Consolidated Mutual Insurance Co. v. Moronko

425 S.W.2d 838, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 3012
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 29, 1968
DocketNo. 15228
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 425 S.W.2d 838 (Consolidated Mutual Insurance Co. v. Moronko) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Consolidated Mutual Insurance Co. v. Moronko, 425 S.W.2d 838, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 3012 (Tex. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

BELL, Chief Justice.

This is a workmen’s compensation case in which, after a jury trial, the court, based on the jury verdict, rendered judgment in favor of appellees for total permanent incapacity incurred by Mrs. Moronko. She received her injuries while working as a saleslady at J. J. Newberry’s on May 25, 1965, when she fell down an escalator which stopped moving while she was on it. She did not file her claim with the Industrial Accident Board until January 12, 1966. The six months’ period for filing the claim expired November 25, 1965. The jury found good cause for not filing sooner, as we shall hereafter notice specifically.

Appellant for reversal asserts there was no evidence to support the jury’s answers to Special Issues 11, 12 and 13 finding good cause. Also it asserts the answers to such issues are contrary to the overwhelming weight and preponderance of the evidence. Also, appellant contends the same with respect to the answer of the jury to Special Issue No. 1 finding total incapacity and to the answer to Special Issue No. 3 finding such incapacity was permanent.

Special Issue No. 9 inquired whether appellant’s agent, Mr. Hall, represented to Mrs. Moronko that “she * * * should not worry about a thing because the insurance company would take care of everything.” Special Issue No. 10 inquired whether Mrs. Moronko relied upon such representation. Affirmative answers were made to these issues. Special Issue No. 11 read in part as follows: “Do you find * * * that Plaintiff’s reliance * * * constituted good cause * * * for Plaintiff’s failure to file her claim with the Industrial Accident Board up until the same was filed?" (Emphasis ours unless otherwise indicated) The jury answered affirmatively.

Special Issue No. 12 inquired whether the defendant by paying weekly benefits and all medical bills from May 25, 1965, to December 14, 1965, led plaintiff to believe that her claim had been filed. The jury answered affirmatively. Special Issue No. 13 read in part as follows: “Do you find * * * that Plaintiff’s belief * * * constituted good cause * * * for failure to file her claim with the Industrial Accident Board up until the time the same was filed?” The jury answered affirmatively.

Appellant’s points of error assert error as to Special Issues 11, 12 and 13, that the court committed error in overruling its motion for instructed verdict, in submitting the issues and in refusing to disregard the answer to each, for the reason there was no evidence to support an affirmative answer.

It is undisputed that Mrs. Moronko received an injury and was immediately taken from the store where she was working to see and be treated by Dr. McCorkle. The employer and appellant, its compensation carrier, had actual notice of the injury. Appellant began paying weekly benefits on [840]*840June 2, 1965, and continued same without interruption until December 14, 1965. During all of this time, and continuously since then, she has been off from work and has been :under treatment for her injuries. Too, appellant paid all medical expenses during the same period and also paid some medical expense after December 14, the last payment being to Dr. McCorkle on February 21, 1966. The medical payments after December 14 covered treatment by Dr. McCorkle both prior to December 14 and thereafter. Since that time, appellant has refused to pay any medical expense. All medical reports were sent by Dr. Mc-Corkle to appellant until it stopped paying medical expense.

Appellant’s agent, Mr. Hall, testified payments of compensation and medical expense were stopped because'of the report of their Drs. Parish and Nowlin that Mrs. Moronko had recovered and was able to return to work. There is a dispute in .the evidence at the time of trial as to whether she had recovered, as we will discuss later in connection with appellant’s contention with regard to the jury’s finding of total permanent disability.

As bearing on the issue of good cause, apart from the undisputed facts above stated with regard to payment of compensation and medical bills, there is testimony of Mrs. Moronko concerning a representation made to her by Mr. Hall that she need not worry one bit, that everything was being taken care of. Mrs. Moronko testified that during the time she was receiving payments she had some conversation with Mr. Hall. She testified :

“Well one time it (one of the checks) was late * * * and I didn’t call the very next day, but he said that the secretary was off but it would be in the mail. So I did receive it later, but then there was the next time I didn’t receive it and that was on a Thursday * * * every Thursday I would get the check * * * Monday I didn’t get it, so I called him Tuesday and he said he had stopped sending me those checks.”

Then followed these questions and answers:

Q Approximately when was that, now?
A Well, that was December.
Q In December of ’65 ?
A In, yes, sir, December.
Q Now in this preceding conversation did Mr. Hall make any representation to you about your claim being taken care of or anything?
A Oh, yes, sir. He told us everything was being taken care of and for us not to worry one bit.
Q That was the time your check was late and you called him ?
A You mean the first time?
Q Yes, ma’am.
A Yes. He always said that, "Don’t worry, everything is taken care of.”
Q * * * I would like for you to tell me exactly what Mr. Hall related to you in that regard, in his own words as best you can.
Q The first telephone conversation.
A About the first check being late ?
Q Not the check being late. The other representation you said he made to you at that time about your claim.
A * * * I don’t quite understand that.
Q * * * I thought you just said at the time of your first conversation * * when the check was late that he mentioned to you that your claim was being taken care of.
* * * * * *
A Well, he said, “Just don’t worry, Mrs. Moronko, everything is being taken care of and-your check will be in the mail.
[841]*841* * * * * *
Q Based on those representations * * did you believe your claim had been filed?
A Yes. I * * * surely I thought that was filed.
Q Did you * * *
A I didn’t think I had to file it.
Q Did you rely on those representations ?
A Yes, sir.
Q Now in your second conversation with him when he told you that they were stopping your compensation, you would never get any more checks ⅜ ⅜ ⅜
A That’s what he said.

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Bluebook (online)
425 S.W.2d 838, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 3012, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/consolidated-mutual-insurance-co-v-moronko-texapp-1968.