Talley v. Enserch Corp.

508 So. 2d 197, 1987 La. App. LEXIS 9514
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 13, 1987
Docket86-504
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 508 So. 2d 197 (Talley v. Enserch Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Talley v. Enserch Corp., 508 So. 2d 197, 1987 La. App. LEXIS 9514 (La. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinion

508 So.2d 197 (1987)

Ronald C. TALLEY, Jr., Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
ENSERCH CORPORATION, et al., Defendants-Appellants.

No. 86-504.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

May 13, 1987.
Rehearing Denied June 10, 1987.

*199 Denis Paul Juge, New Orleans, for defendants-appellants.

Gaharan and Wilson, Joseph Wilson, Jena, for plaintiff-appellee.

Percy and Assoc., H. Gregory Walker, Jr., James B. Reichman, of Gist, Methvin, Hughes & Munsterman, Alexandria, for defendant-appellee.

Before STOKER, LABORDE and YELVERTON, JJ.

YELVERTON, Judge.

This is an appeal from a suit for worker's compensation benefits and medical expenses incurred as the result of a heart attack suffered by plaintiff. The accident happened after the 1983 amendments to the Louisiana Worker's Compensation Act and is therefore governed by those amendments. The plaintiff prevailed in the trial court and the defendants appeal several findings of the trial court. We affirm in part, amend in part, and reverse in part.

The trial court has set forth its reasons for judgment in a well-written opinion and we will adopt portions of that opinion.

Plaintiff's employment and the circumstances of the heart attack were explained by the trial judge as follows:

"In July of 1983, the Plaintiff, RONALD C. TALLEY, JR. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as TALLEY) suffered a myocardial infarction. At the time of the incident TALLEY was employed by a subsidiary of ENSERCH CORPORATION (hereinafter sometimes referred to as ENSERCH), who has been made Defendant herein. The disability arising from this health difficulty has given rise to this Worker's Compensation suit.

"TALLEY originally became employed as a salesman for DJ OILFIELD RENTAL TOOLS in 1979. Sometime during 1982 DJ OILFIELD RENTAL TOOLS was acquired by ENSERCH and operated as a subsidiary of its ASSOCIATED OIL TOOLS, INC. division. Made Defendants in this particular law suit are ENSERCH CORPORATION, ASSOCIATED OIL TOOLS, INC., and EMPLOYERS' NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY (the worker's compensation insurer).

"In November of 1982 ENSERCH transferred TALLEY to its Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, office as divisional manager. This particular office was basically a new operation. TALLEY, as general manager, was in charge of hiring and firing, sales, setting up and maintaining office facilities, and other managerial duties. Additionally, because of the nature of the business, and because of the newness of the operation, he was obligated to perform various physical tasks.

"The first myocardial infarction occurred on Tuesday, July 12, 1983 in Oklahoma City. On Friday before the attack, it was necessary for TALLEY and a single warehouseman to fill an order of drill pipe by physically loading the pipe themselves for transportation to the job site. This particular incident was an all night affair.

"On the day of the initial attack Dick Farrell, an officer of the company had made a regularly scheduled visit to the Oklahoma City office. Farrell and TALLEY discussed business through part of the afternoon at the company's office and then left to meet a Travis Vaught for a round of golf. Vaught was a representative of another company who did business with the defendant company, but more importantly, was responsible for introducing TALLEY to potential customers and contacts within the Oklahoma City area.

"During the golf game, TALLEY began to experience pain indicative of a heart attack. He was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital where he was diagnosed as having suffered an acute myocardial infarction.

*200 "TALLEY remained in the Oklahoma City hospital until July 24, 1983, at which time he returned to Jena, Louisiana. The return to Jena was necessitated by the fact that, although the operation of the company was in Oklahoma City, he still maintained his family home in Louisiana. He had not yet moved his family to Oklahoma City and had spent the time from transfer to Oklahoma City up until the day of the attack commuting back and forth on a regular basis to be with his family.

"Approximately two days after his return he suffered a second attack and was admitted to the LaSalle General Hospital under the care of Dr. Robert Kendrick. On July 28, 1983, TALLEY was transferred to the St. Frances Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana. After further tests were conducted there, it was recommended that TALLEY undergo coronary by-pass surgery. This surgery occurred on August 3, 1983, at which time four coronary artery by-pass grafts were effected. On August 10, 1983, TALLEY was discharged, but never has returned to employment.

"A claim for worker's compensation benefits was instituted in January of 1984, but the company denied benefits. Suit was filed on May 16, 1984 for weekly benefits, medical expenses, penalties, attorney fees, interests and all costs. The defendants denied that a compensable accident occurred and alleged in the alternative, that they should receive credit for $1800 per month payments, and $40,000 in hospital and medical benefits paid, pursuant to an employee benefit program.

"The first issue to be determined is whether or not TALLEY was in the course and scope of his employment at the time of the heart attack and whether or not the attack arose out of his employment. Although TALLEY was engaged in a golf game at the time of the incident, it is clear that this was part of his duties. The evidence establishes that entertainment of business customers and acquaintances was a part of his job duties. It was, and is, an acceptable means of doing business within the industry. The testimony of Farrell and TALLEY was to the effect that the golf game had both a social and business purpose. It is significant to note that the company paid all the expenses associated with the golf activities, including payment of dues, green fees, golf balls and similar equipment requirements. The employer, if not expressly, did impliedly require the participation of TALLEY in the recreational activity and gained substantial benefit therefrom. Defendant cites Larson's Treatise on Workmen's Compensation which clearly fits this particular set of circumstances. The jurisprudence of this State is to the effect that whether or not a work related accident occurs is a question to be decided by the trial court. See Deville v. Port Pipe Terminal of Louisiana, Inc., 419 So.2d 16 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1982), and Roussel v. Colonial Sugars Company, 318 So.2d 37 (La.1975).

"The next question to be determined is whether or not there was a causal connection between the heart attack and the employment such as to satisfy the requirement that the accident arose out of the employment. An accident `arises out of the employment' when it results from a particular risk that the employee is subjected to in the course of his employment and that he would not be subjected to had he not been employed. Additionally, a heart attack may be a compensable accident within the meaning of the Louisiana Workmen's Compensation Statutes. See Shatoska v. International Grain Transfer, Inc., 430 So.2d 1255 (La.App. 1st Cir.1983) and Guidry v. Sline Industrial Painters, Inc., 418 So.2d 626 (La.1982).

"In this particular case, the evidence indicates that the working circumstances in Oklahoma City were extremely stressful. This was a new area of development during a period of general decline in the oil and gas industry and there were numerous problems associated with the operation and maintenance of the company. At the time of the first heart attack, the office personnel consisted of TALLEY, two field salesmen, and a warehouseman.

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

Related

Hollingsworth v. E. Baton Rouge Parish Sch. Bd.
666 So. 2d 376 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1995)
Vestal v. Ashland Pipeline Co.
616 So. 2d 775 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1993)
Cousins v. City of New Orleans
594 So. 2d 1107 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1992)
Landry v. Central Industries, Inc.
592 So. 2d 478 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1991)
Talley v. Enserch Corp.
589 So. 2d 615 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1991)
Holmes v. International Paper Co.
559 So. 2d 970 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1990)
DeGruy v. Pala, Inc.
525 So. 2d 1124 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1988)
Clark v. Welex
517 So. 2d 1186 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1987)
Talley v. Enserch Corp.
513 So. 2d 289 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
508 So. 2d 197, 1987 La. App. LEXIS 9514, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/talley-v-enserch-corp-lactapp-1987.