Federal Underwriters Exchange v. Hinkle

167 S.W.2d 307
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 27, 1942
DocketNo. 14451
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 167 S.W.2d 307 (Federal Underwriters Exchange v. Hinkle) 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
Federal Underwriters Exchange v. Hinkle, 167 S.W.2d 307 (Tex. Ct. App. 1942).

Opinion

BROWN, Justice.

This workmen’s compensation case was before us on a former appeal. The opinion appears in Tex.Civ.App., 152 S.W.2d 387, writ refused for want of merit. An examination of our former opinion will disclose that we did not consider the plaintiff’s petition sufficient, in the light of the claim for compensation, and we reversed the judgment of the trial court and remanded the cause for a new trial.

We endeavored to make it plain to the claimants that we considered it necessary to replead the case in such manner as to clearly set forth the facts on which the claimant, or claimants, would rely for recovery.

In the former trial, although six brothers and sisters of the deceased were parties plaintiff, the trial court rendered judgment against five of such plaintiffs and in favor of only one plaintiff — namely, Lucille Hinkle. None of the five plaintiffs who lost in the former trial appealed from the judgment of the trial court.

Assuredly, it will not be contended that these five former plaintiffs were entitled to prosecute the suit further.

The record on the prior appeal is in the custody of this court, is a part of the official records of this court and we look to it to make a fair comparison between the former pleadings and those before us on this appeal.

The former petition opens as follows:

“Now comes Lucile H. Hinkle, who resides in Wichita County, Texas, R. R. Hinkle, who resides in Navarro County, Texas, Joe H. Hinkle, who resides in the state of New Mexico, W. R. Hinkle, who resides in the state of Oklahoma, and Blanche Davis, a widow, who resides in the state of California, hereinafter styled plaintiffs, complaining of Federal Underwriters Exchange, etc.”

Then to put themselves in a position to ask for compensation as dependents, they alleged: “That the plaintiffs, R. R. Hinkle, Ray H. Hinkle, Joe H. Hinkle and W. R. Hinkle were the brothers of the said Frank Arnell Hinkle at the time of his death; that the plaintiffs Lucile H. Hinkle and Blanche Davis were the sisters of the said Frank Arnell Hinkle at the time of his death; that said Frank Arnell Hinkle had no other brothers or sisters except the ones named above; that both of his parents were deceased long prior to the time of his death; that he had never been married and had no child, or children, at the time of his death, nor at any other time; that the exact extent of the dependency of the plaintiffs herein upon the said Frank Arnell Hinkle is unknown to the plaintiffs, and they are, therefore, unable to allege the facts in detail, but they allege that he did, at the time of his death, and for many years prior thereto, contribute substantial sums of money to the plaintiffs, and particularly to the plaintiffs, Lucile H. Hinkle and Blanche Davis, and the plaintiffs believe and therefore aver, that he contributed at least $200.00 per year to said sisters; and the plaintiffs allege that said sisters were dependent to that extent upon the said Frank Arnell Hinkle, and that they had no other source of income except the wages which they earned, which they allege were insufficient for their support; that neither of said sisters earned on an average of more that $7.00 or $8.00 per week; that neither of them own any property of any kind or character; that all of the facts herein alleged with respect to the dependency of the said sisters existed at the time of the death of the said Frank Arnell Hinkle, and for many years prior thereto.”

The petition on which trial was had in the appeal before us reads: “Now comes Lucile H. Hinkle Gillman and her husband Callie L. Gillman, who resides in Navarro County, Texas, Ray H. Hinkle, who resides in Wichita County, Texas, R. R. Hinkle, who resides in Navarro County, Texas, Joe H. Hinkle, who resides in the [309]*309state of New Mexico, W. R. Hinkle, who resides in the state of Oklahoma, and Blanche Davis, a widow, who resides in the state of California, hereinafter styled plaintiffs, complaining of Federal Underwriters Exchange, etc.”

We next examine paragraph IX of this last pleading and compare it with the same paragraph of the petition urged in the first trial. It is: “That the plaintiffs, R. R. Hinkle, Ray H. Hinkle, Joe H. Hinkle and W. R. Hinkle, were the brothers of the said Frank Arnell Hinkle, at the time of his death; that the plaintiffs Lucile H. Hinkle and Blanche Davis were the sisters of the said Frank Arnell Hinkle at the time of his death; that the said Frank Arnell Hinkle never had any other brothers or sisters except the ones named above; that both of his parents were deceased long prior to the time of his death; that he had never been married and had no child or children at the time of his death, nor at any other time; that no other person other than those herein specified and named were ever dependent in whole or in part upon the said Frank Arnell Hinkle; that the exact extent of the dependency of the plaintiffs herein upon the said Frank Arnell Hinkle is unknown to the plaintiffs, and they are therefore unable to allege the facts in detail, but they allege that he did, at the time of his death, and for many years prior thereto, contribute substantial sums of money to the plaintiff Lucile H. Hinkle, and the plaintiffs believe, and therefore aver, that he contributed at least $100.00 per year to his said sister; and the plaintiffs allege that said sister was dependent to that extent upon the said Frank Arnell Hinkle, and that she had no other source of income, except the wages which she earned which she alleges was insufficient for her support; that said sister did not earn on an average of more than $7.00 or $8.00 per week; that she did not own any property of any kind or character; that all of the facts herein alleged with respect to the dependency of the said sister existed at the time of the death of the said Frank Arnell Hinkle, and for many years prior thereto.”

A proper plea of res adjudicata having been presented to the trial court, directed at the right of all of the named plaintiffs to prosecute this suit, except Lucile Hinkle, such plea was duly sustained and the plaintiff given leave to amend. However, we find the petition on which trial was had just as we have quoted it above, and it is undoubtedly the former pleading with a few small changes and interlineations that would put it in the condition in which it now appears before us.

In view of the expressions found in our former opinion, the defendant urged special exceptions to the sufficiency of the petition, wherein it attempts to allege dependency. These were overruled and exception reserved to such ruling.

The cause was tried to a jury, and four special issues were submitted: (1) To ascertain a just and fair average weekly wage of the deceased. This was answered $26.40. (2) “Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiff, Lucile H. Hinkle, was dependent upon Frank Arnell Hinkle, deceased, at the time of his death?” This was answered, “Yes”. (3) “Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that Blanche Davis was dependent upon Frank Hinkle, deceased, at the time of his death?” In the transcript the answer appears to be, “No”, but we find where Lucile Hinkle, without being joined by her then husband, whom she had made a party plaintiff, filed a motion in the trial court asking that such court set aside and disregard the finding made by the jury to said Issue No.

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