Gilbert v. Haigler

363 S.W.2d 337, 1962 Tex. App. LEXIS 2035
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 13, 1962
Docket14046
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 363 S.W.2d 337 (Gilbert v. Haigler) 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
Gilbert v. Haigler, 363 S.W.2d 337, 1962 Tex. App. LEXIS 2035 (Tex. Ct. App. 1962).

Opinion

WERLEIN, Justice.

This is an appeal by Jack Gilbert, d/b/a Gilbert Plumbing Company, from a $35,-000.00 judgment against him in favor of ap-pellee, Gerald T. Haigler. Based on the jury verdict the court decreed that Haigler take nothing as against the defendants, San Jacinto Glass Company of Houston and Joe Walton, collectively referred to herein as Walton.

The evidence shows that about 8:30 o’clock a. m. the Haigler 1/2 ton truck, which had been traveling in a westerly direction in Houston on Old Spanish Trail, had come to a stop in the 1900 block thereof about 6 or 7 feet behind an automobile which in turn had stopped in a line of stopped vehicles. Walton testified that the truck of appellee San Jacinto Glass Company, driven by him, had made a normal stop about 10 feet behind the Haigler truck. About 20 to 30 seconds after the Walton truck had stopped Gilbert’s Cadillac, without any warning, struck the Walton truck from the rear, driving it into the Haigler truck, which in turn struck the car in front of it.

All negligence and proximate cause issues with respect to Gilbert’s failure to maintain a proper lookout, failure to properly apply his brakes, rate of speed, and failure to change his course to the right or left, were answered favorably to appellee.

To Special Issue No. 16, inquiring whether the vehicle driven by Walton was stopped immediately before any impact between the Walton vehicle and the Haigler vehicle, the jury answered, “It was stopped.” The jury did not answer any issues with respect to negligent acts or omissions on the part of Walton, since such issues were conditioned upon a negative finding to Special Issue No. 16.

Appellant complains of the error of the trial court in keeping the jury from considering the special issues inquiring as to negligence on the part of Walton by conditioning such issues upon a negative finding to Special Issue No. 16. The issues condi *339 tionally submitted inquired only as to negligence of Walton in connection with lookout, application of brakes, speed and alteration of the course of the Walton truck. The law is well established that a defendant is generally entitled to an affirmative submission of his defensive issues pleaded and raised by the evidence, and that a finding on issues submitted is not a finding on issues not submitted. Colorado & S. Ry. Co. v. Rowe, Tex.Com.App., 238 S.W. 908; Montrief & Montrief v. Bragg, Tex.Com.App., 2 S.W.2d 276; Schuhmacher Co. v. Holcomb, 142 Tex. 332, 177 S.W.2d 951; 41-B Tex.Jur., p. 619, Trial, § 470.

Affirmative defensive issues, however, need be submitted only when there is some evidence raising such issues. Dallas Ry. & Terminal Co. v. Darden, Tex.Com.App.1931, 38 S.W.2d 777; Traders & General Ins. Co. v. Peterson, Tex.Civ.App., 87 S.W.2d 322, writ dism.; 41-B Tex.Jur., p. 624, Trial, § 472, and authorities cited.

We have carefully read the statement of facts in an effort to determine whether there is any evidence of probative force that required the unconditional submission of the affirmative defensive issues with respect to negligence on the part of Walton.

The evidence shows that there were 33 feet of skid marks made by Gilbert’s Cadillac and 2 or 3 feet of skid marks made by Walton’s truck. Gilbert did not know whether Walton’s truck had hit Haigler’s truck before he (Gilbert) ran into the rear of Walton’s truck. He merely knew that the impact, when he struck the Walton truck, was hard and that he skidded before striking it, and that there was over $500.00 damage done to the Cadillac.

Walton testified unequivocally that at the time of the collision he had his feet on the clutch and brake of his truck; that he had come to a normal stop 10 feet behind Haig-ler and had been stopped there for about 30 seconds before the Gilbert Cadillac struck the rear of his truck with a hard impact, knocking his truck into Haigler’s truck; that his truck skidded some 3 or 4 feet, and that after the impact with Haigler’s truck he was 2 feet from the rear thereof. He testified that Gilbert said the collision was all his (Gilbert’s) fault, that he was looking down adjusting his heater. Walton also testified that he did not recollect anything like Haigler’s truck bouncing back and striking his truck after Haigler’s truck had struck the car in front of it.

The testimony of Mr. Matthews, who was riding with Walton at the time of the collision, corroborates the testimony of Walton. He said that the Walton truck had stopped and had been stopped for some 20 to 30 seconds before it was struck in the rear by the Gilbert car; that they had no warning whatever; and that the impact was severe. He further testified that the Walton truck was not knocked into the Haigler truck a second time and that there was only one collision therewith.

Sgt. Charles Bell testified that when he investigated the collision Haigler said his truck was struck only once from the rear and that Gilbert said the collision was all his fault. Police Officer James testified to the skid marks, and that Gilbert told him he was going 20 miles per hour and didn’t have time to stop.

Clearly there is nothing in the testimony of Walton, Matthews or the police officers to raise an issue of any negligence on the part of Walton. Haigler testified there were two impacts but that he did not know whether he had one impact with the car in front of him or not, that he was not certain in what order it happened, and didn’t know how it happened, and didn’t know whether or not the Walton truck was knocked into him a second time, and that it was possible that on hitting the car in front of him his truck bounced back and hit the Walton truck. He testified also that he could not tell whether the Walton truck had stopped behind him prior to the collision. He stated that after he had been stopped for some 30 seconds or a minute he looked into his rear view mirror and saw a truck coming at him; *340 that he did hot know how close or how many feet it was, but it was right before the truck hit him and he didn’t have an opportunity to brace himself; that the Walton truck slammed into him and his head flew back and he hit the glass and then his truck struck the car in front of him and he felt his head go back and forward again; and that he was shaken up and dizzy and was trying to clear his head when he got out of his truck. This testimony is consistent with the testimony of the other witnesses and with Haigler’s statement that there were two impacts and the evidence relative to a double whiplash injury.

On cross-examination Haigler testified that he only remembered he had two impacts and believed they were from the rear. It was then shown that in his deposition he had testified that he was hit from the back and then hit the car -in front of him and then he was hit again from the rear. This he affirmed after his memory had been refreshed. Thus there was some evidence of probative force that Haigler’s truck was hit twice from tHe rear.

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Bluebook (online)
363 S.W.2d 337, 1962 Tex. App. LEXIS 2035, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gilbert-v-haigler-texapp-1962.