HonorableFrankWright
CountyAuditor
Fannin County
Bonham,Texas
Bear Sir: opinionNo. O-2473
Re: Is the county liablefor parsonal
Injuriesof road hands receivedwhile
employedby the county?
Your recant request for an opinionof this departmsnton the above stated
Puastionhas bean received.
With referenceto your Puestionwe call your attentionto 0~3 opinions
Boa. O-n9 and o-2136. OpinlouBo. O-779 holds that;
"It is not the duty of the county or of the road
precinctto carry employer'sliabilityinsurancefor
the protectionof road worhmen of the county."
OpinionNo. O-2136 dealswith the questionof whetheror not the Com-
missioners' court has the right and authorityto pay a claim for damages
resultingfrom the death of an employeeof the county in a collision
while on his way to work for the county. The opinionholds that the
I I__..~ commissioners' court cannot legallypay the claim.
We are enclosingcopiesof the above mentionedopinionsfor your convenience.
We quote in part from the case of Bryan vs. LibertyCounty,299 SW303-4
as follows:
". . . .It has long been the law of Texas that a county is not
liable in damagesfor personalinjuriessustainedby one in
consequenceof the tortiouaor negligentacts of its agents,
servantsand employeesunlesssuch lfabilitybe createdby
statute,either in expressterms or by implication.Heigel
vs. Wichita County,84 Tex. 39, 19 SW 562, 31 Am. St. Rep.
63; Walton ~5~ Travis County, 5 Tex. Civ. App. 525, 24 SW
352; Crausevs. Harris County,19 Tex. Civ. App. 375, 44 SW
616; Riley vs. ColemanCounty (Tex.Civ. App.) 181 SW 743;,
Har$:vs.Hafris County [Tex. Civ. ApP.)?44~~SW 1103:~Harris
Countyvs. Darhart,115 Tex. 449, 283 gf 139. Au these ~,
authoritiessustainthe counter'proposition advancedby the
HonorableFrankWright, Page #2 (O-2473)
defendanthere that a county is not liable in damagesfor
personalinjuriesnegligentlyinflictedby the county'6
agents,servantsand employees,in the absenceof a statute
creatingsuch liabilityin expressterm or by implication.*
There is no statutecreatingsuch liabilityin expressterms or by
implication, making the county liablefor personalinjuriesof road
hands receivedwhile employedby the county.
In view of the foregoingauthorities,your questionis respectfully
answeredin the negative.
Trustingthat the foregoingfully answersyour inquiry,we are
Very truly yours
ATPORHEPGEXEFiALOFTEXAS
a/ ArdallWilliama
BY
ArdallWilliams
Assistant
AW:AW-ldw
APPROVED~08 27, 1940
s/ WALD c. MANN
ATTORNEXGE3ERALOF TEXAS
APPROVEDOPINIONCOMMITTEE
BY B, W. B.
CHAIRMAW