Knox v. Batson

399 S.W.2d 765, 217 Tenn. 620, 21 McCanless 620, 1966 Tenn. LEXIS 618
CourtTennessee Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 5, 1966
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 399 S.W.2d 765 (Knox v. Batson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Knox v. Batson, 399 S.W.2d 765, 217 Tenn. 620, 21 McCanless 620, 1966 Tenn. LEXIS 618 (Tenn. 1966).

Opinions

Mb. Justice Creson

delivered the .opinion of the Court.

These are actions to recover death benefits under the Tennessee Workmen’s Compensation Law. The cases originated in the Circuit Court of Davidson County. Both in the Trial Court and in this Court, they have been most ably presented, briefed and argued. Handling of the case by the Trial Judge was no less than excellent.

The original petitions in these actions allege that the appellants here are the widows of deceased employees of the appellee; that recovery was sought for the benefit of such widows and minor children; that on January 8, 1964, and for some considerable time prior thereto, the [624]*624decedents liad been employees of tbe appellee, Carl J. Batson, dba Batson Construction Company; that some time prior to January 8, 1964, the appellee ordered the decedents to report to work at or near Tlillahoma, Tennessee; that the site of the work was a residential construction project at or near Tullahoma, Tennessee; that the decedents ’ employment was that of dry-wall finishers; that the deceased employees were directed to stay at a motel in Coffee County, Tennessee, known as The Blue Top Motel; that as a part of their compensation the appellee would pay their lodging costs.

The petitions further alleged that, acting under these instructions, the deceased employees went to the area of Tullahoma, Tennessee and there resided in lodgings provided for them by the appellee; and that, on the night of January 7, 1964, or the early morning of January 8, while the deceased employees were occupying the motel room, they were there asphyxiated by leakage of gas from a heater installation in said room. The necessary allegations as to average weekly wage and prayers for relief follow.

The petitions were met by answer on behalf of ap-pellee, which admitted the status and the dependency of the beneficiaries of the action; admitted that at the time of their death the deceased employees were in the general employ of the defendant, and admitted that all parties were subject to the provisions of the Tennessee Workmen’s Compensation Law. Defendant further admitted that for some weeks prior to January 8,1964, the deceased employees were engaged in construction work for the defendant, near Tullahoma, Tennessee. The appellee categorically denied that deceased employes, or any other employees, were ordered or directed to stay in any [625]*625particular place, and denied that any duty or aspect of the employment required any employee to have his lodging in any particular place. Appellee admitted that he paid his employees an additional living allowance, in separate checks, while working out of town. The answer alleged that each employee was authorized to travel back and forth to his home in Nashville, Tennessee, to reside on the premises of the construction work, if he so desired, or to stay in whatever public or private accommodations were available in the area of the construction work. Ap-pellee did inquire as to what lodging facilities might be available and furnished the information he gained to the employees of all crafts.

Upon these issues the proof was taken. The case was twice argued before the Trial Judge and he was provided able briefs. After taking the case under advisement, in order to have sufficient time to fully consider same, the Trial Judge concluded that decedent’s beneficiaries were not entitled to recover compensation benefits. Motions for new trial were seasonably filed, argued, and overruled. Appeal was then perfected to this Court.

The Trial Judge prepared and filed a comprehensive finding of facts, which is as follows:

“FINDING- AS TO FACTS
It is undisputed that Ammons and Knox, for some lime previous to their deaths had been employed by the Defendant, Batson, in the construction of various residential houses in the Tullahoma area, and in other locations in Middle Tennessee. Their particular employment may be described as ‘dry-wall finishers’ and they, along with several other workers, formed a group, which went along with the construction work of Batson [626]*626when and where it arose. Prior to their death, Ammons and Knox, along with the other members of the group or crew, were employed in the construction of houses in a development undertaken by Batson in the vicinity of Tullahoma. The group including Knox and Ammons were employed and paid on an hourly basis. Knox was a foreman over the crew and kept certain records pertaining to the other workers which will be referred to later on. He also checked other Batson jobs and was paid $50.00 extra as expense money for the use of his truck. Both Ammons and Knox had been on the Tulla-homa job sometime previous to their untimely death— at least two or three months. Petitioners contend their deaths were caused by a defective gas heater in ‘The Blue Top Motel’ and this contention is not contra-verted by the proof.
The Court finds from a preponderance of all the evidence that Batson paid the dry wall finishers the same wages on an hourly basis whether the job they worked on was in Nashville where they lived or in some other location; however, when the job was out of Nashville, such as Tullahoma, he gave them an ‘allowance’ of $4.00 per day for expenses, and this amount was paid to all of the group regardless of whether they remained in Tullahoma or commuted back and forth to their homes in Nashville. While Petitioners earnestly contend otherwise, the Court finds that there was no limitation or restriction placed on the workers 'while employed in Tullahoma in respect to where they stayed, where they ate or what they did after work; the only rule laid down by Batson was that the workers would report on the job daily at 7 A.M., ready for work; some of the dry-wall finishers were permitted to lodge in the houses under construction, some lodged at different [627]*627motels in the vicinity of Tullalioma and some commuted at various times to their homes. When Batson had construction work out of town he retained general supervision, hut he also had a superintendent on the job. They both knew and understood some of the drywall finishers might prefer to remain in Tullahoma rather than commute to their homes in Nashville, a distance of 75 miles; to assist these men, it was the custom of the Batson supervising personnel to make inquiries of the facilities open to the workers for lodging and report such facilities to the workers; some of the workers stayed in one place and others in another place; some commuted to their homes in Nashville.
Knox and Ammons became dissatisfied with the particular motel where they were staying and so informed the superintendent who drove out to The Blue Top Motel and made inquiry to see if Knox and Ammons could obtain accommodations there; other Batson workers were already staying at this motel; when Knox and Ammons were informed by the superintendent that The Blue Top Motel pould and would furnish lodging, they moved out to it and it was here they met their tragic deaths; the Petitioners insist that the superintendent ‘arranged’ for Knox and Ammons to go to The Blue Top Motel and by so doing it was tantamount to a direction or inducement by their employer.

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Bluebook (online)
399 S.W.2d 765, 217 Tenn. 620, 21 McCanless 620, 1966 Tenn. LEXIS 618, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/knox-v-batson-tenn-1966.