Dresser Industries, Inc. v. Lee

OPINION

HECHT, Justice.

Several courts of appeals have disagreed over the effect of our decision in Varela v. American Petrofina Co., 658 S.W.2d 561 (Tex.1983). Three courts of appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, have concluded that Varela does not preclude a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit from introducing evidence that the negligence of plaintiff’s employer caused the accident, even though the employer is shield*751ed from liability by the Workers’ Compensation Law. Williams v. Union Carbide Corp., 734 S.W.2d 699 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1987, writ…