Travelers Insurance Co. v. Hurst Ex Rel. Hurst

358 S.W.2d 883, 1962 Tex. App. LEXIS 2576
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 12, 1962
Docket7405
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 358 S.W.2d 883 (Travelers Insurance Co. v. Hurst Ex Rel. Hurst) 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
Travelers Insurance Co. v. Hurst Ex Rel. Hurst, 358 S.W.2d 883, 1962 Tex. App. LEXIS 2576 (Tex. Ct. App. 1962).

Opinion

FANNING, Justice.

Appellant insurance company has appealed from a judgment rendered pursuant to the verdict of a jury in a workmen’s compensation insurance case wherein appellee Bobbie Joe Hurst was awarded a recovery of $8,000.02.

Appellant by its first point contends that the trial court erred in overruling its plea in abatement. This plea was based on the contention that the trial court did not have jurisdiction because appellee’s claim before the Industrial Accident Board was filed by appellee when he was a minor and not by guardian or next friend. The Board accepted the filing and rendered a final award, awarding appellee certain stated compensation benefits. Appellee gave timely notice of appeal and by his father as next friend timely filed suit in the trial court to set aside the award of the Board. We do not believe that the trial court erred in overruling appellant’s plea in abatement. In .reaching this conclusion, it is kept in mind that it has long been an accepted principle that the workmen’s compensation law will be liberally construed and legal doctrines liberally applied by the courts, to make effective the basic purposes of the law. In connection with the question raised by appellant’s first point see Texas Employers Ins. Ass’n v. Goines, Tex.Civ.App., 202 S.W.2d 487, wr. ref., n. r. e. Appellant’s first point is overruled.

Appellant by its 2nd, 3rd and 4th points in essence raises “no evidence”, “insufficient evidence” and “against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence” points. For a comprehensive discussion of the principles of law applicable to the determination of such character of points see Chief Justice Calvert’s article, “ ‘No Evidence’ and ‘Insufficient Evidence’ Points of Error”, 38 Tex.Law Rev., No. 4, p. 361.

There was ample evidence of probative force to sufficiently support the jury’s findings that appellee sustained an accidental injury during the course of his employment and the same was not so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be clearly wrong and manifestly unjust.

The principal controversy between the parties seems to be the nature and extent of the injuries and disabilities, if any, sustained by appellee.

According to the testimony of the three doctors placed on the stand by appellant, the plaintiff’s injuries, if any, were minor, and his disabilities, if any, were of a minor temporary nature, and according to their opinion, plaintiff-appellee was able to work.

However, on the other hand, according to plaintiff-appellee’s own testimony he sustained an accidental injury from a fall during the course of his employment resulting in painful, serious and disabling injuries to his back. Appellee’s testimony was also corroborated in material respects by lay testimony given by his wife, father and mother. Appellee’s testimony as to his injuries and disabilities was also corroborated in material respects by a doctor whose medical testi *885 mony given by deposition was placed in evidence by plaintiff-appellee.

The jury was the judge of the ■credibility of all of the witnesses, including the doctors, and of the weight to be given their testimony. It was for the jury to weigh and consider the testimony of the doctors and to give credence to such portions of the same as they determined in the proper exercise of their jury function. It is well settled law in this state that expert testimony is not required to uphold a finding of injury. Coca Cola Bottling Company of Fort Worth v. McAlister, Tex.Civ.App., 256 S.W.2d 654; Dallas Ry. & Term. Co. v. Enloe, Tex.Civ.App., 225 S.W.2d 431, wr. ref. n. r. e.; Armour & Co. v. Tomlin, Tex.Civ.App., 42 S.W.2d 634, affirmed Tex.Com.App., 60 S.W.2d 204; Verhalen v. Nash et al., Tex.Civ.App., 330 S.W.2d 676, wr. ref., n. r. e.

Appellant’s own testimony as to his injuries and serious disabilities constitutes evidence of probative force. The corroborating lay testimony also was evidence of probative force. The testimony of appellee and his lay witnesses was sufficient to support the verdict of the jury. Also the testimony of appellee’s medical witness corroborates appellant’s testimony as to his injuries and disabilities in material respects and to at least a substantial extent.

After carefully considering the entire record in this cause in the light of the rules announced in the case of In re King’s Estate, 150 Tex. 662, 244 S.W.2d 660, it is our view that the jury’s verdict is not so contrary to the great weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be clearly wrong and manifestly unjust.

Appellant’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th points are overruled.

By its 5th point appellant contends that the trial court erred in permitting ap-pellee’s counsel to ask leading questions. Many of the questions complained of were not objected to; the trial court sustained objections to the large majority of the questions objected to by appellant as being leading, and in several instances the trial court instructed the jury to not consider the answers to such questions. It is a well recognized principle that the allowance of leading questions is a matter resting largely within the discretion of the trial court and in Texas the case will not be reversed in the absence of a showing of abuse of discretion. McCormick & Ray, Texas Law of Evidence, Vol. 1, p. 457. Appellant’s 5th point does not present reversible error under this record and is overruled.

We do not perceive reversible error in the action of the trial court in permitting appellee to introduce in evidence the x-rays taken by appellee’s medical witness, who testified by deposition, in view of the agreements made by appellant in the taking of the deposition, and in court, and in view of the explanation of such x-rays made by said medical witness in the deposition. Appellant also has not cited any authority in support of its 6th point. Appellant’s 6th point is overruled.

By its 7th point appellant contends that the trial court erred in permitting ap-pellee’s witness Wood to testify he did not know of any work done by the appellee subsequent to the date of the claimed injury. The question asked of the witness Wood and the answer the witness gave are as follows:

“Q. As far as you know, has he done any work for anyone else ?
“A. I don’t know.”

In view of Mr. Wood’s answer, “I don’t know”, we fail to perceive how appellant was harmed thereby. Appellant’s 7th point is overruled.

By its 8th point appellant contends that the trial court erred in permitting the ap-pellee to cross-examine appellant’s medical witness Dr. Townsend respecting a pre-employment examination of the appellee for Lamar Equipment Company (the employer of appellee).

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Bluebook (online)
358 S.W.2d 883, 1962 Tex. App. LEXIS 2576, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/travelers-insurance-co-v-hurst-ex-rel-hurst-texapp-1962.