United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Harris

489 S.W.2d 312, 1972 Tex. App. LEXIS 2106
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 28, 1972
Docket666
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 489 S.W.2d 312 (United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Harris) 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
United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Harris, 489 S.W.2d 312, 1972 Tex. App. LEXIS 2106 (Tex. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

DUNAGAN, Chief Justice.

This is a suit for benefits under the Workmen’s Compensation Act of the State of Texas brought in the District Court of Gregg County, Texas, by the appellant, United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, against Tom D. Harris, Candy Stovall, and Ruth Harris, Individually and as Guardian of the Estate of Candy Stovall. The defendants filed their answer thereto and cross-action against United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company for the workmen’s compensation benefits to which it is alleged that Candy Stovall is legally entitled to receive under the workmen’s compensation law of this state by virtue of the death of her mother, Mary Lou Stovall. The suit arises from fatal injuries received by Mary Lou Stovall, the mother of Candy Stovall, on December 15, 1970.

The trial court overruled plaintiff and cross-defendant, United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company’s motion for instructed verdict and motion for judgment notwithstanding the jury verdict and rendered judgment for the defendant and cross-plaintiff, Ruth Harris as guardian of the estate of Candy Stovall, a minor, on the sole finding of the jury that the injuries to Mary Lou Stovall were received in the course of her employment. From this judgment appellant has appealed.

Appellant asserts that (1) the jury’s finding that the fatal injuries causing the death of Mary Lou Stovall were sustained in the course of her employment with Roy H. Laird Country Club was not supported by any evidence of probative value, (2) the undisputed evidence established, as a matter of law, that the fatal injuries were not sustained in the course of Mary Lou Sto-vall’s employment with Roy H. Laird Country Club, and (3) the evidence was insufficient to support such finding of the jury and such finding was contrary to the overwhelming preponderance of the evidence.

Mary Lou Stovall was an employee of Roy H. Laird Country Club in Kilgore, Texas. Appellant’s contention is that her injuries were not received while she was in the course of her employment for the country club. Appellee’s contention is that she was in the course of her employment *314 when she received the fatal injuries and that the evidence is sufficient to support the jury finding to that effect.

The only issue submitted to the jury inquired as to whether the fatal injuries causing the death of Mary Lou Stovall on December IS, 1970, were sustained in the course of her employment for the Laird Country Club.

Therefore, the sole question presented to this court for its determination is one of the sufficiency of the evidence to support the finding of the jury that her injuries were sustained in the course of her employment.

Appellant’s statement in its point of error number four that the evidence is “insufficient” to support the finding of the jury presents an ambiguity because it can mean that the evidence is legally insufficient or the evidence is factually insufficient to support the finding. An assertion that the evidence is legally insufficient means there is no evidence of probative force to support the finding in question. The assertion that the evidence is factually insufficient means that the evidence supporting the finding is so weak that the finding should be set aside and a new trial ordered. Garza v. Alviar, 395 S.W.2d 821 (Tex.Sup., 1965). Each one presents a different question to and guide line for the appellate courts to follow in properly considering the point of error. Owens v. Rogers, 446 S.W.2d 865 (Tex.Sup., 1969) ; Garza v. Alviar, supra.

In view of the fact that appellant asserts in its point of error number one that there is “no evidence” of probative value to support the finding of the jury, we assume that the appellant by its insufficient point of error is asserting that the evidence is factually insufficient to support the jury finding.

When the assignment is that there is no evidence, the reviewing court may consider only that evidence, if any, which, viewed in its most favorable light, supports the jury findings, and we must disregard all evidence which would lead to a contrary result. Biggers v. Continental Bus System, 157 Tex. 351, 298 S.W.2d 79, 303 S.W.2d 359 (1957). When the contention is made that the evidence is factually insufficient to support the jury findings, or the findings are against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence, a court of civil appeals must examine all of the evidence and reverse and remand for a new trial if it concludes that the verdict or finding is so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be clearly wrong and unjust. In Re King’s Estate, 150 Tex. 662, 244 S.W.2d 660 (1951).

Mrs. Stovall was an employee of Roy H. Laird Country Club in Kilgore, Texas, at the time of the accident and had been for a long time prior thereto but she resided in Longview, Texas. She received fatal injuries in an automobile collision on December 15, 1970, while on her way to work. She was the supervisor of the 19th Hole which is the bar and grill for golfers in the country club. She was the only employee of that facility and her duties included doing everything that was supposed to be done. She was employed as supervisor by Martha Austin who was manager of the country club.

Mrs. Austin testified that as a part of the employment contract with Mrs. Stovall, since she was the only employee of the 19th Hole, that once she reported to work she could not leave the premises, if she did she would be discharged, except on very seldom occasions when Mrs. Austin could relieve her. Since Mrs. Stovall was the only employee of the 19th Hole, under her employment contract she was required to do the planning of the various menus. In planning the menus there would be certain supplies that were needed which could not be delivered and Mrs. Stovall was required to personally pick up those supplies in her own automobile and deliver them to the country club. It is also shown by Mrs. *315 Austin’s testimony that the 19th Hole opened around 11:00 o’clock a. m. and there was no one to relieve Mrs. Stovall until S :00 p. m. at which time Mrs. Austin normally came to work, and since Mrs. Stovall could not report for duty and then leave to go shopping for her supplies without losing her job, it was necessary for her to pick up those certain supplies on her way to work.

There were particular supplies which were available in Longview, Texas, but were not available in Kilgore, Texas. When the menus or the inventory required items such as these, plus other items which Mrs. Stovall could personally select better than having them delivered without personal inspection and selection, Mrs. Stovall was required to pick up these particular supplies in her automobile and transport them to the country club and she was paid for the time spent in selecting those supplies and in picking up those supplies in Longview that she was bringing to Kil-gore. Mrs. Stovall was paid on an hourly basis and she was paid on such basis for the period of time that it took her to purchase those supplies. Mrs.

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

Related

State, Texas Department of Human Services v. Penn
786 S.W.2d 28 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1990)
Callisburg Independent School District v. Favors
695 S.W.2d 370 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1985)
Hatton v. Highlands Insurance Co.
631 S.W.2d 787 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1982)
Reid v. North River Insurance Co.
508 S.W.2d 683 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1974)
Barber v. Corpus Christi Bank & Trust
506 S.W.2d 254 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1974)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
489 S.W.2d 312, 1972 Tex. App. LEXIS 2106, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-fidelity-guaranty-co-v-harris-texapp-1972.