University of Texas at Arlington v. Bishop

OPINION

CAYCE, Chief Justice.

The principal question we are asked to decide in this case is whether a private attorney may recover attorney’s fees and expenses out of a self-insured state governmental entity’s worker’s compensation subrogation lien. Because we conclude that a private attorney is entitled to such a recovery, and that the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is not entitled to prevail on its other points, we will affirm the judgment of the trial court.

BACKGROUND

On April 17, 1996, William Bishop, a former UTA employee, was injured in a work-related traffic accident due to the…