Twin City Fire Insurance Co. v. Davis

joined by PHILLIPS, Chief Justice, and GONZALEZ, HIGHTOWER, HECHT, GAMMAGE, ENOCH and OWEN, Justices.

The primary issue in this bad faith insurance case is whether the policy proceeds wrongfully denied an employee by a workers’ compensation insurance carrier will alone support an award of punitive damages. We hold that under our decision in Aranda v. Insurance Co. of North America, 748 S.W.2d 210 (Tex.1988), a workers’ compensation claimant must obtain jury findings entitling her to damages in addition to the benefits wrongfully withheld in order to recover punitive damages. Accordingly, we…