Monks v. Universal Underwriters Insurance Co.

425 S.W.2d 431, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2124
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 29, 1968
Docket328
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 425 S.W.2d 431 (Monks v. Universal Underwriters Insurance Co.) 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
Monks v. Universal Underwriters Insurance Co., 425 S.W.2d 431, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2124 (Tex. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

SELLERS, Justice.

This is a workmen’s compensation case brought by appellant, Emma R. Monks, against appellee to recover death benefits under the statutes for the death of James M. Monks. The following statement of the case is taken from appellant’s brief:

"At about noon on October 7, 1965, Decedent, James M. Monks, was engaged in the task of criss-crossing tires on an automobile inside the shop at Harvey Pontiac Company. He was working on the left rear tire of an automobile when he stood up and made an exclamation spontaneously and voluntarily to the effect that he did not feel good or that he hurt very badly. Such exclamation was overheard and testified about by a fellow employee working nearby. Mr. Monks left the shop for approximately 5 minutes, returned and again made an exclamation with regard to his physical condition; the shop foreman was called and Mr. Monks was taken home. He saw Dr. Sterling E. Moore, M. D., that same day. A heart attack was diagnosed and the patient was admitted to Mother Frances Hospital on October 7, 1965, where he remained until November 17, 1965. Thereafter, he was treated by Dr. Moore until the date of his death on April 12, 1966; an autopsy was performed and the cause of death determined to be hemorrhage of the brain. Dr. Moore testified such hemorrhage was caused by blood-thinning medications prescribed to try to prevent further blood clots to the coronary vessels. Defendant introduced a certified copy of the death certificate and rested.
“Plaintiff gave notice of appeal and brings this case before this Honorable Court for review.”

The appellant in her brief asserts that the appellee in its motion for instructed verdict, which was granted, set out two grounds upon which appellant had failed to make a case to go to the jury. The first ground is as follows:

“(a) ‘There is absolutely no evidence of any probative force that Decedent, James Monks, sustained an accidental injury within the scope and course of his employment with Harvey Pontiac Company; * * *

We are of the opinion that this point must be sustained by this Court. There can be no doubt that a heart attack brought on an employee in the course of his employment from strain or overexertion is an accidental injury to the physical structure of the body and is covered by the Workmen’s Compensation statute. 62 T.J. 2d, Section 105, page 678. We are thoroughly in accord with the rule in passing upon the evidence where the court instructs a verdict against the appellant that all of the evidence must be viewed in a light most favorable to the appellant. City of Houston et al. v. Chapman, 132 Tex. 443, 123 S.W.2d 652.

From this record, there can be no doubt that deceased suffered a heart attack while in the course of his employment for his employer from which he died. The attack struck him on October 7, 1965, and he died on April 12, 1966.

The witness Robinson testified that he was working about 15 feet from the deceased :

“Q Where was Mr. Monk in relation to you?
*433 “A He would be on the other side — he would be right in view to my right a little bit.
“Q How far away did you say he was?
“A Fifteen or twenty feet; about a car length and a half or so.
“Q At about noon on that day, can you tell me what Mr. Monks was doing?
“A He was criss-crossing some tires.
“Q All right. Working there at Harvey Pontiac ?
“A Yes.
“Q Here in Smith County, Texas?
“A Yes.
“Q And you were working right next to him or close to him ?
“A That’s right.
“Q You were tuning up a car and he was criss-crossing some tires ?
“A That is correct.
“Q All right. Can you tell me what he was doing in particular, what his particular duties were or what doing at the particular time?
“A He was going to criss-cross the tires and balance them out. I know that, and he was, of course, front end mechanic and everything.
“Q All right. Had he jacked the car up?
“A Yes, he had.
“Q Had he taken all the lugs off or do you know?
“A Well, yes, all of the wheels were loose.
“Q How did you know that?
“A Well, I could tell by the sound of the air wrench he was using and he was not too far from me and I could watch him as he was working around the tires.
“Q As you were leaning over your car for the tune up work, he was in your view; is that right?
“A Right.
“Q And you were sort of looking that way?
“A That is true.
“Q Now, then, what first called your attention to Mr. Monks?
“A Well, I don’t think any one thing in particular. He stood up as I was—
“Q Where was he when he stood up ?
“A He was at the left rear of the car that he was crossing tires on. He stood up and said T don’t feel good’.
“ * * *
“Q Mr. Robinson, at the time he stood up, did you ask him any questions?
“A No, I did not.
“Q Did he volunteer a statement?
“A Yes, he said that—
“Q What did he say?
“A He said T hurt pretty bad’, or T hurt real bad’ and I don’t remember the exact words or anything or T don’t feel too good’ and I don’t know whether it come in that order. He might have said T don’t feel too good’ or ‘hurt pretty bad’ or something like that.
“Q What happened next ?
“A He said T am going out and lay down in the car and you tell them where *434 I am in case they miss me or in case they need me’.
“Q Did he leave the building?
“A Yes, sir, he did.
“Q When, if ever, did he come back?
“A In about five or six minutes. Just a real short period.
“Q What happened then?

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Bluebook (online)
425 S.W.2d 431, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2124, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/monks-v-universal-underwriters-insurance-co-texapp-1968.