Court Opinion

ID: 9679680
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:02:18.007297+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:18.034221
License: Public Domain

GONZALEZ, Justice,
dissenting.
The court’s opinion is overly broad. I would reinstate the jury verdict and remand this cause to the court of appeals for consideration of respondent’s insufficiency of the evidence points of error.
An injury must be sustained in the course of employment before an employee or statutory beneficiary can recover benefits under the Workers’ Compensation Act, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. art. 8306, § 1. Generally, in order to recover, a claimant must show that (1) the injury occurred while the employee was engaged in or about the furtherance of the employer’s business; and (2) the injury was of such kind and character as had to do with and originated in the employer’s business. Biggs v. United States Fire Ins. Co., 611 S.W.2d 624, 627 (Tex.1981); Deatherage v. International Ins. Co., 615 S.W.2d 181, 182 (Tex.1981); Texas Employers Ins. Ass’n v. Page, 553 S.W.2d 98, 99 (Tex.1977).
In this case, the first prong of the course of employment test was hotly contested. The issue was properly submitted to the jury and it was answered in Lujan’s favor. There is some evidence, more than a scintilla, to support the jury’s answer. Therefore, I would reinstate the jury verdict. By refusing to honor the verdict of the jury, the court is sending a signal to the trial judges not to submit this ultimate question of fact to the jury, but to rule on it as a matter of law. In my opinion, absent a stipulation or agreement, this is clearly a fact question for resolution by the trier of fact.
*299The court’s opinion has great potential for mischief. I am concerned that it will result in many unnecessary appeals. Also, respondent perfected numerous insufficiency of the evidence points of error. Under McKelvy v. Barber, 381 S.W.2d 59 (Tex.1964), it is entitled to have the cause remanded to the court of appeals for consideration of these points of error. I would reverse the judgment of the court of appeals and remand this cause to that court for consideration of the insufficiency points of error.