Dealers National Insurance Company v. Simmons

421 S.W.2d 669, 1967 Tex. App. LEXIS 2857
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 8, 1967
Docket25
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 421 S.W.2d 669 (Dealers National Insurance Company v. Simmons) 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
Dealers National Insurance Company v. Simmons, 421 S.W.2d 669, 1967 Tex. App. LEXIS 2857 (Tex. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinions

BARRON, Justice.

Albert D. Simmons, plaintiff in the trial court and appellee here, was an employee of Joe Bailey Martin. Joe Bailey Martin operated a wholesale beer distributing business in Trinity, Texas. He, Martin, also oprated a ranch in Walker County, Texas. Simmons’ principle duties were those of a ranch worker; but he did, from time to time, do some work connected with his employer’s beer distributing business.

The employer, Martin, carried a workmen’s compensation policy with the appellant, defendant in the trial court, for the protection of his workers in the beer distributing business. He also, by way of an endorsement on his workmen’s compensation policy, carried voluntary workmen’s compensation insurance providing for coverage of his farm, ranch, and other agricultural employees.

On December 25, 1964, Simmons allegedly sustained an injury while driving his employer’s truck to the employer’s ranch to feed cattle. Simmons filed a claim for workmen’s compensation with the Industrial Accident Board seeking the statutory compensation benefits for disabilities resulting from the injuries sustained. From an adverse ruling of the Industrial Accident Board he duly perfected his appeal to the trial court. In the trial court he alleged he was an employee entitled to benefits under the statutory workmen’s compensation policy carried by his employer with appellant for the protection of his workers in the beer distributing business. He alleged, alternatively, that he was a ranch hand and entitled to the benefits of the voluntary workmen’s compensation insurance carried by his employer in the endorsement upon the statutory policy.

The evidence, when viewed retrospectively, shows rather clearly that Simmons was a farm or ranch employee and was not an [672]*672employee in the beer distributorship. After the close of the testimony in the trial court, Simmons abandoned his claim under the statutory policy and sought recovery only under the voluntary coverage. The jury found that he had sustained an accidental injury, as alleged by him, which was a producing cause of total and permanent disability and that he had necessarily incurred reasonable hospital, drug, and medical expenses for the treatment of those injuries in the reasonable amount of $4,270.13. The trial court rendered judgment for the plaintiff in the lump sum of $14,035.00 for his disabilities, together with the amount of the medical expenses found, making a total of $18,305.13. The trial court judgment provided for interest on such sum at the rate of 4% per annum.

From this judgment, Dealer’s National Insurance Company, the defendant, has perfected an appeal to this court.

The parties will be referred to as in the trial court.

Defendant first contends that the trial court erred in overruling its motion for judgment non obstante veredicto, because plaintiff did not introduce into evidence any special policy covering voluntary compensation protecting ranch workers. The evidence shows, however, that the employer, Martin, was by proper subpoena, requested to produce the policy with the endorsement. He testified at the trial that he had destroyed the policy after its expiration date in April, 1965. Plaintiff also issued similar subpoenas to counsel for the defendant, a Mr. Weyland, owner of Lumberman’s Insurance Agency of Lufkin, Texas, and J. C. Hinson, a safety engineer with Lumberman’s Insurance Agency, which agency sold the insurance to Martin. A subpoena was issued also to Ken Gates, a company claims adjuster. Furthermore, plaintiff, in his original petition filed in this cause, made demand for production of the policy on May 6, 1965, approximately 21 months prior to the trial of the case on January 30, 1967. This was all to no avail. Hinson did, however, produce a copy of a “daily” and a copy of the voluntary endorsement, upon which plaintiff relied. Both instruments were introduced in evidence without objection. Mr. Martin, the employer, testified that in 1964, defendant company had issued to him policies of workmen’s compensation insurance to cover his ranch workers in addition to the statutory policy; that he paid the premiums therefor, and that after the policy had expired, he destroyed it. He testified that the policy was in full force and effect on December 25, 1964, when Albert Simmons was injured.

We believe that the facts are sufficient to show that the policy was issued and was in effect on the date of the alleged injury, and that the facts are sufficient to show the necessary provisions of the policy, especially of the voluntary compensation endorsement. Commonwealth Casualty Co. v. Coogle, 31 S.W.2d 362 (Tex.Civ.App.), no writ; 37 Tex.Jur.2d, p. 477, Sec. 4.

By its first, second, fourteenth and fifteenth points of error defendant contends that the trial court erred because plaintiff did not satisfy the conditions precedent allegedly contained in the voluntary endorsement, and that there is no evidence to support the trial court’s findings in the judgment that plaintiff stood ready and willing to execute the necessary conditions and requirements of paragraph 4 of the voluntary endorsement. Paragraphs four and five of the voluntary endorsement are as follows:

(4) "The benefits payable under coverage C on account of such injury shall be paid to such person or persons as would have been entitled thereto under the designated workmen’s compensation law, provided, however, that as a condition precedent to any such payment the injured employee * * * shall (1) execute such full and binding release of all claims against the insured and the company on account of such injury or [673]*673death as may he required by the company, and (2) assign to the company all claims or judgments or the proceeds thereof which he or they may have or recover against any person who or organization which is or may be liable on account of such injury or death and execute such other documents as the company may require to enable it to enforce such rights or collect such proceeds * * * (5) If any person entitled to payment under coverage C shall refuse to accept such payment and to comply with the terms and conditions set forth above or if any person shall commence any proceedings at law, in equity or in admiralty, except for such payment, seeking damages from the insured or the company on account of such injury, the company’s liability under coverage C with respect to such injury is thereupon terminated.” (Emphasis added).

It will be noted that the so-called conditions precedent contained in paragraph 4 deal with the performance of such conditions prior to payment of the policy. In defendant’s original answer, filed May 20, 1965, the defendant included a sworn denial that a special policy of workmen’s compensation insurance had ever been issued. Defendant contends that plaintiff’s failure to use the word “voluntary” justified such position. We do not agree. Moreover, in defendant’s first amended original answer, upon which it went to trial, defendant filed a sworn denial of all of plaintiff’s allegations, which included plaintiff’s claim that the voluntary endorsement was in effect. The defendant made no offer or tender of any payment at any time. The trial court in its final judgment recited that the plaintiff stands ready and willing to execute all necessary documents required by paragraph 4 of the endorsement concerning matters of releases and assignments before payment is made. We believe the trial court dealt properly with this matter.

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Dealers National Insurance Company v. Simmons
421 S.W.2d 669 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1967)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
421 S.W.2d 669, 1967 Tex. App. LEXIS 2857, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dealers-national-insurance-company-v-simmons-texapp-1967.