Petroleum Casualty Co. v. Schooley

131 S.W.2d 291, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 747
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 29, 1939
DocketNo. 3847.
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 131 S.W.2d 291 (Petroleum Casualty Co. v. Schooley) 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
Petroleum Casualty Co. v. Schooley, 131 S.W.2d 291, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 747 (Tex. Ct. App. 1939).

Opinion

HIGGINS, Justice.

This is a suit by the appellee Schooley upon appeal from an adverse ruling of the Industrial Accident Board upon his claim for compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Law (Vernon’s Ann.Civ. St. art. 8306 et seq.). Plaintiff in his petition alleged that he was an employee of the Humble Pipe Line Company and “On or about the 4th day of May, 1937, plaintiff, while engaged in one of his usual and customary duties of lining 8" pipe for a welder, sustained an accidental injury, by reason of lifting said pipe and the dropping of the other end thereof, straining the muscles of plaintiff’s groins and causing the injuries hereinafter complained of. * * *

“That as a result of the accidental injury sustained by plaintiff, as above set forth, plaintiff sustained a bi-lateral inguinal hernia, or potential inguinal hernia which totally disabled him for labor, and that said condition has existed up to the present time, and will continue in the future totally and permanently disabling plaintiff from manual labor.

“IV. Plaintiff would show that at the time of the accident abpve described that he sustained injuries resulting in hernia; that the hernia appeared suddenly and immediately following the injury; that the hernia did not exist in any degree prior to the injury for which compensation is claimed; and that the injury was accompanied by pain. * * *

“VIII. Plaintiff would show that when he presented his claim before the Industrial Accident Board of Texas, he requested an operation by the insurance company, which operation was refused by the insurance company and which operation was denied him. Plaintiff would show that before and after presenting his claim before the Board he has made demands for an operation on the insurance company and has been willing to submit to such an operation, and particularly that he made such a demand for an operation to the insurance company on date of March 18, by letter, but which 'demand was refused. That at all times mentioned herein he has been willing to submit himself for an operation for hernias, but that such oper *292 ation was refused and denied him by the defendant.

“IX. ’As a result of his injuries which have been above set out and as a result of the failure of the defendant to furnish him with medical and surgical treatment in accordance with the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Act. of Texas, the plaintiff would show that he has suffered total and permanent incapacity to labor as that term is defined in the Workmen’s Compensation Act of Texas.

“X. Pleading expressly in the alternative and without waiving the previous allegations of total and permanent disability but still insisting upon the same, the plaintiff would show that under the Workmen’s Compensation Act of Texas he is entitled to radical operation and surgery for treatment of his injuries. And in the event the same be successful, to fifty-two (52) weeks compensation from the date of the operation.

“XI. Pleading expressly in the alternative and without waiving any of his previous allegations of disability, but still insisting upon same and if it be found' that plaintiff is in such physical condition as to render it more than ordinarily unsafe for him to submit to such an operation or in the event that defendant further refuses to have such operation performed, then plaintiff would show that he is entitled to compensation for permanent and total disability under the general provisions of th.e Workmen’s Compensation Act of Texas.”

Other allegations in the petition are the usual ones in cases of this nature.

■ The findings made ■ may .be summarized as follows:

1. The plaintiff on May 4, 1937, suffered accidental personal injury while working within the scope of ■ his employment for the Humble Pipe Line Company.

2. Plaintiff as a natural result of his said injury did not suffer total incapacity to labor.

Issues 3 and 4 were submitted conditionally and were not answered.

5. Plaintiff was rendered partially incapacitated to labor as a result of his said injuries.

6. The extent, of such partial incapacity was seventy percent.

7. Such partial incapacity is permanent.

8. Such partial incapacity is not temporary.

Issue 9 was conditionally submitted and not answered.

10. The amount of money just and fair to both parties to be fixed as the average weekly wage of the plaintiff is $31.68 per week.

11. Manifest hardship and injustice will result to the plaintiff if his compensation is not paid in a lump sum.

12. Plaintiff’s incapacity to labor is not due solely to high blood pressure.

13. “Do you find from a preponderance, of the evidence that any part of plaintiff’s incapacity to labor is not due to high blood pressure ? Answer: ‘It is,’ or ‘It is not.’

“Answer: It is not.”

Issue 14 was submitted conditionally and not answered.

The Court in its judgment found plaintiff was entitled “to a judgment for 70% permanent partial incapacity beginning on May 4th, 1937 for the full period of 300 weeks, and that his compensation rate should be fixed at 70% of 60% of the amount found by the jury to be fair and just to both parties as the average weekly wage of the plaintiff, which wage was found to be the sum of $31.68.

“The Court finds that 59 weeks of compensation at the rate of $13.30 per week has accrued up to date of June 21st, .1938, and that plaintiff is entitled to 6% interest per annum on each installment from its due date to date of Jtine .21st, 1938, and that such 59 weeks of compensation and such interest amounts to the sum of $811.85,” and rendered judgment accordingly. From which judgment the Petroleum Casualty Company, the defendant’s insurance carrier, prosecutes this appeal.

The undisputed evidence shows that plaintiff does not have ■ a hernia. Appel-lee in his-brief admits “all witnesses agreed that plaintiff did -not have a rupture or hernia.”

Dr. Khoury, the only physician witness called by plaintiff, testified:

“Q: When you examined Mr. Schooley, doctor — First of all, did you examine him with reference to hernia? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. When you examined him with reference to that, what did you find, if anything? A. At that time, I called his attention to the fact that he had a weakness in the inguinal ring on both sides and recommended he have that taken care of in the way of surgery. * * *
*293 “Q. Doctor, did you examine both rings ? A. Í did.
“Q. Did you find any weakness in either or both sides? A. I thought both sides were weak.
“Q. Was there any expression of pain on pressure, doctor? A. Not very much.
“Q. When you inserted your finger there, did you say, or did I understand you to say those inguinal rings were enlarged? A. Yes, larger than what I thought was normal size. * * *
“Q. Doctor, have you or not had occasion to examine Mr.

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131 S.W.2d 291, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 747, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/petroleum-casualty-co-v-schooley-texapp-1939.