Fitzgerald v. Andrade

402 S.W.2d 563, 1966 Tex. App. LEXIS 2729
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 20, 1966
DocketNo. 11399
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 402 S.W.2d 563 (Fitzgerald v. Andrade) 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
Fitzgerald v. Andrade, 402 S.W.2d 563, 1966 Tex. App. LEXIS 2729 (Tex. Ct. App. 1966).

Opinion

HUGHES, Justice.

This suit is for damages for personal injuries sustained by Nicholas Andrade, ap-pellee, on April 29, 1963, while working on the construction of the Ramada Inn in [565]*565Brownsville, Texas. Appellant, Archie C. Fitzgerald, doing business as Archie C. Fitzgerald Construction Company, was general contractor for this construction and had control of the entire project. Dave DePue was his assistant superintendent and general carpenter foreman. One of his duties was to manage the carpenters employed on the job and the equipment used by them, and in performing these duties he was acting within the scope of his employment.

Appellee was a painter on this job. He was injured in a fall from a scaffold while engaged in painting some woodwork in the construction.

Two of appellant’s carpenters built this scaffold, and this was within the scope of their employment. No painter on the job built any scaffolds used on the job. This was not in their trade.

Appellant made a written contract with W. L. Hodges to do the paint work on the construction. Appellee worked under and for Mr. Hodges. Before any of the painters employed by Mr. Hodges used the scaffolds built by the carpenters, Mr. Hodges asked and obtained permission from such carpenters for such use. Mr. Hodges also obtained similar permission from Mr. De-Pue, appellant’s assistant superintendent.

Appellee was instructed by Mr. Hodges to use these scaffolds and was told by Mr. Hodges that he had obtained permission from the superintendent on the j ob for their use.

The painters employed by Mr. Hodges had been using these scaffolds for three or four days before appellee’s fall.

Trial was to a jury which returned a verdict favorable to appellee, and on this verdict, judgment was rendered for him.

Appellant’s first three points, jointly briefed, are to the effect that appellee in using the scaffolds was either a trespasser or licensee, or that there was an issue of faet as to Ms states, and that the court erred in not inquiring of the jury what his status was or that, as a matter of law, ap-pellee was a trespasser or licensee and was not entitled to recover on jury findings based on the standard of ordinary or reasonable care.

The contract between appellant and W. L. Hodges, under which the painting was done, was offered in evidence, but excluded.1 This contract provided that Mr. Hodges, appellee’s employer, should furnish all “rigging” and “scaffolds” necessary for the “complete installation” of the painting. Mr. Hodges did have scaffolds on the job for this purpose but they were not being used by appellee when he fell. The reason for this was, as the evidence shows, that it was the duty of the painters to paint molding which the carpenters were installing around or just under the eaves of the Inn as soon as it was installed. The painters simply followed the carpenters on the carpenters’ scaffold. Under the circumstances, it is easily understood why permission was obtained for the painters to use the carpenters’ scaffolds rather than tearing them down and putting up and using their own.

Mr. F. H. Kohutek, general manager for appellant, testified that his superintendent on the Ramada Inn job was Mr. D. T. Jordan and that he had given Mr. Jordan specific instructions not to permit the painters to use “the scaffolds.” Mr. Kohutek also testified that Mr. Dave DePue, the carpenter foreman, had no authority to authorize the painters to use the scaffolds.

It is our opinion that with or without the painting contract in evidence there is no evidence that appellee was other than an invitee when using the scaffold from which he fell. This conclusion follows from the application of well established rules of law to the undisputed facts.

Appellant as general contractor in control of the Ramada Inn construction was [566]*566under a duty to use due care to provide for the safety of the employes of his subcontractors. Smith v. Henger, 148 Tex. 456, 226 S.W.2d 425, 20 A.L.R.2d 853. In order to be entitled to this protection an employe must, however, not go beyond that portion of the premises which was designed for his accommodation or use. Burton Construction and Shipbuilding Co. v. Broussard, 154 Tex. 50, 273 S.W.2d 598.

It is quite true that a person may be an invitee as to certain portions of premises but not as to other portions of the same premises. Appellant would bring itself within this limitation on the general rule of liability above stated, contending that when appellee was on the “carpenters” scaffold he was not where it was anticipated he would be and was on premises not designed for his accommodation and use.

It is beyond question that appellee was at the proper place for doing the work he was hired to do. If he had lawful authority to use the carpenters’ scaffold all doubt as to his status as an invitee is removed. We are of the opinion that he had this authority.

Mr. David DePue testified that he was assistant superintendent or general carpenter foreman for appellant on this job. The scaffolds in question were built under Mr. DePue’s directions. He gave permission •for the painters to use the scaffolds.

We do not understand appellant, under these points, to contend that Mr. DePue was not acting within the scope of his authority when he gave permission for the painters to use the carpenters’ scaffolds. We, in any event, hold that he was, as a matter of law, so acting. Granting such permission was but exercise of sound judgment on a trivial matter in furtherance of the economic and expeditious construction of the Inn and in so doing Mr. DePue was about his master’s business. That such action may have been against his master’s instructions is of no consequence. Sid Katz, Inc. v. Walsh and Burney Co., 142 Tex. 232, 177 S.W.2d 49.

We overrule appellant’s first three points.

Appellant jointly briefs points four through twelve. We take from appellant’s brief its analyses of these points:

“Points of Error 4 through 12 are grouped for presentation inasmuch as they pertain to the action of the trial court in excluding testimony and in refusing requested special issues respecting vital defensive theories raised by the pleading and evidence in the case. By his first amended original answer defendant made allegations respecting his theory of the case on the following matters: (1) that there was some degree of risk inherent in the type work which plaintiff was performing (raising the defense that dangers inherent in the work are classified as ‘transitory dangers’ and ones as to which defendant would have no duty to plaintiff); (2) the affirmative defense of ‘volenti non fit injuria;’ (3) no duty in law concerning the scaffold from which plaintiff fell; (4) no duty inasmuch as the manner in which the scaffold was equipped and constructed was open and obvious; and, (5) contributory negligence of plaintiff in failing to make use of his employer’s scaffold.”

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402 S.W.2d 563, 1966 Tex. App. LEXIS 2729, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fitzgerald-v-andrade-texapp-1966.