Davenport v. Texaco, Inc.

623 So. 2d 123, 1993 La. App. LEXIS 2543, 1993 WL 254373
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 2, 1993
DocketNo. 92 CA 1490
StatusPublished

This text of 623 So. 2d 123 (Davenport v. Texaco, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davenport v. Texaco, Inc., 623 So. 2d 123, 1993 La. App. LEXIS 2543, 1993 WL 254373 (La. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

PITCHER, Judge.

Defendant, Texaco, Inc. (“Texaco”), appeals from the trial court judgment granting plaintiff, Walter Davenport, worker’s compensation and medical benefits.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On December 13, 1988, plaintiff filed a Claim for Worker’s Compensation against Texaco, alleging that Texaco was the statutory employer of plaintiff and thus, liable under LSA-R.S. 23:1061.

Texaco answered this claim and specifically denied that plaintiff was within the course of [124]*124his employment at the time of the accident or that plaintiff, at the time of the accident, was doing the business, trade or occupation of Texaco.

On June 21, 1989, Texaco filed a third party demand against A.N. Collette Oil Company, Inc., (“Collette”), seeking contribution and/or indemnity, pursuant to a Marketer Agreement for Motor Fuels that existed between these two parties.

On August 29, 1990, the case came before the Honorable Leo P. Higginbotham, Jr. for a bench trial. During the trial of this matter, the electricity in the courthouse failed. Judge Higginbotham did not want to try the case piecemeal and ordered that the case be retried in its entirety.

The case was retried before Judge Higginbotham on November 5, 1990. After the presentation of the evidence, the court took the matter under advisement. All parties submitted post-trial memorandum at the request of the court.

On December 18, 1990, Judge Higginbotham rendered judgment in favor of Texaco as to plaintiffs demand. The third party demand against Collette was denied.

On January 10,1991, the Honorable Frank Saia1 signed the written judgment, in accordance with Judge Higginbotham’s written reasons for judgment. On January 22, 1991, plaintiff moved for a new trial, contending that the judgment was contrary to the law and evidence and was prejudicial to plaintiff. The hearing on this motion was held on February 22,1991. After reviewing the trial transcript and hearing argument, Judge Saia found that Judge Higginbotham’s judgment was in error and, thus, granted a new trial.

The case was retried on March 13, 1992. Neither party called any new witnesses nor introduced any new evidence. The retrial consisted of submitting the written transcript and exhibits introduced at the previous trial. The trial court, in its oral reasons for judgment, stated:

All right. The third party demand against defendant Collette is — I grant judgment in favor of the third party defendant Collette and against the plaintiff in the third party demand, Texaco, dismissing that demand at Texaco’s cost.
I find that the contract is not only onerous; it was almost executed under duress, and the accident sued upon herein is outside of the scope of the conditions of the contract.
I grant judgment in favor of plaintiff Davenport and against Texaco. I grant him workmen’s comp, in the amount of $100 for two hundred twenty weeks; that’s two weeks in December of 87, 10 weeks in 1992 and the other two hundred and something weeks in the years 88, 89, 90 and 91, a total amount of $22,000.00, plus 33⅝% attorney fees, $7,326.00; twelve percent penalty on the $22,000.00, $2,640.00. I grant him a judgment to be reinstated workmen’s comp, at $100 per week, with medical benefits; and I order that plaintiff Davenport submit to a medical examination.

Texaco has appealed from this adverse judgment, assigning the following errors:

1. The trial court erred in finding that Texaco Inc. was plaintiffs statutory employer.
2. The trial court erred in finding that plaintiff received personal injury by accident arising out of and in the course of his employment.
3. The trial court erred in finding that plaintiff was disabled where no evidence of his nature, extent or term of the alleged disability was introduced at trial.
4. The trial court erred in fixing plaintiffs weekly benefit rate at $100.00.
5. The trial court erred in awarding penalties and attorney’s fees.
6. The trial court erred in dismissing Texaco Inc.’s Third Party Demand.

FACTS

Texaco entered into a Marketer Agreement For Motor Fuels with Collette. This [125]*125agreement was effective on May 1, 1987, through June 30, 1990. In the agreement, Texaco agreed to sell and deliver motor fuels to the purchaser, Collette.

Collette entered into a lease with Joseph P. Hoffman (“Hoffman”), whereby Hoffman would lease a business known as “The Station”, operated as “Bayou Truck Stop”. Pursuant to this lease, Hoffman was bound to purchase all gasoline, diesel and allied products to be sold from Bayou Truck Stop from Collette. The term of this lease commenced on August 19, 1986, and terminated on August 18, 1987. The lease terms provided for the continuation of the lease on a month-to-month basis until written notification of a desire to terminate the lease by either party, at least ten days prior to the expiration of the month.

Plaintiff had been employed on a day-today basis by Hoffman for approximately six months before the accident occurred. He testified that he would go by the station every morning to see what needed to be done. Plaintiff usually emptied the garbage three days a week, unless it was a particularly busy day and then, he would add an extra garbage day. Plaintiff stated that he had no regular working hours. He would go in at 7:00 a.m. and would work late, depending on the work that had to be done. Besides the garbage collection, plaintiff picked up parts, as needed, for the “big” trucks. Plaintiff stated he often helped Hoffman work on these eighteen wheelers. Plaintiff also testified that the station had a self-service area and that he would sometimes help the ladies pump their gas and wipe the windshields. Plaintiff occasionally cut the grass around the sump pit, located behind the station.

Plaintiff stated that he often used his own vehicle to haul the garbage and pick up the parts. Hoffman provided plaintiff with a Texaco cap, shirt and pin to wear while at work. Plaintiff was always paid in cash by Hoffman. He was not paid regular wages. Plaintiff stated that he would receive $20.00 every time he dumped the garbage and $25.00 for cutting the grass around the sump pit. When he picked up parts, plaintiff testified that he got a percentage of what Hoffman made. There was no evidence, such as check stubs or tax returns, which would indicate how much plaintiff was paid by Hoffman.

On December 18, 1987, plaintiff was injured at the Bayou Truck Stop while mounting his own tire. Plaintiff testified that he had fixed tires for other people before. Apparently, plaintiff kept .several tires in the back of his truck, and he was mounting one of these tires when he was injured. Plaintiff had mounted the tire and was sitting on it, putting air into the tire with the air hose provided to customers in the front of the truck stop, when it blew up. Plaintiff stated that, evidently, the tire was not good or there was too much air in it. Plaintiff had not obtained the tire from the station nor had he used the station’s equipment in attempting to fix the tire.

As a result of this accident, plaintiff suffered a broken leg, a broken arm and several cuts to his face.

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Bluebook (online)
623 So. 2d 123, 1993 La. App. LEXIS 2543, 1993 WL 254373, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davenport-v-texaco-inc-lactapp-1993.