Ritch v. Tarrant County Hospital District

OPINION

MASSEY, Chief Justice.

The appeal is from a summary judgment rendered in behalf of the defendant, Tar-rant County Hospital District, upon an action brought by Mrs. Ritch and her children under the Texas Wrongful Death Act, Vernon’s Ann.Tex.Civ.St., Title 77, “Injuries Resulting in Death”, Art. 4671 et seq.

Although plaintiffs’ decedent was a “paying patient”, i.e., one with whom the defendant had contracted, upon compensation, for his hospital care as of the time of his alleged negligently inflicted injuries, resulting in death, we are of the opinion that the present state of the…