Texas Indemnity Ins. Co. v. Wilson

281 S.W. 289
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 11, 1926
DocketNo. 309. [fn*]
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 281 S.W. 289 (Texas Indemnity Ins. Co. v. Wilson) 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 Indemnity Ins. Co. v. Wilson, 281 S.W. 289 (Tex. Ct. App. 1926).

Opinion

STANFORD, J.

This suit was brought by appellee against appellant under the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Law of this state (Vernon’s Ann. Civ. St. Supp. 1918, arts. 5246 — 1 to 5246 — 91). Appellee alleged, in substance, that on July 5, 1924, while in the employ of the Prairie Pipe Line Company as a laborer, and while assisting in.carrying a “straddle jack” weighing between 500 and 700 pounds, the whole weight of said “straddle jack” was thrown upon him and onto and against his stomach, which heavy weight and strain caused his stomach to be pressed and mashed in and his internal organs to be injured, broken loose, causing his left leg to swell and the veins to become much enlarged, creating a condition known as varicose veins, rendering his leg stiff, all of which resulted in his permanent total disability. Notice of said injury was duly given and said claim presented to the Industrial Accident Board, and acted upon by said board, and notice of appeal given, and this suit filed, all of which was done within the time and manner as prescribed by said Workmen’s Compensation Act.

The case was submitted to the jury on twelve special issues, all of which were answered favorably to appellee, and on which findings, and such other findings as the court was authorized from, the evidence to make, the court entered judgment for appellee.

Opinion.

Under its first assignment, appellant contends the court erred in admitting in evidence certified copies by the secretary of the Industrial Accident Board, of notices from the Prairie Pipe Line Company to said board, and also fromi appellant to said board, notifying said board that said pipe line company had on July 1, 1924, become a subscriber, by, on said date, taking out a workmen’s compensation policy under the provisions of our Workmen’s Compensation Law, with appellant; said policy to continue in force until July 1, 1925. The record discloses that appellee, in his original petition and all amendments thereof, notified appellant to produce on the trial said original policy or a certified copy of same, and that on the trial of this cause counsel for'appellant were requested to produce said policy or a certified copy of same, and that both said requests were refused by appellant and its counsel, after which the certified copies of which complaint is made were admitted in evidence. Article 8308, § 18a, Revised Statutes 1925, and articles 5246 —76, Vernon’s Ann. Civ. St. Supp. 1918, provide for these notices to the board both by the employer and the association carrying the risk, and prescribe a heavy penalty for failure on the part of either to give such notices to said board. Said act further provides, in effect, that a certified copy of any of the records of the Industrial Accident Board shall be admissible in evidence. The appellant having refused to produce the original policy or a certified copy of same, the trial court was correct in admitting these certified copies of said notices, and said notices were sufficient to prove, under the facts of this case, that the Prairie Pipe Line Company, on July 5, 1924, was a subscriber and carried: compensation insurance for its employees, and that appellant was the carrier of such insurance on said date. It was.not necessary to prove the terms of said policy, because its. terms are fixed by the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Law. Article 8308, Revised Statutes' 1925, § 18a; articles 5246 —76, Vernon’s Sayles’ Statutes; Texas Employers Ins. Ass’n v. Pierce (Tex. Civ. App.) 254 S. W. 1019; Georgia Casualty Co. v. Ginn (Tex. Civ. App.) 272 S. W. 601.

Under other assignments, appellant complains of appellee and his wife being permitted to testify, over its objection, to about the amount appellant owed for groceries, doctor’s bills, borrowed money, etc, amounting to the aggregate to $600 or $700. Appellee in his pleading, in substance, alleged that he was permanently and totally incapacitated to perform labor, that he had a wife and three children dependent upon him, that he had been out of funds since his injury, and that to support himself and family he had incurred debts to about $650, setting out other matters fully as a basis for recovery of compensation in a lump sum. Objection was made to the evidence above referred to upon the ground that it was “irrelevant and immaterial, is only an estimated amount of this alleged indebtedness, and its introduction prejudicial to defendant.” In order to determine the issue of a lump sum recovery, it was necessary to inquire into his financial condition and responsibilities, as well *291 as to whether his disability was total and permanent, and for this purpose said evidence, we think, was both relevant and material, and considering the purpose for which it was offered, we think it was not objectionable because said witnesses could not state the exact amount. On cross-examination of appellee by appellant’s counsel, appellee testified positively that he knew his indebtedness was between ¡¡>650 and $700, so this evidence having been repeated at appellant’s instance, it cannot be heard to complain. Sullivan v. Fant (Tex. Civ. App.) 110 S. W. 523; Eastham v. Hunter, 86 S. W. 323, 98 Tex. 560; Gammel Pub. Co. v. Monfort (Tex. Civ. App.) 81 S. W. 1029; Pacific Express Co. v. Needham (Tex. Civ. App.) 94 S. W. 1070. These assignments are overruled.

Under other assignments, appellant complains of the admission of the evidence of Dr. Cronenanes, over the objection of appellant, to the effect that same does not constitute proper testimony, was self-serving and and based upon hearsay, and did not constitute a part of the res gestae. The record discloses that this witness first qualified as an expert by testifying that he was a practicing physician and surgeon in Mexia; that he had graduated from a regular medical college and had been a regular practicing physician and surgeon since 1915. This witness testified that he was called to see Mr. Wilson professionally and to make an examination of him, and said Mr. Wilson’s condition, as he found it, was varicose veins and an enlarged inguinal canal, also some enlarged veins in the scrotum, etc. After testifying fully as to the condition of Wilson, he was asked, in effect, what in his opinion was the inciting cause of said condition, and replied that he was familiar with the alleged injury to Wilson while working for the Prairie Pipe Line Company, and gave it as his opinion that said injury, as stated to him by Wilson, was the direct and inciting cause of the condition he found. In order for a medical expert to give an opinion as to whether or not a condition he finds in a person examined by him is due to a certain injury, he must know the circumstances and character of such injury, either by same being embodied in a hypothetical question propounded to him, or detailed to him by the injured party. The question involved here was not a question of res gestse, not a matter of hearsay evidence, and not a matter of whether or not appellee was injured in the manner he says he was, but the question was- whether an injury received, as appellee claims it was, would likely be the inciting cause of the condition found to exist by the expert witness.' Appellant, on cross-examination of this witness, had said witness to reiterate and detail fully the statement made by appellee as to the circumstances, nature, and character of the injury. We think no error, at least no reversible error, is shown by these assignments. There was no dispute about how ap-pellee was hurt. Railway v. Brown, 40 S. W. 618, 16 Tex. Civ. App. 93; M. K. & T. Ry. Co. v. Rose, 49 S. W. 133, 19 Tex. Civ. App. 470; note, 14 Ann. Cas. 449; G. H. & S.

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

Related

Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion
Texas Attorney General Reports, 1980
Petray v. Travelers Insurance Company
393 S.W.2d 711 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1965)
Reserve Life Ins. Co. v. Everett
275 S.W.2d 713 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1955)
Texas Employers Ins. Ass'n v. Shackelford
158 S.W.2d 572 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1941)
Texas Employers Ins. Ass'n v. Hitt
125 S.W.2d 323 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1939)
Safety Casualty Co. v. Walls
117 S.W.2d 879 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1938)
Texas Employers Ins. Ass'n v. Booth
113 S.W.2d 231 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1937)
Traders & General Ins. Co. v. Ross
88 S.W.2d 543 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1935)
Maryland Casualty Co. v. Guzman
79 S.W.2d 330 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1935)
Theago v. Royal Indemnity Co.
70 S.W.2d 473 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1934)
Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n v. Trotter
54 S.W.2d 1023 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1932)
Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America v. Harris
53 S.W.2d 631 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1932)
Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n v. Perry
35 S.W.2d 1087 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1931)
Texas Indem. Ins. Co. v. Pemberton
9 S.W.2d 65 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1928)
Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n v. Davies
6 S.W.2d 792 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1928)
Norwich Union Indemnity Co. v. Smith
3 S.W.2d 120 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1927)
Winters Mut. Aid Ass'n v. Corum
297 S.W. 238 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1927)
Nacklinger Rayburn v. Prewitt
294 S.W. 977 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1927)
Wilson v. Place
293 S.W. 322 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1927)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
281 S.W. 289, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/texas-indemnity-ins-co-v-wilson-texapp-1926.