Ranch Hand's Family Can Pursue Tort Claim for His Death

A divided Texas Supreme Court ruled that the family of a ranch hand could proceed with tort claims against the ranch owners for his death. Case: Waak v. Rodriguez, No. 19-0167, 06/12/2020, published. Facts: Conway and Marlene Waak own a cattle ranch in Fayette County. Raul Amparo Zuniga Ortiz Jr. began working for the Waaks in 2005. His responsibilities involved feeding, moving and monitoring the cattle. In October 2013, Conway asked Zuniga to move 20 head of cattle from one end of the ranch to the other. Zuniga had performed this task many times. The Waaks left the property, leaving ...