T J Service Co. v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co.

472 S.W.2d 168, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2095
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 7, 1971
Docket629
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 472 S.W.2d 168 (T J Service Co. v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty 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
T J Service Co. v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., 472 S.W.2d 168, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2095 (Tex. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

OPINION

BISSETT, Justice.

This is a suit brought by T J Service Company against United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company for an alleged breach of a liability insurance contract. T J Service Company, an oil well reworking and service company, was the insured under a comprehensive general liability insurance policy issued by United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company. During the policy year, T J Service Company sued Traders Oil & Royalty, who filed a cross-action against T J Service Company. United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company denied coverage under the policy and refused to defend against the cross-action. Judgment was entered against T J Service Company on the cross-action; it then instituted this action against United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company to recover the amount of the judgment (up to the policy limits), and for its expenses incurred.

The trial was to a jury and a take nothing judgment was rendered. T J Service Company has duly and timely perfected this appeal. We affirm. The parties to this appeal will henceforth be referred to as appellant and appellee, respectively.

The jury, in substance, found that (a) appellant failed to give written notice to appellee as soon as practicable of the occurrence alleged to be covered by the insurance contract; (b) such failure was not waived by appellee; (c) appellant failed to immediately forward to appellee every demand, notice, petition, cross-action, counterclaim or other pleading received by appellant concerning the occurrence alleged to be covered by the insurance policy; (d) such failure was not waived by appellee; and (e) prior to the time appellant settled its lawsuit against Traders Oil & Royalty, appellee did not deny coverage under the policy solely on the underground resources and equipment exclusion attached to the policy. Judgment was entered on this verdict.

Appellant’s first point of error asserts that “the trial court erred in finding there was evidence to support the jury finding to Special Issues Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5”; its second point charges error in that “the trial court erred in finding that the preponderance of the evidence was in support of the finding of the jury to Special Issues Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5”. These points are overruled. A point of error that does not present fundamental error is multifarious if it embraces more than one specific ground of error, or if it attempts in one point to attack several distinct and separate rulings of the trial court. These points fall squarely within the rule stated above. Both points embrace more than one specific ground of error. Fundamental error is not presented and the points are clearly multifarious. Kettle v. Smircich, 415 S.W.2d 935, 940 (Tex.Civ.App., Corpus Christi, 1967, n. w. h.); Holzapfel v. Brueggman, 404 S.W.2d 916 (Tex.Civ.App., Corpus Christi 1966, wr. ref. n. r. e.); City of Shamrock v. Hrnciar, 453 S.W.2d 898 (Tex.Civ.App., Eastland, 1970, wr. ref. n. r. e.); Johnson-Sampson Construction Company, Inc. v. W & W Waterproofing Company, Inc., 274 S.W.2d 926 (Tex.Civ.App., Amarillo, 1953, wr. ref. n. r. e.); Sheffield v. Lewis, 287 S.W.2d 531 (Tex.Civ.App., Texarkana, 1956, n. w. h.); Hudspeth v. Hudspeth, 206 S.W.2d 863 (Tex.Civ.App., Amarillo, 1947, n. w. h.); Appellate Procedure in Texas, § 12.4(4).

Although we hold that appellant’s first and second points are multifarious and overruled, we have, however, tested their sufficiency in line with the rule that requires us to look also to the statement and argument under the points. Fambrough v. Wagley, 140 Tex. 577, 169 S.W.2d 478, 482 (1943); Tindall v. Tacconelly, 328 S.W.2d *171 909 (Tex.Civ.App., San Antonio, 19S9, wr. ref. n. r. e.).

The first argument is a “no evidence” type point; we are, under this type of point, required to review the evidence in its most favorable light in support of the jury findings and to disregard the evidence and inferences to the contrary. Garza v. Alviar, 395 S.W.2d 821 (Tex.Sup.1965); Renfro Drug Co. v. Lewis, 149 Tex. 507, 235 S.W.2d 609 (1951). The second argument is an “against the preponderance of the evidence” type point. This involves a determination of fact questions as opposed to law questions. We consider and weigh all the evidence in the record; it must clearly appear that the jury findings are wrong before the appellate court may set them aside. In re King’s Estate, 150 Tex. 662, 244 S.W.2d 660 (1951); State v. Dehnisch, 437 S.W.2d 46 (Tex.Civ.App., Corpus Christi, 1968, n. w. h.). We examine the evidence in accordance with these rules.

On November 22, 1967, appellant and Traders Oil & Royalty entered into a written agreement whereby appellant agreed to furnish a workover rig and the necessary equipment to rework an oil well located in Nueces Bay, Nueces County, Texas.

Appellant reworked the well in November-December, 1967. Differences and disputes arose concerning the work performed that culminated in appellant filing suit against Traders Oil & Royalty in April, 1968, wherein appellant sought to recover for services rendered and materials furnished in connection with the reworking of the well. Traders Oil & Royalty filed a cross-action against appellant on June 28, 1968, wherein it alleged that appellant breached the agreement and failed to swab the well, all of which resulted in the failure of the well to be commercially productive. Appellant answered the cross-action and counterclaim on July 8, 1968 by the filing of (a) a denial, and (b) special exceptions contending that the alleged failures were not set forth with such exactness as to enable appellant to make its defense; the exceptions were sustained.

On August 8, 1968, Traders Oil & Royalty filed its first amended cross-action. In this pleading damages were sought not only for the breach of the agreement, but also for the alleged negligence of appellant in the manner in which the reworking operations were conducted. Thereafter, in August, 1968, appellant requested that the case be set for trial for March 10, 1969.

On November 9, 1968, appellant filed a special exception to the first amended cross-action and counterclaim. This exception was sustained by the trial court at a hearing held on February 27, 1969 and the cross-plaintiff was given one week within which to amend. Traders Oil & Royalty amended by filing its second amended cross-action and counterclaim on March 6, 1969, wherein it was again alleged that appellant had breached the agreement and was negligent in its reworking operations and that such negligence caused damage to Traders Oil & Royalty; alleged facts constituting negligence were set out in considerable detail in this pleading.

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Bluebook (online)
472 S.W.2d 168, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2095, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/t-j-service-co-v-united-states-fidelity-guaranty-co-texapp-1971.