Russell v. United Employers Casualty Co.

158 S.W.2d 575
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 31, 1941
DocketNo. 5859
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 158 S.W.2d 575 (Russell v. United Employers Casualty 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
Russell v. United Employers Casualty Co., 158 S.W.2d 575 (Tex. Ct. App. 1941).

Opinion

JOHNSON,- Chief Justice.

This suit was filed by Lige Russell against United Employers Casualty Company as the compensation insurance carrier for Jenkins Drilling Company, Inc., to set aside a final award of the Industrial Accident Board and to recover compensation for 401 weeks at $20 per week for injury sustained to his right eye, the effects of which he claims extended to other portions of his body and rendered him totally and permanently incapacitated to work. Plaintiff alleged that on September 28, 1937, “while working for Jenkins Drilling Company, Inc., he struck the end of a steel chisel with a hammer in removing a tong key and that a piece of steel struck him in the right eye, being propelled through and in the back thereof, necessitating removal of the eyeball, and injuring the optic nerve and other nerves and tissues in his head, resulting in severe headaches and nervousness; partial loss of sight in the other eye, and the loss of 20 lbs. in weight.” The defendant’s answer, among other things, contains a general denial and specially denies that plaintiff received an injury other than 'the loss of his right eye, and alleges that the defendant had paid the plaintiff compensation for such incapacity at the rate of $20 per week for 99 consecutive weeks, and had tendered the 100th payment prior to the filing of this suit.

Upon the verdict of a jury in response to special issues, which included a finding that plaintiff’s incapacity resulting from the injury sustained September 28, 1937, “is confined solely to the loss of his right eye,” together with the admitted fact that plaintiff had received from defendant 100 checks during the 100 consecutive weeks following his injury, each in the sum of $20, of which 99 had been cashed and the 100th still retained by him, judgment was entered July 15, 1940, that plaintiff take nothing by reason of this suit. His motion for new trial being overruled, plaintiff appealed.

Appellant’s propositions 1, 2 and 3 allege that the court erred in overruling his motion to disregard the jury’s answer to special issue No. 23, wherein they found that the incapacity resulting from the injury sustained by plaintiff is confined solely to the loss of his right eye, because such finding is without support in the evidence, and in not rendering judgment for him as prayed for, upon the remaining answers of the jury, which included findings, in answer to special issues Nos. 4 and 5, that plain[577]*577tiff had sustained total and permanent incapacity. The contention is not sustained. Upon examination of the record we find that the answer of the jury in response to special issue No. 23 is fully supported in the testimony of Dr. V. R. Hurst and Dr. C. D. Culp. Dr. Hurst testified, in substance, that he made a physical and X-ray examination and treated appellant on the morning of his injury; that appellant’s injury consisted of a small piece of steel penetrating the front wall of his right eyeball, lodging “almost in the center in each direction”, and did not pass through the back wall of the eyeball or hit the optic nerve; that he extracted the piece of steel by use of an electric magnet applied to the wound; that on the 8th day following, appellant returned to the hospital and it was found that a low-grade inflammation had developed, and as there was so small chance of saving the vision, the eyeball was removed on the 14th day after the injury; that he continued to see and examine appellant until July 22, 1938, during which time an artificial eye was furnished appellant; that he examined appellant’s left eye on the occasion of his first treatment and continuously thereafter until July 22, 1938, and that it was normal and remained unaffected and without any sympathetic optholmy, eyestrain, or need of glasses; that after removal of the eyeball the left eye completely healed, leaving no condition which in his opinion “would cause a general debility of this young man or affect his health.” Dr. Culp testified that he made a thorough physical and X-ray examination of appellant on the day before giving his testimony in the trial. He gives in much detail his findings from the examination, which are to the effect that the injury causing removal of appellant’s right eyeball has completely healed, without any harmful results to any other portion of his body. His findings are summed up in the following question propounded to and answered by him:

“Q. From your physical examination, Doctor, state whether or not you found anything the matter with this young man that would indicate to you that he is now suffering as a result of having received a piece of steel in his right eye, which caused it to have to be removed and when later the eye was removed on or about the 11th day of October, 1937, that would disable him at this time ?” A. Nothing only just the loss of his right eye, there is no condition in his eye that would cause anything physically bad in his body condition at all.”

Under his 4th proposition appellant contends that the jury’s findings in response to special issues No. 4 and No. 5, “that plaintiff sustained total and permanent incapacity,” and the jury’s findings in response to special issue No. 23, “that the incapacity sustained by plaintiff is confined solely to the loss of his right eye,” are in irreconcilable conflict and therefore can not form the basis of a judgment. We do not think such findings are in irreconcilable conflict, especially so in view of the record here presented, without any finding or any request therefor, that the injury sustained to his right eye had extended to or affected other portions of his body as alleged by appellant. Federal Underwriters Exchange v. Arnold, Tex.Civ.App. 127 S.W.2d 972; Texas Employers Ins. Ass’n v. Galloway, Tex.Civ.App., 40 S.W.2d 973; Federal Underwriters v. Simpson, Tex.Civ.App., 137 S.W.2d 132, 134. From the case last cited we quote: “The rule was laid down in Petroleum Co. v. Seale, Tex.Com.App., 13 S.W.2d 364, 365, approved by the Supreme Court, that where injury results to a particular member of the body, compensation for loss of which is specifically provided by the statute, liability of the insurer is limited to that amount, even though the loss of, or injury to, that particular member actually results in total permanent incapacity of the employee to labor. This holding has been frequently followed and applied. See Texas Employers. Ins. Ass’n v. Galloway, Tex.Civ.App., 40 S.W.2d 973; Texas Employers’ Ins: Ass’n v. Neatherlin, Tex.Com.App., 48 S.W.2d 967; Consolidated Underwriters v. Wilson, Tex.Civ.App., 111 S.W.2d 865; Traders & General Ins. Co. v. Marrable, Tex.Civ.App., 126 S.W.2d 746; 45 Tex.Jur., § 175, p. 607.

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Bluebook (online)
158 S.W.2d 575, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/russell-v-united-employers-casualty-co-texapp-1941.