Court Opinion

ID: 9683312
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 13:26:29.551171+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:47.041781
License: Public Domain

LEVY, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
My disagreement with the majority focuses on its sustaining appellant’s second point of error, that there was no evidence to sustain the jury’s finding that the failure to replace the tool belt was the proximate cause of appellee’s injuries.
Conceding that there was no direct evidence on this point, I nevertheless feel that the majority ignores the important principle, as stated in its own opinion, that an ultimate fact may be established by circumstantial evidence. Freeman v. Texas Compensation Insurance Co., 586 S.W.2d 172 (Tex.Civ.App.—Fort Worth, 1979, aff’d on other grounds). Appellee testified that his tool belt had slipped on prior occasions and that he had notified appellant that it was defective, but appellant had refused to replace it. Because of his knowledge of the way he was positioned on the pole, the path of the electrical current entering, crossing, and exiting his body, and his knowledge of the theory and characteristics of electricity, appellee testified that he was convinced that the belt must have slipped, and that he instinctively reached up to grab something and was shocked.
Appellee’s supervisor and a co-worker, though both otherwise preoccupied at the precise moment of the shock, speculated on the basis of their experience that appellee got too close to the hot wire (presumably when he reached up to steady himself), thereby precipitating the shock.
In reviewing the record on the “no evidence” point, this court must consider only the evidence and reasonable inferences therefrom which, viewed in their most favorable light, support the trial court’s judgment, and must disregard all the evidence and inferences to the contrary. Bounds v. Caudle, 560 S.W.2d 925 (Tex.1977); In re King’s Estate, 150 Tex. 662, 244 S.W.2d 660 (1952); Estate of Claveria v. Claveria, 615 S.W.2d 164 (Tex.1981). Because we must presume the jury’s findings to be in support of the judgment, we are obligated to affirm the judgment if it can be sustained on any legal theory supported by the pleadings and the evidence. Accordingly, I would hold that the foregoing circumstances have sufficient probative force to constitute a basis of legal inference supporting the jury’s findings. Smith v. Tennessee Life Insur*159ance Co., 618 S.W.2d 829 (Tex.Civ.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1981, no writ); Lumbermen’s Underwriting Alliance v. Bell, 594 S.W.2d 569 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1980, writ ref. n.r.e.).
Agreeing with the other elements of the majority’s decision, I would affirm the trial court’s judgment in all respects.