Opinion ID: 2452215
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Application of the Open Courts Provision

Text: The Maxwells argue that, if the limitations periods for the survival and wrongful death actions began in 1987, application of the two-year limitations period of section 10.01 violates the open courts provision of Article I, section 13 of the Texas Constitution. The Maxwells claim that Fred Maxwell could not have discovered his action against Dr. Bala before his death, and strict application of the limitations period is unreasonable. To establish an open courts violation, a plaintiff must satisfy a two-part test. Moreno v. Sterling Drug, Inc., 787 S.W.2d 348, 355 (Tex.1990). First, he must establish that he has a well-recognized common law cause of action. Id. Second, he must show that the restriction of his claim is unreasonable when balanced against the purpose of the statute. Id. At common law, a personal injury claim did not survive an injured party's death, nor did a deceased's heirs have a common law action for their own losses. Kramer v. Lewisville Memorial Hosp., 858 S.W.2d 397, 403 (Tex.1993). Such actions are now permitted only by statute. Id. Because the Maxwells have no common law right to bring either a wrongful death or survival action, they cannot establish an open courts violation.