Court Opinion

ID: 9453735
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 18:22:06.078324+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:33:46.792855
License: Public Domain

RIVES, Circuit Judge
(concurring specially):
I concur in the result and in all of the opinion except for the last paragraph. I agree also that the duty to inspect and warn was on Texaco. Whatever the source of Texaco’s duty, it could be performed or not performed only by some employee. Coffey was the Texaco employee who had general superintendence over the installation of this pumping unit. I think that he owed to Vaughan the same duty as Texaco.
In their brief the appellees urge that, as to the personal liability of a servant to third persons, we should draw a distinction between malfeasance and nonfeasance.1 The appellees cite Labadie v. Hawley, 61 Tex. 177, as showing that Texas “is among the states denying personal liability against a servant for personal injury resulting from ‘mere nonperformance.’ ” Later Texas decisions have emasculated any such holding.2 I cannot escape the inconsistency of the verdict in holding Texaco liable while absolving Coffey.
Nonetheless, I concur in the judgment of affirmance, because I think that Texas is one of the few jurisdictions which has not adopted the rule that, where a master and servant are sued jointly and the servant is acquitted, there can be no recovery against the master.3 The Texas cases hold that, though such a verdict has the appearance of being based on contradictory findings, the verdict against the master need not be disturbed.4 For that reason, I concur in the result.

. See Prosser on Torts, 3rd ed., pp. 334, et seq; 35 Am.Jur., Master & Servant § 585; Annot. 20 A.L.R. 158 and 99 A.L.R. 424.

. See 28 Tex.Jur.2d § 260, p. 521; Cornett v. Hardy, Tex.Civ.App.1961, 241 S.W.2d 186, 190, last paragraph of first column; Kirby Lumber Corp. v. Walters, Tex.Civ. App.1955, 277 S.W.2d 796, 800, last paragraph of second column; Kenney v. Lane, 1894, 9 Tex.Civ.App. 150, 36 S.W. 1063, 1064 (this case contains a most interesting discussion).

. See 57 C.J.S. Master and Servant § 619b, n. 20.

. S. H. Kress & Co. v. Hall, Tex.Civ.App. 1941, 154 S.W.2d 278, 280; Texas & Pacific Ry. Co. v. Huber, Tex.Civ.App. 1906, 95 S.W. 568, 570; Gulf C. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. James, 1889, 73 Tex. 12, 10 S.W. 744, 746.