International Travelers' Ass'n v. Powell

196 S.W. 957, 1917 Tex. App. LEXIS 779
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 14, 1917
DocketNo. 720.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 196 S.W. 957 (International Travelers' Ass'n v. Powell) 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
International Travelers' Ass'n v. Powell, 196 S.W. 957, 1917 Tex. App. LEXIS 779 (Tex. Ct. App. 1917).

Opinion

HARPER, O. J.

There is no statement of facts in the record. The trial court made the following findings of fact as applicable t» the points raised by the assignments of error. We copy therefrom and malte same our findings of facts:

November 29, 1913, M. C. Senter became a member of the International Travelers’ Association. The application for membership contained the following- stipulation:
“I agree, if accepted as a member, * * * that the manner and amount of the benefits to be paid shall be those only which may be provided for in the by-laws in force and effect at the time the accident occurred, which, with the certificate of membership and this declaration, shall constitute the contract between myself and the association. I further agree that all suits against said association growing out of the certificate of insurance issued on this shall be filed in the city and county of Dallas, Texas, and I hereby expressly waive my right to file said suit at any other place, etc. I agree to comply with all the requirements of the by-laws, of said association as they now exist or may hereafter be amended.”
It was further found that at the time of the application and issuance of certificate and at the time of the injury and trial there was a duly enacted and existing by-law in substance as shown below.
“I find that on or about December 2, 1913, upon said application for membership, the International Travelers’ Association issued to said M. C. Senter a certificate of membership, or policy of insurance, which, among other things, provided: ‘M. O. Senter does hereby and by the acceptance of this certificate agree that all.suits that may be filed on this certificate, or that may grow out of.this contract shall be filed in the city and county of Dallas, state of Texas, and this shall bind his beneficiary and legal representatives as well as himself.’
“I find that the defendant, the International Travelers’ Association, is the character of corporation as pleaded, to wit, a corporation having no capital stock, and that the purpose for which it is incorporated is to engage in the business of mutual assessment accident insurance, and its business is conducted on the assessment plan without lodges ; that its principal office and place of business is now in Dallas, Dallas county, Tex., and has continuously been so since its incorporation in the year 1903; that before the filing of these suits or the issuance of citation, nor at the time of filing of said suits, nor at the Issuance of the process therein, nor at this time, it has not had a local agent in Erath county, Tex., nor did it have a local agent at any of the times mentioned herein.
“I find that in the certificate issued to said Senter, among other things, is provided: ‘There shall be payable to said member in case of bodily injuries which are caused solely and exclusively by external, violent, and accidental means, not resulting_ in death, and within ninety days after the receipt by said association of satisfactory proofs of the happening of such injury, the sum of $25.00 per week for total disability for not to exceed 104 consecutive weeks.’
“I further find that after designating the various benefits under the policy, including the one above mentioned, that said certificate further provides: ‘And the same is payable within ninety days after receipt by said association of satisfactory proofs of the happening of any such injury, and any and all such payments, or liability to pay, shall be and is in accordance with and subject to each and all of the provisions of the by-laws of said association and of the provisions, and any and all amendments, alterations, and new issues of such by-laws, which said by-laws are hereby referred to and made a part hereof as fully as if they were recited at length over the signatures hereto affixed, and which said amendments, • alterations and new issues of said by-laws shall become a part hereof as fully as if they were recited at length over the signatures hereto affixed, as soon as such amendments, alterations or new' issues of such by-laws respectively are or may be adopted, and the said M. O. Senter hereby, and by the acceptance hereof, agrees to abide, and be bound, by said by:laws, and each of them, and all lawful amendments, alterations or new issues thereof, or any of them. * * * ’
“I further find that all dues and assessments under said policy have been paid, and that said policy and certificate were in force and effect on the 30th day of December, A. D. 1914.
“And I further find that on the 30th day of December, A. D. 1914, that the said M. O. Sen-ter received bodily injuries which were caused solely and exclusively by external, violent, and accidental means, to wit, by the accidental discharge of a shotgun, and that he was totally disabled as a result of said injuries for a period of 61 weeks.
“I further find that on the 27th day of September, A. D. 1915, that M. O. Senter made affidavit of claim and proofs of claim for indemnity, which -was duly executed by the said M. C: Senter and sworn to before a notary public of Erath county, Tex., and that the same was on that date mailed to the International Travelers’ Association at Dallas, and ivas received by the said International Travelers’ Association on the 28th day of September, A. D. 1915. I further find that said proofs of claim among other things contained the following questions and ansvrers and provisions:
“ ‘Q. 29. How long; w»ere you wholly disabled in consequence of said injury from attending to each and every one of your business duties? (Give the length of time and between what dates.) A. December 30, 1914, to September 28, 1915.
“ ‘Q. 30. How long were you partially disabled from attending to your business? A. September 28th to October 28th, one month estimated.
“ ‘Q. 31. When did you first begin after your injury to attend to some part of your business or occupation? A. Have not begun to attend to any duties as yet.
“ ‘Q. For what length of time do you claim indemnity? A. I claim December 30, 1914, to October 28, 1915, indemnity, which when paid shall be in full satisfaction and final settlement of all claims I have, or may have, against the association for loss of time resulting from, the above-named injuries.’
“I further find that on the 2.7th day of Sep *959 tember, 1915, when M. O. Senter filed his affidavit and claim for loss and indemnity, he was at that time totally disabled from said injury, and that his total disability continued for a period of 20 weeks thereafter, and that said affidavit was filed with knowledge that his total disability continued to exist, and for the purpose of securing an advancement from the company to that date, but not as a release of future indemnity for continued disability.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
196 S.W. 957, 1917 Tex. App. LEXIS 779, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/international-travelers-assn-v-powell-texapp-1917.