Court Opinion

ID: 9674305
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:26:19.175031+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:26.818787
License: Public Domain

PRESLAR, Justice
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent, in that I would grant appellant’s Point of Error No. 7, complaining of the action of the trial court in directing a verdict for the Savings and Loan Association on appellant’s cross-action against it for indemnity and/or contribution. Appellant’s point is that fact issues were raised as to the causative negligence of First Savings & Loan Association. It is the writer’s opinion that the record supports this contention.
The jury found five acts of causative negligence on the part of appellant, Craver-Hicks Building Maintenance, Inc. Four of those issues involved waxing in one phase or another; one was simply that waxing this type of floor at all was negligence. The breach of duty which forms the basis of this lawsuit lies in waxing. I think there is evidence (with reasonable inferences) which connects First Savings to such waxing. Mr. Blakeny, of Craver-Hicks, testified:
“Q Was your agreement with the First Savings & Loan Association to wax twice a month?
A I believe that was the basis of our agreement with them, yes, sir.”.
*672As noted by the majority, the floor had been maintained in the same manner for some eight years. The inference is that First Savings had a standard of care for their floor which it required of its janitor, and further, that standard was the existing condition, for it had thus been done to its satisfaction for eight years. At least, they agreed to the waxing, and waxing is the vice of this case. The appeal as to this point being from an instructed verdict, we must consider the evidence and inferences therefrom in a light most favorable to the losing party. Thomas v. T. C. Bateson Co., Tex.Civ.App., 437 S.W.2d 386 (Ref., n. r. e.); Chamberlain v. North Central Investment Corp., Tex.Civ.App., 432 S.W.2d 581 (Ref., n. r. e.). Reasonable men could differ on the question presented, and I am of the opinion that a fact issue was raised as to negligence on the part of First Savings & Loan Association and, such being the case, a verdict should not have been directed.