Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n v. Hatton

252 S.W.2d 754
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 9, 1952
DocketNo. 4884
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 252 S.W.2d 754 (Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n v. Hatton) 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
Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n v. Hatton, 252 S.W.2d 754 (Tex. Ct. App. 1952).

Opinion

SUTTON, Justice.

This is a workmen’s compensation case and comes from the 95th District Court of Dallas County.

The plaintiff’s suit is predicated on an injury to his right foot. The case was-tried to a jury on the facts and on favorable answers to special issues judgment was rendered for compensation for '208 weeks for total incapacity at the rate of $25 per week, and for 193 weeks for 75% permanent partial incapacity at the rate of $22.50 per week, from which judgment this appeal is prosecuted.

. The defendant in its brief states the only contested fact issues relate to the extent and duration of the injury, and whether or not it extended to and affected other parts of his body. .

Eight points of error are presented,-the first of which is the trial- court erred in refusing to permit defendant’s doctor to demonstrate the freedom of movement in plaintiff’s toes, foot and ankle and the absence of pain therein by manipulating same in the presence of the jury;- plaintiff having previously exhibited his foot and ankle to the jury.

The testimony is a heavy board fell on plaintiff’s foot and injured it seriously, breaking the first, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal bones. Plaintiff testified he could not move his toes since the acch dent; that he has pain in his foot; limps when walking, and that his back hurts. There is medical testimony the bones in his foot are fused, or grown together, resulting in a stiffening of the foot and a loss of some joints in the foot. The medical opinion differs as to the extent of the fusion and the extent of the limitation in use.

On direct examination plaintiff's counsel requested him to take off his shoe and sock and exhibit his foot to the jury, and had him demonstrate to the jury how far hé co.uld turn the foot toward the floor. He indicated and said he could get it no further than ia horizontal position. Tljis [756]*756testimony is sliown on pages 98 and 99 of the Statement of Facts. At a later time in the course of the trial while one of the defendant’s doctors was testifying counsel for defendant requested the- doctor to exhibit to the jury-and demonstrate the motion and lack of motion and limitation, if any, in plaintiff’s foot, whereupon plaintiff’s counsel objected to any medical examination unless the same be had as provided by statute. The objection was sustained. Counsel continued, saying he had no objection to the doctor observing both feet and testifying about them but did object to a medical examination by manipulating them unless it be done in accordance with the statutory provisions.

The foot was the only injured portion of the body. Other complaints had were but indirect results of the foot injury. It is apparent, we think, the examination proposed was little less, if any, that! a complete examination and inquiry into the injury complained of and made the basis of the claim and suit and could not ’ have well been confined to anything else than a full and complete examination involving both sides, and one which the Court might in its discretion decline to indulge. Wallace v. Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co., 148 Tex. 503, 226 S.W.2d 612; Eubanks v. Texas Employers’ Insurance Ass’n, Tex.Sup., 246 S.W.2d 467; Associated Employers Lloyds v. Tullos, Tex, Civ.App., 197 S.W.2d 210, r. n. r. e.

However, immediately following the rejection of the proposal to examine the foot by flexing it, etc., plaintiff bared both feet and the doctor had him stand up and turn around, etc., and gave testimony concerning his conclusions from the observations thus made.

The second point complains of the definition of “personal injury” because of the addition of the words, “and includes traumatic neurosis, if any, or hysteria, if any, resulting from the injury in question,” tp the statutory definition.

In the course of the examination of the medical witnesses called by the defendant, two of them, they testified in their opinion plaintiff was suffering from hysteria or neurosis as a result of the injury and pendency of the suit which would probably improve after the termination of the litigation. There was no pleading covering any such disability, but plaintiff sought and was granted permission to set it up in a trial amendment and based upon the testimony thus elicited the court enlarged the statutory definition to include the hysteria and neurosis. We think there is no error presented, because it is not a comment on the evidence, as is claimed, but a mere instruction such disability, if any, may be taken into consideration by the jury and such has been held to be compensable, Hood v. Texas Indemnity Insurance Co., 146 Tex. 522, 209 S.W.2d 345, as a disabling result flowing from the injury received. Enlargements of the statutory definition to include incitement, 'acceleration or aggravation of a prior or subsequent disease resulting from the injury have been sustained.

Southern Underwriters v. Parker, Tex. Civ.App., 129 S.W.2d 738, e. r.; Texas Employers Insurance Ass’n v. Wright, Tex. Civ.App., 118 S.W.2d 433, dismissed; Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Murphy, Tex. Civ.App., 205 S.W.2d 398.

Complaint is also made that the court erred in permitting plaintiff to read, over objection, that portion of his petition wherein it is alleged he had agreed to pay his attorney one-third the recovery.

It is pointed out in this connection the defendant stated in open court it would agree the compensation • should be paid in a lump sum if plaintiff should be found to be permanently and totally disabled. This fact or agreement cannot control the situation. Rule 265, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, provides the petition and answer shall be read to the jury and makes no exception. The pleading is necessary and it has been held it is not error to read it.

Employers’ Liability, etc., v. Sims, Tex. Civ.App., 67 S.W.2d 445, err. ref.

During the closing argument plaintiff’s counsel said:

“Now gentlemen, he (defendant’s counsel, as we understand it) said something about this allergy just [757]*757cleared up,, and Mr. Hatton says it did not. He says the' stuff still breaks out on him, but that is not the main thing anyway. I just want to call your attention to some testimony by Dr. Paine about which I have had the Court Reporter transcribe; in the first place I' want you to remember this, that no witness testified he did not have it now.”

Objection was made:

“We object to that, his own sister, Mrs. Doris Crawford, testified she never saw any after he left the hospital. I challenge that statement in this record, his own sister says as far as she knew he was healed after he left the hospital. * * * We challenge that with the record.”

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Related

Hammer v. City of Dallas
273 S.W.2d 646 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1954)
Texas Employers Ins. Ass'n v. Hatton
255 S.W.2d 848 (Texas Supreme Court, 1953)

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252 S.W.2d 754, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/texas-employers-ins-assn-v-hatton-texapp-1952.