Gragg v. Williams

310 S.W.2d 394, 1958 Tex. App. LEXIS 1784
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 31, 1958
Docket15875
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 310 S.W.2d 394 (Gragg v. Williams) 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
Gragg v. Williams, 310 S.W.2d 394, 1958 Tex. App. LEXIS 1784 (Tex. Ct. App. 1958).

Opinion

RENFRO, Justice.

Appellees have filed a motion to strike the statement of facts on the ground same was not timely filed.

Appellants’ amended motion for new trial was overruled on May 16, 1957. On July 15, appellants filed a motion in the District Court for extension of time to file the statement of facts. On July 18, 1957, appellants filed a motion in this Court requesting an extension of time for the filing of the statement of facts. The motion sets out that prior to the filing of the transcript in the Court of Civil Appeals, and within a period of sixty days after appellants’ motion for new trial was overruled by the trial court, appellants’ counsel sought approval of the statement of facts by counsel for appellees but counsel for appellees declined to approve the statement of facts; that the trial judge was absent on vacation during the month of July and would not return until about the first of August. The motion for extension was filed in this Court within the time provided by Rule 386, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. On August 6, 1957, this Court granted the extension to August 10, and the statement of facts was filed in this Court on August 7, 1957, bearing the August 6 attestation of the trial judge. Being of the opinion good cause was showé by appellants’ motion for extension, the appellees’ motion to strike is overruled.

The appellees, G. T. Williams and wife, recovered judgment against appellants, Southside Cab Co., a partnership composed of Essex Stamps and Ben Gragg, the .partners individually, and E. B. Jones, driver of appellants’ cab, for personal injuries sustained by Mrs. Williams when her car was struck in the rear by a cab driven by Jones, for doctor’s and medical bills, and for damage to appellees’ car.

*396 Appellants’ first two points of error allege they were entitled to verdict because, under the state of the pleadings, the matters alleged in their cross-action were admitted by appellees in that they did not file a denial to the cross-action until both sides had completed their evidence.

The appellees’ petition alleged numerous acts of negligence against appellant Jones. Appellants’ answer pleaded a number of alleged acts of contributory negligence on the part of Mrs. Williams. By cross-action, the alleged acts of contributory negligence were pleaded affirmatively. The case was tried and contested fully on the question of negligence and proximate cause. The case was submitted to the jury and all questions, including defensive issues on contributory negligence, were answered favorably to appellees.

Appellants do not complain of any evidence they were deprived of offering, and do not complain of the refusal of the court to submit any issues requested by appellants. Appellants have not pointed out in any manner how they were prejudiced by the filing of the trial amendment denial under permission of the court. The first two points of error are accordingly overruled.

In point three appellants contend the evidence dictated an affirmative answer to issues 32, 33 and 34. Said issues inquired if Mrs. Williams brought her car to a stop without giving a proper brake-light signal, and if such act was negligence and proximate cause. The jury answered thát .•Mrs. Williams did not fail,to give such signal. The collision occurred at 2:30 P.M. Appellant-Jones testified Mrs. Williams did not give a rear brake-light .signal, but in another portion of his testimony stated he was not paying any attention'to the lights. .Mrs, Williams testified the brakes and lights .were' in' good working ord.er, she applied ■her’ brakes as she approached -the intersection signal lights, -and' thitt before her car was moved from the scene the brake lights were tested and were still in working order. The evidence supports the jury finding. The point of error is overruled.

Point four claims error in that the “subject of insurance was brought before the jury.”

Appellees’ petition included items amounting to $116.50 for damages to their car. During the trial considerable evidence was introduced as to the extent of the damages and estimates of repair. On cross-examination appellants’ counsel asked Mrs. Williams why she did not take the car to her brother right after the accident for an estimate. She answered, “Because he is not an authorized dealer, and I was informed that I should get an authorized dealer’s estimate on the damage to the car.” The an-’ swer was followed by the question, “By whom were you so informed?” The witness answered, “By my insurance company.” So the subject of insurance was injected as a result of a direct question by appellants. Later, on re-direct examination, appellees’ attorney asked Mrs. Williams, “Did you have any insurance coverage for yowr car to fix it up?’’ The question was not answered and the court promptly instructed the jury not to consider the matter. Later in the trial, appellants moved for a mistrial because “there is in the minds of the jurors in this case the knowledge and information that plaintiffs do not have insurance coverage for said damages alleged to have been sustained by them * * * ” and appellants had been prejudiced thereby. Their motion for new trial merely stated that plaintiffs’ counsel brought before the jury the fact that plaintiffs did not carry insurance.

Appellants argue that the question, unanswered, as to whether Mrs. Williams had insurance to fix her car raised the inference that appellants did have insurance. We cannot agree." Such a conclusion is.too;highly Speculative and remote to be indulged. H. J. Heinz Co. v. Ashley, *397 Tex.Civ.App., 291 S.W.2d 427. If any inference as to liability insurance was to be drawn, the only reasonable conclusion would be that appellees had liability insurance, for Mrs. Williams stated, in answer to appellants’ question, that she was advised by her insurance company to take the car to an authorized dealer. Surely an inference that appellees had liability insurance did not raise an inference in the minds of twelve impartial jurors that appellants had insurance. The question by appellees’ attorney was improper and should not have been asked; however, whether the unanswered question as to collision insurance under the facts and attendant circumstances heretofore related and as more fully shown by the record was reasonably calculated to cause and probably did cause the rendition of an improper judgment in the case is a question we must determine as a matter of our judgment in the light of the record as a whole. Southwestern Greyhound Lines v. Dickson, 149 Tex. 599, 236 S.W.2d 115; Roosth & Genecov Production Co. v. White, Tex.Civ.App., 281 S.W.2d 333. In view of the record as a whole, it is our view that no juror of ordinary intelligence could have been persuaded by the complained of question, under the attendant circumstances, to agree to render a verdict contrary to that which he would have agreed but for the question having been asked. Goforth v. Alvey, 153 Tex. 449, 271 S.W.2d 404; Texas Employers’ Ins. Ass’n v. Roberts, Tex.Civ.App., 281 S.W.2d 104.

Appellants’ last point contends the appellants’ motion to require Mrs.

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310 S.W.2d 394, 1958 Tex. App. LEXIS 1784, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gragg-v-williams-texapp-1958.