McElroy v. Fitts

876 S.W.2d 190, 1994 Tex. App. LEXIS 774, 1994 WL 114340
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 7, 1994
Docket08-93-00151-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 876 S.W.2d 190 (McElroy v. Fitts) 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
McElroy v. Fitts, 876 S.W.2d 190, 1994 Tex. App. LEXIS 774, 1994 WL 114340 (Tex. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

OPINION ON MOTION FOR REHEARING

KOEHLER, Justice.

We withdraw our opinion of February 23, 1994 and substitute the following opinion in its place. Appellants’ motion for rehearing is overruled.

This is an appeal from a judgment rendered for the plaintiff in an automobile accident ease on a jury verdict that found the underage driver negligent and his mother both negligent and grossly negligent on a theory of negligent entrustment. The mother and her son assert in nine points that the trial court erred by allowing evidence of lost wages, by refusing to give a requested jury instruction, by submitting an improper question on gross negligence, by allowing the plaintiff to file a trial amendment, by entering a judgment for punitive damages and future medical expenses, neither of which were supported by sufficient evidence, and by awarding prejudgment interest on future damages. We modify the judgment as to actual damages and as modified, we affirm. As to part of the judgment awarding exemplary damages, we reverse and remand for a new trial.

RELEVANT FACTS

Laura McElroy and her minor son, David McElroy, Appellants, live in Andrews, Texas. Approximately two months before the accident in question, Mrs. McElroy purchased a used pickup truck for David, who at the time of the accident was fifteen years of age and did not possess a driver’s license. She obtained the pickup so that he could learn how to take care of it and would be encouraged to stay in school. Prior to the accident, David had not taken any driver’s education course or training and had not obtained a driver’s license. On two occasions in March 1992, David was given tickets for driving without a license. Mrs. McElroy paid the fines on the tickets. He was stopped by the police and warned not to drive without a license many more times.

On April 16, 1992, David was involved in the collision which is the basis of this suit. Two days before the accident, David and a friend had replaced the brake pads on the pickup. He admitted that immediately before the accident, he was traveling 45 to 50 m.p.h. on a street with a 30 m.p.h. speed limit and that as he approached an intersection with a stop sign, the brakes failed and he was unable to stop or slow the pickup appreciably. His pickup entered the intersection, colliding with a vehicle driven by Duane B. Fitts, Appellee. The police cited David for driving without a license and for operating a vehicle with defective equipment, and cited Mi’s. McElroy for allowing her unlicensed child to drive.

Fitts’ vehicle was extensively damaged. He complained of injuries to his neck and *194 was taken to a hospital. He was treated by his family physician, Dr. Gordon, approximately six times for cervical strain or whiplash and aggravation of pre-existing conditions.

In the suit and trial that followed, the jury found David negligent and his mother both negligent and grossly negligent. The court rendered judgment in accordance with the jury findings, awarding Fitts actual damages of $92,964.25 against both McElroys and exemplary damages against Mrs. McElroy in the amount of $50,000.

EVIDENCE OF LOST WAGES

Under their first point of error, McElroys assert trial court error by allowing Fitts to introduce evidence of lost wages even though he had failed to produce this evidence during discovery, there being no showing or finding of good cause for late supplementation.

In his petition, Fitts alleged that he suffered physical impairment and had “been unable to attend to his occupation.” In response to interrogatories requesting information relating to those allegations, Fitts replied that he was totally unable to work for two days and was then “only able to do office type work” at that time and that the total loss of earnings was “[ujnknown at this time.” No supplementation to these answers was ever made. Over McElroys’ objection, the trial court allowed Fitts to present lost earnings evidence without asking for a showing of, or finding, good cause. Based entirely on his testimony, the jury awarded Fitts $27,000 for past lost earnings 1 and $10,000 for future lost earnings.

The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure impose a duty to supplement not less than thirty days prior to the beginning of trial answers that are incorrect or incomplete when made, unless the trial court finds good cause for permitting later supplementation. Tex.R.Civ.P. 166b(6). Absent a finding of good cause, failure to supplement requires the exclusion of the evidence which the party was under a duty to provide. Tex.R.Civ.P. 215(5). Without a showing of good cause, the trial court has no discretion to admit testimony excluded by the rule. Alvarado v. Farah Manufacturing Co., Inc., 830 S.W.2d 911, 914 (Tex.1992). See also Southland Corp. v. Burnett, 790 S.W.2d 828, 829-30 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1990, no writ). The trial court was without authority to admit evidence of lost earnings. Although Fitts argued that his tax returns for the past four years, which he had provided, were sufficient to show good cause, this information predated the accident and told his adversaries nothing about his lost earnings. See City of San Antonio v. Fulcher, 749 S.W.2d 217, 219-20 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1988, writ denied) (Error to admit evidence of earnings beyond those indicated in discovery responses, including tax returns).

The error is reversible only if it is not harmless. Gee v. Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Co., 765 S.W.2d 394, 396 (Tex.1989). Because the jury findings on loss of earnings was entirely dependent on the testimony that should have been excluded, the trial court’s error in admitting the evidence was not harmless. The first point is sustained.

INSUFFICIENT JURY INSTRUCTIONS ON PUNITIVE DAMAGES

In Point of Error No. Two, the McElroys contend that the trial court erred by its refusal to instruct the jury on factors that it should consider when assessing punitive damages with the result that the jury was left with inadequate guidance and the McElroys were deprived of property without due process of law.

McElroys’ requested exemplary damage instruction was as follows:

In answering this question, you are instructed that in considering the amount of money, if any, to award as exemplary damages, you may consider the following factors:
(1) the nature of the wrong;
(2) the character of the conduct involved;
*195 (3) the degree of culpability of the wrongdoer;
(4) the situation and sensibilities of the parties concerned;
(5) the extent to which such conduct offends the public sense of justice and propriety;
(6) the frequency of the wrongful conduct; and
(7) the size of an award needed to deter similar wrongs in the future.

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Bluebook (online)
876 S.W.2d 190, 1994 Tex. App. LEXIS 774, 1994 WL 114340, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcelroy-v-fitts-texapp-1994.