Red Ball Motor Freight, Inc. v. Dean

549 S.W.2d 41
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 17, 1977
Docket1003
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 549 S.W.2d 41 (Red Ball Motor Freight, Inc. v. Dean) 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
Red Ball Motor Freight, Inc. v. Dean, 549 S.W.2d 41 (Tex. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

McKAY, Justice.

This is a common carrier case. Plaintiff-appellee, C. Webb Dean, doing business as Dean’s Hardware and Appliance Company (Dean) brought this suit against Red Ball Motor Freight, Inc. (Red Ball), defendant-appellant, for alleged damage to a television set delivered to Dean by Red Ball on July 16, 1973. Trial was before the court and on June 23, 1976, judgment was rendered for Dean in the amount of $240.06 together with $50.00 attorney’s fees and all costs of court. Red Ball filed a Motion for New Trial on June 29, 1976. Thereafter, the trial judge made and filed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law pursuant to a request filed by Red Ball. Red Ball duly perfected its appeal.

The facts appear to be as follows: During the early part of July, 1973, Dean ordered from General Electric Corporation, among other items, the television set in question. The set, invoiced by General Electric Corporation to Dean on July 13, 1973, was subsequently shipped from National Stock Yards, Illinois, via East. Texas Motor Freight and Red Ball and received by Dean on July 16, 1973. Red Ball, upon receipt of the set, issued a freight bill therefor without exception to the condition of the set or the carton it was packed in. Upon receipt of the shipment, Rodney Dean, son of appellee, signed the freight bill without noting any damage to the television set or the carton it was shipped in. The television set was stored in its carton on Dean’s premises from the date of its receipt in July until sometime in December, 1973. At that time, Dean opened the carton containing the television set and discovered that it was damaged. After requesting certain Red Ball drivers to assist him in obtaining redress for the damages and failing to obtain such, Dean notified Red Ball of his claim by letter dated March 22, 1974. Later, on April 16, 1974, Red Ball sent its inspector to survey the damage to the set. The inspector’s report indicated “conceded damage [sic] MB 9152 MB Color T.Y., cabinet busted [sic] glass around picture tube broken,” and that the total amount claimed was $466.00. On April 18,1974, Dean mailed Red Ball’s standard damage claim form to Red Ball in Dallas, Texas, which claim was denied by Red Ball because of dilatory filing. Thereafter, Dean brought this suit.

Red Ball brings four points of error, which essentially complain that the trial court erred in rendering judgment for Dean *43 because there is no evidence to support the court’s findings of fact 1, 2, 3 and 6.

The findings complained of are as follows:

“1. On or about July 13, 1973, Red Ball Motor Freight, Inc., Defendant herein, received one Model MB-9152-M.P. General Electric 25 inch color television set, Serial # LIP-07628, for shipment to C. Webb, Dean,, d/b/a Dean’s Hardware & Appliance Co., Plaintiff herein.
“2. Defendant received said television set in good condition.
“3. On July 16th, 1973, said Defendant delivered said television set to Plaintiff in damaged condition.
“6. Plaintiff timely presented his claim for such damages to Defendant but, at the expiration of thirty days thereafter, the claim was not paid or satisfied.”

It is well settled that when considering a no evidence point the reviewing court must view the evidence in support of the finding in its most favorable light, considering only the evidence and reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom which support the finding and rejecting the evidence and inferences contrary to such finding. Miller v. Riata Cadillac Co., 517 S.W.2d 773, 777 (Tex.1975); Transport Ins. Co. v. Mabra, 487 S.W.2d 704, 707 (Tex.1972); Garza v. Alviar, 395 S.W.2d 821, 823 (Tex.1965).

The authorities hold that in order to make a prima facie case of liability against a common carrier it is necessary to show that the property shipped was in good condition when delivered to the carrier, that the property was in a damaged condition when received by the consignee from the delivering carrier, and the amount of the damages. Missouri Pacific Railroad Co. v. Elmore & Stahl, 368 S.W.2d 99, 101 (Tex.1963), affirmed 377 U.S. 134, 84 S.Ct. 1142, 12 L.Ed.2d 194 (1964); Strickland Transportation Co. v. International Aerial Mapping Co., Inc., 423 S.W.2d 676, 677 (Tex.Civ.App.—San Antonio 1968, no writ).

Admissions made by parties to a suit in response to requests for admissions under Rule 169, T.R.C.P., and filed among the papers in the case need not be introduced in evidence to be properly before the trial court and this court for our consideration. McCollum v. Red River Valley Publishing Co., 352 S.W.2d 144, 146 (Tex.Civ.App.—Amarillo 1961, writ ref’d n.r.e.); Rule 169, T.R.C.P.

“Moreover, the trier of facts is not only the judge of the facts and circumstances proven, but may also draw reasonable inferences and deductions from the evidence adduced before it. Its findings may not be disregarded if the record discloses any evidence of probative value which, with inferences that may be properly drawn, will reasonably support the same.” Red Arrow Freight Lines, Inc. v. Howe, 480 S.W.2d 281, 285 (Tex.Civ.App.—Corpus Christi 1972, writ ref’d n.r.e.).

With the above rules in mind we will examine the record with respect to Red Ball’s no evidence points. Red Ball, in its point one, asserts that there is no evidence to support finding of fact 1. In answer to Dean’s request for admissions Red Ball denied that it undertook the carriage of the above described television set “by reason of a lack of sufficient evidence to justify a belief,” and denied the set was received by Red Ball in Houston in good condition for the same reason. However, Red Ball admitted that “the container in which the television set above mentioned was packaged was in good condition and without visible defects or damage when received for shipment to Plaintiff in Houston, Texas, by Defendant, Red Ball Motor Freight, Inc.” It appears that by the quoted admission Red Ball did in fact receive the described television set by admitting it received the container in which it was packaged. Point one is overruled.

Point two complains that there is no evidence to support finding 2, and point three contends that there is no evidence to support finding 3. Red Ball admitted that the container in which the television set was packaged was in good condition and without visible defects or damage when received by Red Ball. Such an admission, like a recital in a bill of lading to the same *44

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
549 S.W.2d 41, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/red-ball-motor-freight-inc-v-dean-texapp-1977.