Split Court Revives Family's Tort Claims for Death of Ranch Hand

A divided Texas appellate court ruled that the family of a ranch hand could proceed with their tort claims against the ranch owners for the worker’s death. Case: Rodriguez v. Waak, No. 01-17-00755-CV, 08/21/2018, 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, the Waaks instructed Zuniga to move 20 cattle to a different pasture. Conway Waak asked if Zuniga would need help to accomplish this task...