Coward v. Casey Jones, Contractor, Inc.

Frank Holt, Justice.

The appellant brought this action against the appellee to recover damages for the death of Gerald Cowart, appellant’s husband, allegedly caused by the negligence of the appellee. The deceased was fatally injured when a crane, rented from appellee, struck the decedent and caused him to fall from a building under construction. When the appellant concluded the evidence in her case, the trial court directed a verdict for the appellee on the basis that the continued use of the crane by Bechtel (decedent’s employer), with the knowledge that it lacked certain safety devices,…