Court Opinion

ID: 9939513
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-10 01:00:36.340324+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:41:21.590468
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-20139     Document: 00517061989         Page: 1     Date Filed: 02/09/2024

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                                                        United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                 Fifth Circuit

                                ____________                                   FILED
                                                                         February 9, 2024
                                  No. 23-20139                            Lyle W. Cayce
                                ____________                                   Clerk

   Javier Tapia, Individually and as Personal Representative of the
   Estate of A.W.T.; Jennifer Welborn,

                                                           Plaintiffs—Appellants,

                                       versus

   Union Pacific Railroad Company,

                                            Defendant—Appellee.
                  ______________________________

                  Appeal from the United States District Court
                      for the Southern District of Texas
                            USDC No. 4:23-CV-42
                  ______________________________

   Before King, Jones, and Oldham, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam:*
          Avery Tapia was hit and killed by a Union Pacific train while on a
   railroad-only bridge in Houston’s Memorial Park. Following the accident,
   Avery’s parents sued Union Pacific in state court for negligence and gross
   negligence. Union Pacific removed to federal court and moved for summary

          _____________________
          *
            Pursuant to 5th Circuit Rule 47.5, the court has determined that this
   opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited
   circumstances set forth in 5th Circuit Rule 47.5.4.
Case: 23-20139     Document: 00517061989          Page: 2   Date Filed: 02/09/2024

                                   No. 23-20139

   judgment, arguing that it did not proximately cause Avery’s death, did not
   owe Avery a duty of ordinary care, and did not breach any such duty.
         Without addressing the elements of duty or breach, the district court
   determined that proximate cause was lacking and granted summary judgment
   in favor of Union Pacific. The support for the district court’s decision on
   proximate cause came almost exclusively from the dissenting opinion in
   Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Co. v. Riddle, 277 S.W. 164, 166 (Tex.
   App.—Waco 1925, writ ref’d). Irrespective of the ultimate outcome in this
   case, for this reason, we cannot say that the district court’s order granting
   summary judgment was free of error.
         The judgment of the district court is VACATED, and the case is
   REMANDED for further proceedings.

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