Opinion ID: 1572837
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jones Act Liability

Text: Texas courts have long recognized that in addition to the burden of proof being less stringent, the standard of appellate review in a Jones Act case is also less stringent than under the common law. See Texas & Pac. Ry. v. Roberts, 481 S.W.2d 798, 800 (Tex.1972); Brown & Root, Inc., 510 S.W.2d at 410. As with the law on causation, FELA's standard of appellate review applies in Jones Act cases. See Ferguson, 352 U.S. at 523, 77 S.Ct. at 458. Thus, the purpose of the Jones Act standard of review is to vest the jury with complete discretion on factual issues about liability. See Rogers, 352 U.S. at 506-07, 77 S.Ct. at 448-49. Once the appellate court determines that some evidence about which reasonable minds could differ supports the verdict, the appellate court's review is complete. See Roberts, 481 S.W.2d at 800 (citing Lavender v. Kurn, 327 U.S. 645, 66 S.Ct. 740, 90 L.Ed. 916 (1946)). Essentially, a Texas court of appeals may not conduct a traditional factual sufficiency review of a jury's liability finding under the Texas weight and preponderance standard. See Roberts, 481 S.W.2d at 801; see also Brown & Root, Inc., 510 S.W.2d at 410. Rather, courts of appeals must apply the less stringent federal standard of review.