Plains Insurance Co. v. Acuna

614 S.W.2d 885, 1981 Tex. App. LEXIS 3457
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 26, 1981
DocketNo. 5578
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 614 S.W.2d 885 (Plains Insurance Co. v. Acuna) 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
Plains Insurance Co. v. Acuna, 614 S.W.2d 885, 1981 Tex. App. LEXIS 3457 (Tex. Ct. App. 1981).

Opinion

RALEIGH BROWN, Justice.

This is a worker’s compensation venue case. Isaías Acuna brought suit in Maverick County for an injury occurring in Lubbock County. Plains Insurance Company filed a motion to transfer the cause to Lubbock County, alleging that the accident occurred there and Acuna resided there at the time of injury. The trial court entered an interlocutory order overruling Plains’ motion. Plains Insurance Company appeals. We reverse and render.

Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. art. 8307 § 5 (Rev. 1977), in setting out the county or counties in which suit may be filed when appealing an award of the Industrial Accident Board, provides in part:

... Any interested party who is not willing and does not consent to abide by the final rulings (of the Industrial Accident Board) shall ... bring suit in the county where the injury occurred or in the county where the employee resided at the time the injury occurred ... (Amended effective August 29, 1977).

It is undisputed that the alleged accident occurred November 3, 1977, in Lubbock County. Plains contends, therefore, that “the sole issue in this appeal is whether there is probative evidence that plaintiff resided in Maverick County on November 3, 1977, the time of the Lubbock County accident.”

We must determine if there is probative evidence to support the trial court’s implied finding that Acuna resided in Maverick County on November 3, 1977. In reviewing no evidence points, we consider only the evidence which supports the trial court’s finding. Brown v. Frontier Theatres, Inc., 369 S.W.2d 299 (Tex.1963).

Offered as proof of Acuna’s residence at the time of the accident was Acuna’s original petition, the Industrial Accident Board award, notice of his intention to appeal, the notice of injury received by the Industrial Accident Board within three weeks of the injury, and Acuna’s deposition.

Although allegations of residency in a petition constitute no evidence thereof, we note that Acuna’s original petition alleges only that he was a resident of Maverick County on January 26,1979, when the petition was filed, not on November 3,1977, the time of the injury. Locke v. Brenneman, 459 S.W.2d 871 (Tex.Civ.App.-Waco 1970) rev’d, 466 S.W.2d 93 (Tex.Civ.App.-Waco 1971, no writ); Kemp v. Westbrook, 358 S.W.2d 889 (Tex.Civ.App.-Dallas 1962, writ ref’d n. r. e.). The award lists Acuna’s address as “121 North Detroit, Lubbock, Texas 79415.” His notice of appeal does not list an address for Acuna or even mention Maverick County. The notice of injury gave Acuna’s address as “Route 2, Box 33, Lubbock, Texas.”

Acuna’s deposition testimony, which was uncontested, was that he had lived in Lubbock for three years and at all times while working for Lawson Feed Lots, his employer at the time of injury. Mrs. Acuna lived with him during those three years which involved the period before, during, and after the accident. Acuna and his wife [887]*887lived in a house across the street from Lawson Feed Lots, and he walked to work. Upon release from the hospital, Acuna returned to the same house. He continued to live in Lubbock.

Acuna testified that he was living in Lubbock when he hired his attorney to file his compensation claim for the injury. His driver’s license gave a Lubbock address, he purchased a car in Lubbock and his car title contained a Lubbock address.

The court in Mills v. Bartlett, 377 S.W.2d 636 (Tex.1964) discussing “residence” said:

The term “residence” is an elastic one and is extremely difficult to define. The meaning that must be given to it depends upon the circumstances surrounding the person involved and largely depends upon the present intention of the individual. Volition, intention and action are all elements to be considered in determining where a person resides and such elements are equally pertinent in denoting the permanent residence or domicile. Owens v. Stovall, Tex.Civ.App., 64 S.W.2d 360, writ refused; Prince v. Inman, Tex.Civ.App., 280 S.W.2d 779, no writ history; In re Garneau, 7 Cir., 127 F. 677, 679.
* * * * * *
Neither bodily presence alone nor intention alone will suffice to create the residence, but when the two coincide at that moment the residence is fixed and determined.

We hold as a matter of law that Acuna’s residence was Lubbock County at the time of the injury.

It is settled law in Texas that for venue purposes a person may have a residence in two or more counties. Snyder v. Pitts, 150 Tex. 407, 241 S.W.2d 136 (1951); Kerr v. Davenport, 233 S.W.2d 197 (Tex.Civ.App.-San Antonio 1950, no writ). Therefore, we must determine if there is evidence to support an implied finding that Acuna had a second residence in Maverick County on November 3, 1977.

The court in Snyder, supra, said:

A second residence away from a domicile must include the following elements:
1. A fixed place of abode within the possession of the defendant
2. occupied or intended to be occupied consistently over a substantial period of time
3. which is permanent rather than temporary.

Acuna testified that he was born in Mexico and lived there until 1973. Twice before 1973 he worked in the United States on a work permit. In 1973 he worked for Del Monte five to six weeks in Crystal City, which is in Zavala county. He then worked temporarily in Ohio picking tomatoes and cucumbers. Acuna testified:

Q You came to work in Lubbock in 1974?
A I came back to Eagle Pass, and, then, from Eagle Pass I came over here to Lubbock.
Q What were you doing in Eagle Pass?
A We would just go down there to stay for a couple of days, and, then, we would come over.

After coming to Lubbock in 1974, Acuna worked in a junkyard and for Galbraith Steel. He then testified:

Q After you stopped working at Galbraith Steel, where did you go to work?
A After Galbraith Steel, I don’t remember. It seems like we were over to Eagle Pass.
Q How long did you stay in Eagle Pass?
A I don’t remember, but we were over there several months.
Q Were you working?
A No.
Q What were you doing?
A In those days, I wasn’t working. We would just go over there.

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Bluebook (online)
614 S.W.2d 885, 1981 Tex. App. LEXIS 3457, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/plains-insurance-co-v-acuna-texapp-1981.