Dixon v. VAN WATERS & ROGERS, a DIV. OF UNIVAR

674 S.W.2d 479, 1984 Tex. App. LEXIS 5792
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 12, 1984
Docket2-83-149-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 674 S.W.2d 479 (Dixon v. VAN WATERS & ROGERS, a DIV. OF UNIVAR) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dixon v. VAN WATERS & ROGERS, a DIV. OF UNIVAR, 674 S.W.2d 479, 1984 Tex. App. LEXIS 5792 (Tex. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

OPINION

HUGHES, Justice.

Appellants, Bobby E. Dixon, Sr., and Gailya W. Dixon, filed a products liability suit against appellees, Van Waters and Rogers, for damages relating to the death of their son, Bobby E. Dixon, Jr. After a jury verdict and judgment in favor of ap-pellees, appellants bring this appeal.

We affirm.

Appellants assign eleven points of error. In their first point, appellants contend that the jury’s answer to Special Issue No. 1 is incorrect as a matter of law because there is no evidence or, alternatively, there is insufficient evidence that appellees gave adequate warnings concerning the dangers of inhaling the fumes from the hydrochloric acid. Appellants assert in their second point of error that as a matter of law there is no evidence or insufficient evidence that appellees gave adequate warnings concerning the dangers of inhalation of the fumes by those users with underlying lung diseases to support the jury’s answer to Special Issue No. 1. In point of error three, appellants argue that the jury's answer to Special Issue No. 1 is incorrect as a matter of law because there is no evidence or there is insufficient evidence that appellees gave adequate instructions for the safe use of the product concerning the dangers of inhalation of the fumes from the hydrochloric acid.

Because appellants attack the sufficiency of the evidence, we must set forth below the salient facts.

Mitchell Clark Kuppinger, M.D., testified at the trial. He first saw the decedent on April 2, 1979. At that time decedent was complaining of a cough and shortness of breath on exertion. Kuppinger explained to the decedent that he had interstitial pulmonary fibrosis and began treating the decedent with Prednisone. Kuppinger’s diagnosis was verified from records made in 1974 by other doctors. By April 9, 1979, decedent’s cough had disappeared, and he had less shortness of breath. Decedent was still doing well on May 3, 1979. Kup- *481 pinger next saw decedent on May 14, 1979. Decedent’s cough was worse than before with sputum and he was experiencing shortness of breath. Decedent told Kup-pinger that he had been cleaning pools with hydrochloric acid. Decedent was admitted to the hospital on May 14, 1979. He appeared to be acutely ill, was wheezing, had trouble breathing and had pulmonary hypertension. Although decedent experienced initial improvement, his condition deteriorated and he was pronounced dead on May 25, 1979.

Kuppinger had warned decedent to avoid inhaling noxious substances such as smoke, dust and toxic fumes but had not specifically warned decedent to avoid inhalation of hydrochloric acid fumes. A study done of patients with this form of chronic lung disease showed that ten years after initial, diagnosis of the disease, 70% will have died. Another study suggested that the younger a patient is at the time of diagnosis, the better the patient will do. It was Kuppinger’s opinion that, based on his initial examination of the decedent, the decedent’s life expectancy, although shortened, could have been measured in years.

On cross-examination, Kuppinger testified that decedent had suffered constant respiratory problems as an infant and was hospitalized on numerous occasions during childhood for cough and pulmonary problems. Open lung surgery was performed on decedent in 1974. Diagnosis was interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.

Kuppinger also testified that after the initial examination decedent was treated with Prednisone which reduces the body’s ability to fight bacterial infection, increases the risk of infection and may make diagnosis of an infection difficult. No test was performed to connect hydrochloric acid to decedent’s illness because none is available.

Kuppinger stated on the death certificate that the causation factor of death was inhalation of hydrochloric acid fumes. On cross-examination, however, he testified it was mere speculation that the fumes caused the bronchitis which resulted in decedent’s death. Kuppinger also testified that a person with normal lungs would not have been affected by the hydrochloric acid.

Fred Herold, Operations Manager for ap-pellee company, testified concerning* the uses and use of hydrochloric acid. Herold stated that the key to avoid breathing the vapors of the hydrochloric acid is to use with adequate ventilation. Hydrochloric acid is a corrosive which is used in industry and in homes for cleaning swimming pools, removing algae and as a germicide in pools. The acid emits a pungent odor which irritates the nasal passages. Inhalation would cause coughing, eyes to water or burning in the nostrils. Hydrochloric acid is readily available in retail stores.

The various warnings used on the drums of hydrochloric acid by appellee are set forth below in our discussion of appellants’ fourth point of error and will not be set forth here.

The law is clear that if a manufacturer knew or should have known of the potential harm its product could cause to a user, the manufacturer is obligated to give an adequate warning concerning such dangers. Bristol-Myers Co. v. Gonzales, 561 S.W.2d 801, 804 (Tex.1978). Whether the warning given is adequate in view of the user and the circumstances is a question for the fact finder. Pearson v. Hevi-Duty Elec., 618 S.W.2d 784, 787 (Tex.Civ.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1981, writ ref’d n.r.e.).

In our review of appellants’ “no evidence” point, it is fundamental that the jury’s fact findings must be upheld by us if there is more than a scintilla of evidence in support thereof. Steelman v. Georgetown S. & L. Ass’n, 595 S.W.2d 486, 488 (Tex.1979). There is some evidence, more than a scintilla, if the evidence furnishes some reasonable basis for differing conclusions by reasonable minds as to the existence of the vital fact. Kindred v. Con/Chem, Inc., 650 S.W.2d 61, 63 (Tex.1983). Moreover, in testing these findings, we must review the evidence in its most favorable light, considering only the evidence and inferences which support the findings, and *482 rejecting the evidence and inferences contrary to the findings. Stedman, supra; Calvert, “No Evidence” and “Insufficient Evidence” Points of Error, 38 TEXAS L.REV. 361 (1960).

On the other hand, when we confront a challenge that the evidence is insufficient, we must consider and weigh all the evidence in the case, including that which is contrary to the verdict. Burnett v. Motyka, 610 S.W.2d 735, 736 (Tex.1980). We must determine whether the verdict was so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be manifestly unjust. In re King’s Estate, 150 Tex. 662, 244 S.W.2d 660, 661 (1951).

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674 S.W.2d 479, 1984 Tex. App. LEXIS 5792, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dixon-v-van-waters-rogers-a-div-of-univar-texapp-1984.