Southern Travelers' Ass'n v. Cole

45 S.W.2d 675
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 5, 1931
DocketNo. 10870
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 45 S.W.2d 675 (Southern Travelers' Ass'n v. Cole) 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
Southern Travelers' Ass'n v. Cole, 45 S.W.2d 675 (Tex. Ct. App. 1931).

Opinion

VAUGHAN, J,

Appellee, the surviving widow of one Sam Cole, deceased, and beneficiary named in his application for insurance, upon which two certificates of membership were issued to him, and identified by classes E and P, and EE and FF, and numbered, respectively, 2934 and 2935, instituted this suit thereon.

The contracts were made up of appellant’s articles of incorporation and by-laws, the application for membership, and the certificates of membership issued in accordance with articles 4794 and 4797, Revised Civil Statutes of 1925; appellant being a mutual assessment accident company, created and existing under and by virtue of title 78, chapter 6, of said statutes.

The insured received injuries in an automobile accident on a public highway in Arkansas on ,the night of the 16th of July, 1926, from which injuries he died on November 9, 1926. Plaintiff alleged compliance with the by-laws as to giving notice of the injuries received by the insured, calling physician, etc., as nearly as she could do so, and claimed excuse wherein she failed, and also alleged making and furnishing proofs of loss in so far as the facts required were available and procurable by appellee.. Appellant answered by general and special exceptions, general denial, and specially pleaded as follows:

“(a) Setting out the terms of the application for membership signed by insured Sam Cole, showing amount paid by him and what for, the provisions of the Certificates of Membership, the classes in which he was insured, etc., and that his total insurance as taken and applied for was $12,000.00.
“(b) Section of by-laws providing exemption from liability for injury to member while said member was violating any law, or was in any degree under the influence of intoxicating liquors or narcotics, or where the accident should happen on account of, or in consequence of the use thereof.
“(c) That the injury and death of Cole was occasioned by his reckless driving while under the influence of liquor on a public highway, and exceeding the speed limit, and in violation of statutes of State of Arkansas, causing his car to overturn, which occasioned his injury and death.
“(d) Alleged the provisions of the law of Arkansas applicable to the acts and conduct of the said Sam Cole, alleged in paragraph c, supra.
“(e) Failure to give notice of accident and to make proof of loss as required by the bylaws, etc.
“(f) Statute of limitations of two years.”

Appellee replied by first supplemental petition to appellant’s answer, explaining failures to comply with requirements of by-laws as to giving notices set up in her amended petition.

A nonjury trial resulted in a judgment in favor of appellee for $14,800, interest, cost, and a mandatory injunction requiring the performance of certain acts on the part of appellant which will be reviewed in the discussion of the questions presented by this appeal.

The defenses urged by the appellant were all predicated upon certain provisions of its by-laws, none of which were contained in the certificates of membership issued to the insured and sued upon. Appellee invoked both by demurrer and answer to the merits, article 4797, supra.

Under agreement of the parties, the court withheld ruling on the demurrers directed to these defenses until after the hearing on the merits. On conclusion of the hearing, the court found both the law and the facts to be with appellee.

On the 14th day of June 1926, the insured, Sam Cole, made application for membership in appellant association, upon which the two certificates declared upon were issued. The application for said certificates contained, among others, the following provision, viz.: “I agree that this application, the Laws of Texas, and the Charter, the By-laws now in existence (of which benefits on back page of this application is a copy of a part thereof) and as may be amended and the Certificate shall be the contract for membership in this Association, and that the same is not to be binding on the Association until this Application is accepted and certificate of Membership issued” — the certificates so issued being each dated June 18, 1926, and in the following language:

“This certifies that, Sam Cole is a member of the Southern Traveler’s Association, and while in good standing is entitled to benefits in such amounts, and under such conditions [677]*677and limitations as may tie provided for in the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of said Association in force on the date of the happening of the event on account of which claim, under this certificate, is made, said Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, the application for membership and this certificate shall constitute the contract between the holder hereof and said Southern Travelers’ Association.
“In accordance with the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas of 1925, Article 4794, the following endorsement is made: ‘The payment of the benefit herein provided for is conditioned upon its being collected by this Company from assessments and other sources as provided in its By-Laws.”

It is stipulated under the heading of “Membership Classifications” on said certificates that the principal sum of indemnity provided by class E certificate is $6,000, and is further stipulated under the head of “Notices” on said certificates that members of class E in case of accident must call a physician or surgeon immediately, and notify the office of the secretary within thirty days, to recover the benefits therein provided.

Appellant association, at the time of the issuance and delivery of said certificates, delivered to insured copies of its articles of incorporation and by-laws, respectively, in force on March 6, 1926, and at the date of the injuries alleged to have been received by insured. A pertinent portion of the copy of by-laws so delivered is section 4 of article 2, under the heading of “Membership,” which provides that, upon the acceptance of the application of any person for membership in said association, there shall be issued to him a membership certificate, signed by the president and secretary, and that said certificate of insurance, together with the application of said member for membership in the association, the articles of incorporation, and the by-laws of the association, shall be considered in each ease the entire contract between the member and said association.

Section 1 of article III of said by-laws stiprdates that whenever a class E member of the association in good standing, while said member’s certificate of membership is in force, shall through external, violent, and accidental means, independent of'all other causes, receive bodily injury resulting in disability or death, the member or beneficiary shall be paid by the association, except as therein provided, upon receipt of proof satisfactory to the board of directors and committee thereof (or if loss from such disability or injury results within six months) the sum of $6,000 for accidental death.

Section 5 of article S of said by-laws pro.

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Bluebook (online)
45 S.W.2d 675, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/southern-travelers-assn-v-cole-texapp-1931.