
    Ex parte UNIROYAL GOODRICH TIRE COMPANY. (Re Frank H. SKELTON v. UNIROYAL GOODRICH TIRE COMPANY, INC.).
    1961217.
    Supreme Court of Alabama.
    Aug. 22, 1997.
    Christopher H. Jones of Zeanah, Hust, Summerford, Davis & Jones, L.L.C., Tuscaloosa, for petitioner.
    William J. Donald III of Donald, Randall, Donald & Tipton, Tuscaloosa, for respondent.
   KENNEDY, Justice.

WRIT DENIED. NO OPINION.

MADDOX, ALMON, SHORES, COOK, BUTTS, and SEE, JJ., concur.

HOOPER, C.J., and HOUSTON, J., dissent, with opinion by HOOPER, C.J.

HOOPER, Chief Justice

(dissenting).

The trial court did not err in finding that Skelton had not proved medical causation and thus did not err in denying benefits. See my dissent in Ex parte Trinity Industries, Inc., 680 So.2d 262, 272 (Ala.1996). Certainly we are obligated to defer to the trial judge on close calls regarding the sufficiency of the evidence. I cannot say the evidence relied upon by the trial judge was insufficient.

I must respectfully dissent.

HOUSTON, J., concurs.  