Worker's Fiancee Doesn't Establish Entitlement to Death Benefits

A Texas appellate court ruled that a worker’s self-proclaimed fiancee was not entitled to summary judgment awarding death benefits as his informal wife. Case: Texas Mutual Insurance Co. v. Ochoa, No. 13-20-00060-CV, 05/27/2021, published. Facts and procedural history: Nathan Fryday was killed in a work-related incident in August 2016. Texas Mutual Insurance Co. provided workers’ compensation coverage for Fryday’s employer. Fryday’s parents and Lacey Ochoa sought workers’ compensation death benefits. TMIC disputed Ochoa’s claim that she was Fryday’s ...