Opinion ID: 895010
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: The owner of the Renaissance Hotel in Dallas hired Price Woods, Inc. (Price Woods) as general contractor to remodel a hotel meeting room. Price Woods in turn subcontracted the HVAC and sheet metal work to Frymire Engineering, Inc. (Frymire). As part of its contract with Price Woods, Frymire agreed to pay for any damages caused to Price Woods or the hotel owner by reason of [Frymire's] performance of the work and to obtain liability insurance to cover this indemnity obligation. Frymire complied with the agreement by purchasing a general liability policy from Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. (Liberty Mutual). While working on the hotel's air conditioning system, Frymire's employees installed an Add-A-Valve to a chilled water line. The water line later ruptured at the site of the valve, resulting in extensive water damage to the hotel. The hotel owner sought indemnification from Frymire according to the terms of the contract; Liberty Mutual paid the owner $458,496 on Frymire's behalf; and the parties signed an agreement releasing Frymire and Liberty Mutual from all actions, claims, and demands stemming from the incident. Nearly two years after signing the release, Frymire, by and through Liberty Mutual (together, Frymire), sued the manufacturers of the Add-A-ValveJomar International, Ltd. and Mixer S.R.L. (together, Jomar)to recoup the indemnification payment, alleging damages from Jomar's negligence, product liability, and breach of warranty. Jomar filed both traditional and no-evidence motions for summary judgment, and the trial court granted both motions without explanation. The court of appeals affirmed, holding that Frymire lacked standing to assert its claims because it failed to establish a right to equitable subrogation. [2] Because the court based its holding solely on standing, it did not address whether summary judgment was appropriate under Jomar's other arguments. [3]