Economic Loss Rule Remains Alive and Well in Texas
Pugh v. Gen. Terrazzo Supplies, Inc., 243 S.W.3d 84 (Tex. Ct. App. 2007), petition for review filed (Mar. 24, 2008)
In this case, the court affirmed a take-nothing summary judgment in favor of a materials supplier based on the economic loss rule. Pugh arose out of a residential construction project involving an exterior insulated finishing system (“EIFS”). After discovering alleged water damage to their home’s wood frame and interior wood flooring, the homeowners sued the masonry subcontractor and veneer supplier for negligence, “product liability (marketing defect),” and breach of the “implied warranties of good and workmanlike service and habitability.”
In a motion for summary judgment, the material supplier argued that the economic loss rule barred the homeowners’ claims for negligence and strict liability.