El Paso Electric Co. v. Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America

42 S.W.2d 677
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 8, 1931
DocketNo. 2568
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 42 S.W.2d 677 (El Paso Electric Co. v. Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America) 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
El Paso Electric Co. v. Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America, 42 S.W.2d 677 (Tex. Ct. App. 1931).

Opinion

WALTHALL, J.

Bailey Perkins met his death about the 14th day of March, 1925, while engaged in constructing or installing certain electrical work and equipment on an electrical substation south of and adjoining the main power plant of the El Paso Electric Company, hereinafter referred to as Electric Company, in the city and county of El Paso. The work was being done under the supervision of and by Stone & Webster, Inc., a separate entity from the Electric Company, under a contract hereinafter referred to. A suit was brought by Perkins’ widow for herself and minor children against the Electric Company and final judgment obtained. El Paso Electric Co. v. Perkins (Tex. Civ. App.) 292 S. W. 935.

At that time Indemnity Insurance Company of North America, hereinafter referred to as Insurance Company, appellee herein, was an insurer for Stone & Webster, Inc., and it is the contention of Electric Company that appellee’s policy ⅝ of insurance upon which the suit was brought covered both Stone & Webster, Inc., and Electric Company, against the contingency resulting in the death of Bailey Perkins, and that Insurance Company was therefore liable to Electric Company upon its contract of insurance for any damages which it was required to pay out as a result of the Perkins death claim. Insurance Company denied liability and refused to defend the Perkins death claim suit; the suit was defended by the Electric Company, and, upon final judgment rendered, appellant paid same, with interest and costs, amounting in the aggregate to the sum of $32,249.56, for the recovery of which this suit is brought.

The insurance policy executed by Insurance Company and made the basis of appellant’s suit, in its parts necessary to a clear understanding of appellant’s cause of action, is as follows:

“Standard Workmen’s Compensation and Employers’ Liability Policy.
“Indemnity Insurance Company of North America
“Philadelphia
“A Stock Company
“(Hereinafter called the Company)
“Hereby agrees with the Employer named in the Declarations attached hereto and forming part hereof, as respects personal injury sustained by employees, including death at any time resulting therefrom,
“One. (a) To pay promptly to any person entitled thereto, under the Workmen’s Com-peniation Law and in the manner therein provided, the entire amount of any sum due, and all installments thereof as they become due,
“(1) To such person because of the obligation for compensation for any such injury imposed upon or accepted by this Employer under such of certain statutes, as may be applicable thereto, cited and described in an endorsement attached to this Policy, each of which statutes is herein referred to as the Workmen’s Compensation Law, and
“(2) For the benefit of such person the proper cost of whatever medical, surgical, nurse or hospital services, medical or surgical apparatus or appliances and medicines, or, in the event of fatal injury, whatever funeral expenses are required by the provisions of such Workmen’s Compensation Law.
“It is agreed that all of the provisions of each Workmen’s Compensation Law covered hereby shall and will remain a part of this contract as fully and completely as if written herein, so far as they apply to compensation or other benefits for any personal injury or death covered by this Policy, while this Policy shall remain in force. Nothing herein contained shall operate to so extend this Policy as to include within its terms any Workmen’s Compensation Law, scheme, or plan-not cited in an endorsement hereto attached.
“One. (b) To Indemnify this Employer against loss by reason of the liability imposed upon him by law for damages on account of such injuries to such of said employees as are legally employed wherever such injuries may be sustained within the territorial limits of the United States of America or the Dominion of Canada. In the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of this Employer the Company shall not be relieved from the payment of such indemnity hereunder as would have been payable, but for such bankruptcy or insolvency. If, because of such bankruptcy or insolvency, an execution against this Employer is returned unsatisfied in an action brought by the injured, or by another person claiming by, through or under the injured, then an action may be maintained by the injured; or by such person claiming by, through or under the injured, against the Company under the terms of this Policy for the amount of the judgment in said action not exceeding the amount of this Policy.
“Two. To serve this Employer (a) by the inspection of work places covered by the Policy when and as deemed desirable by the Company and thereupon to suggest to this Employer such changes or improvements as may operate to reduce the number or severity of injuries during work, and (b) upon notice of such injuries, by investigation thereof and by settlement of any resulting claims in accordance with law.
[679]*679“Three. To defend, in the name and on behalf of this Employer, any suits or other proceedings which may at any time he instituted against him on account of such injuries, including suits or other proceedings alleging such injuries and demanding damages or compensation therefor, although such suits, other proceedings, allegations or demands are wholly groundless, false or fraudu-. lent.
“Pour. To pay all costs taxed against this Employer in any legal proceeding defended by the Company, all interest accruing after entry of judgment and all expenses incurred by the Company for investigation, negotiation or defense.
“Five. This agreement shall apply to such injuries sustained by any person or persons employed by this Employer whose entire remuneration shall be included in the total actual remuneration for which provision is hereinafter made, upon which remuneration the premium for this Policy is to he computed and adjusted, and, also to such injuries so sustained by the President, any Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer of this Employer, if a corporation. The remuneration of any such designated officer shall not he subjected to a premium charge unless he is actually performing such duties as are ordinarily undertaken by a superintendent, foreman or workman.
“Six. This agreement shall apply to such injuries so sustained by reason of the business operations described in said Declarations which, for the purpose of this insurance, shall include all operations necessary, incident or appurtenant thereto, or connected therewith, whether such operations are conducted at the work places defined and described in said Declarations or elsewhere in connection with, or in relation to, such work places.
“G. No action shall lie against the Company to recover upon any claim or-for any loss under Paragraph One (b) foregoing unless brought after the amount of such claim , or loss shall have been fixed and rendered certain either by final judgment against this Employer after trial of the issue or by agreement between the parties with the written consent of the Company, nor in any event unless brought within two years thereafter.
“K.

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Bluebook (online)
42 S.W.2d 677, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/el-paso-electric-co-v-indemnity-ins-co-of-north-america-texapp-1931.