. The burden rests upon the plaintiff to show by a preponderance of the evidence that his or her injuries were caused by some negligent act or omission of the defendant. Mangrum v. Pigue, 359 Ark. 373, 198 S.W.3d 496 (2004). Juries are not permitted to guess or to speculate as to the proximate cause of an alleged injury. Id. We have said that proximate cause is that cause which, in a natural and continuous sequence, produces damage. Sluder v. Steak & Ale of Little Rock, Inc., 361 Ark. 267, 275, 206 S.W.3d 213, 218 (2005). It simply cannot be said here that Appellees' failure to maintain insurance coverage produced Sykes's back injury. Sykes insists that Appellees' failure to maintain insurance coverage produced his economic injury, in that it caused him to incur medical bills that otherwise would have been covered by insurance. However, this argument is not properly preserved for our review, as it was not raised below. It is elementary that our court will not consider arguments made by an appellant for the first time on appeal. Hackelton v. Malloy, 364 Ark. 469, 221 S.W.3d 353 (2006). We will not do so because it is incumbent on the parties to raise arguments initially to the trial court to give that court an opportunity to consider them. Id. Otherwise, this court would be placed in the position of reversing a trial court for reasons never presented to that court. Id.