Houston Lighting & Power Co. v. Reynolds

OPINION

TOM COLEMAN, Retired Judge.

Carl David Reynolds was severely injured when he used an aluminum pole to touch a powerline that ran through a residential neighborhood. This is an appeal from a judgment awarding him substantial damages based on a jury verdict. A major contention of Houston Lighting & Power Company in this appeal is that there is no strict products liability cause of action against electric utility companies for injuries caused by contact with high voltage distribution lines.

Carl David, a 16 year-old boy, was visiting at the home of a friend, Eric Everroad. While they were…