National Surety Corporation v. Winder

333 S.W.2d 450
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 22, 1960
Docket6919
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 333 S.W.2d 450 (National Surety Corporation v. Winder) 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
National Surety Corporation v. Winder, 333 S.W.2d 450 (Tex. Ct. App. 1960).

Opinion

NORTHCUTT, Justice.

This is a suit under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St. art. 8306 et seq., by Charles R. Winder to set aside an award of the Industrial Accident Board. Appellee, Winder, seeks to recover from appellant compensation for injuries to his right hand sustained by ap-pellee in the course of his employment. Appellee alleged because of the accident and resulting injuries he had been disabled to the extent of 40 per cent total permanent loss of the use of his right hand. Appellant answered that appellee did not give due and proper notice to the employer and never at any time reported to the employer that he had sustained the injuries complained of and denied appellee was injured as he alleged he was. Appellant pleaded in the alternative that if it be determined that appellee did sustain an injury while in the employ of the employer, that such injury was confined to his little finger and that any disability or loss of the use of appel-lee’s hand was caused solely by the loss of use of his little finger.

The case was submitted to a jury upon special issues. The jury found that ap-pellee while working as an employee of Plains Meat Company in the course of his employment sustained an accidental personal injury to his right hand on December 24, 19S7; that Plains Meat Company through its agents or representatives received notice of appellee’s injuries within 30 days from December 24, 1957; that such injury had resulted in partial loss of the use of his right hand; that such partial loss of use of the right hand began December 24, 1957; that such partial loss of the use of his right hand was permanent; that the percentage of the partial loss of the use of his right hand was 40 per cent and that the injury or injuries or the effect thereof were not confined to appellee’s right little finger, his ring finger and the third metacarpal bone of the right hand. Upon the findings of the jury the trial court entered judgment for appellee for 40 per cent partial permanent loss of the use of the appellee’s right hand. From that judgment appellant perfected this appeal.

Appellant presents this appeal upon 23 points of error but presents them under four groups and then presents Points 12 and 13 separately. Under Group 1 it is contended the court erred in defining the term “hand” and in refusing to define the term “hand” so the jury would be informed that the “hand” under the Workmen’s Compensation Act does not include the fingers and erred in not giving appellant’s requested definition of the term “hand.” Appellant’s requested definitions were that the term “hand” meant that portion of the body below the elbow but excluding the fingers and thumb and the term “hand” meant that portion of the body above the knuckle joints and below the elbow. We are of the opinion and so hold that the fingers and thumb are a part of the hand. The term “hand” under the Workmen’s Compensation Act means the arm up to but not including the elbow. The trial court defined the term “hand” as meaning that portion of the right upper *452 extremity below the elbow. This definition was approved in the case of Maryland Casualty Company v. Landry, Tex.Civ.App., 147 S.W.2d 290 and a writ was dismissed by the Supreme Court as judgment being correct. It is stated in American Employers Ins. Co. v. Climer, Tex.Civ.App., 220 S.W.2d 697, at page 700:

“The testimony raises the issue of injury to, and loss of the use of, the left hand in the usual tasks of a working man. The rule is that to allow a recovery for the loss of the use of a hand, as distinguished from the fingers, the injury (that is, the damage or harm to the physical structure, and such diseases and infections as naturally result therefrom) must extend to the hand above the fingers and affect the hand proper (that is, cause a percentage of the loss of the use of the hand above the fingers) other than and in addition to that resulting from the loss of use, if any, of the fingers.”

See also Maryland Casualty Company v. Jackson, Tex.Civ.App., 139 S.W.2d 631. Appellant’s first group is overruled.

Group 2, which includes assignments of error 3 through 7, complains of the submission of Issues 1, 2 and 3 given by the trial court and in overruling appellant’s objection to the special issues. Ap-pellee pleaded as follows:

* * * as a result of said accident, plaintiff sustained and suffered the following injuries: severe lacerations on the knuckles joints and palmel hand and the 4th and 3rd fingers of the right hand and thumb of the right hand which injuries to these fingers and thumb extends to and affects the right hand below the elbow and as a result of which the plaintiff has lost 40% use of his right hand.”

The three special issues involved inquired of the jury if appellee sustained an accidental personal injury or injuries to his right hand.on or about December 24, 1957, while working as an employee of Plains Meat Company and while in the course of his employment with Plains Meat Company. The jury answered all three of these issues in the affirmative. We are of the opinion there was sufficient evidence to sustain the findings of the jury on all three of these issues. American Employers Ins. Co. v. Climer, supra, quoted above. Appellant’s Group 2 is overruled.

Appellant’s Points of error 8 to 12, both inclusive, raise the issue as to whether the court erred in submitting Special Issue 10 and refusing to submit appellant’s Special Requested Issues 1, 2 and 4. In Issue 10 the trial court inquired of the jury as to whether the injury or injuries or the effect thereof were not confined to the plaintiff’s right little finger, his ring finger and the third metacarpal bone of his right hand. In answer to that issue the jury answered that such injury or injuries or effect thereof were not confined to plaintiff’s right little finger, his ring finger and the third metacarpal bone of his right hand. Appellant’s Requested Issues 2 and 4 ask the same question asked by the court in Special Issue 10 only the Issues 2 and 4 limit the issue to the little finger. We see no real difference as to appellant’s Requested Special Issue 1 and Special Issue 10 given by the court. It is our view that Issue 10 which was submitted presented in substance the same inquiries as those contended in appellant’s Requested Issues 1, 2 and 4. Rule 279, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure provides:

“Where the court has fairly submitted the controlling issues raised by such pleading and the evidence, the case shall not be reversed because of the failure to submit other and various phases or different shades of the same issue.”

Appellant’s Points of error 8 to 12, both inclusive, are overruled. Appellant’s 13th point of error is as follows:

“The trial court erred in refusing to grant Appellant’s Motion for Mistrial,' *453

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Bluebook (online)
333 S.W.2d 450, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-surety-corporation-v-winder-texapp-1960.