Waller-McCumber, Inc. v. Fields

137 S.W.2d 126
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 11, 1940
DocketNo. 10925.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 137 S.W.2d 126 (Waller-McCumber, Inc. v. Fields) 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
Waller-McCumber, Inc. v. Fields, 137 S.W.2d 126 (Tex. Ct. App. 1940).

Opinion

GRAVES, Justice.

The gist of this action, as well as .of the disposition thereof below; is thus in part stated in appellant’s brief:

“This is a suit by Waller-McCumber, Inc., as assignee of Texas Fire & Casualty Underwriters, a reciprocal insurance exchange, against R. B. Fields, to recover premiums on certain policies of insurance against the liability of the latter as employer, either under Workmen’s Compensation Act or otherwise, and against liability for personal injuries and property damage to third persons. The trial court allowed the plaintiff a recovery of the premiums on certain of the policies, but denied it a recovery of the premiums on others, and also denied it a recovery of its claimed premiums computed on the unreported pay-rolls on the policies on which it was otherwise allowed a recovery. * * *
“The policies involved * * * were four in number:
“(1) May 27, 1937, Workmen’s Compensation and employer’s liability on Louisiana operations, Policy No. WC-202317;
“(2) May 27, 1937, Public liability and property damage on Louisiana operations, Policy No. P.M.C.-82737;
“(3) April 17, 1938, Workmen’s Compensation and employers’ liability on Louisiana operations;
“(4) April 27, 1938, Public liability and property damage on Louisiana operations; and a similar group of policies dated April 27, 1938. * * *
“In addition to the reported pay-rolls on ' the Texas business, there were alleged to be unreported pay-rolls amounting to $4000.00, on which the claimed premiums sued for aggregated $530.00. * * *
“The earned premium on the reported pay rolls amounted to $6560.47.
■ “The defendant denied liability for the unpaid premiums on, the Texas policies, and was sustained in his position by the trial court, with judgment accordingly.”

The material substance of the challenged judgment — rendered by the court without a jury’s aid — inclusive of a concluding specification of the extent to which notice of appeal therefrom was given, is this:

“* * * the court finds that the plaintiff herein sues to recover of and from the defendant herein premiums upon the various policies of insurance * * *, which .gaid policies of . insurance the court finds covers the defendant’s operations in Texas as to certain of said policies and covers defendant’s operations in Louisiana as to certain of said Policies, which are identified in the evidence heard, * * the court finds and decrees that by virtue of the issuance of the policies •* * covering the defendant’s Texas operations, that the defendant stands legally indebted to the plaintiff at this time, subject to deductions hereinafter mentioned, for premiums on the Texas policies amounting to the total sum of $6560.47; but from the pleadings of the parties and the evidence heard, the'court finds that heretofore and prior to the filing of this suit the defendant has duly paid to the plaintiff to be credited on the premiums due under the Texas- Policies * * * '$2018.88, so that the court finds that, subject to the credits hereinafter mentioned, the defendant at this time stands justly indebted to the plaintiff for premiums due on the Texas policies, that is, the policies covering the Texas operations, in the sum of $4541.59; but the court further finds * * * and decrees that prior to the filing of this suit the defendant turned over to -the plaintiff the note of Frank Bennett, or the Bennett Petroleum Company, * * * said note *128 amounting' to the principal sum of $1987.-50, plus interest accrued thereon in the sum of $89.37, making a total principal and interest due on said note of $2076.87; and * * * the court further finds and decrees that the plaintiff accepted said note from the defendant not as collateral security for plaintiff’s debt but as absolute payment on defendant’s account to plaintiff, so that the court finds that the total remaining debt owed by defendant to plaintiff because of premiums due on the policy covering the defendant’s Texas operations of $4541.59 is further subject to a credit of $2076.87, leaving a net balance of debt owed by defendant to plaintiff because of premiums due under the policies issued to defendant covering his Texas operations by Texas Fire and Casualty Underwriters of $2464.72.
“* * * the court further finds and decrees that the plaintiff alleges and shows * * * that the defendant became indebted to plaintiff because of premiums accruing and becoming due under the policies * * * issued by Texas Fire and Casualty Underwriters to defendant and covering his operations in the State of Louisiana in the sum of $2527.44. * * * The court further finds, adjudges, and decrees, that prior to the filing of this suit the defendant, R. B. Fields, paid in cash to the plaintiff, which the plaintiff credited on the premiums due under the Louisiana policies, the sum of $1059.14, so that * * * the plaintiff now sues the defendant for the remaining unpaid portion of the premiums alleged to be due on the policies in question covering defendant’s Louisiana operations in the sum of $1468.30; but * * * it is ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court that the plaintiff take nothing as to the defendant as to the $1468.30 premiums sued for herein as being the remaining sum due on premiums accruing under the policies covering defendant’s operations * * *.
“The court further finds, adjudges and decrees that the defendant * * * is entitled to recover of and from the plaintiff the sum of $1059.14, heretofore paid in cash by defendant to plaintiff and credited by plaintiff on the total premiums of $2527.44 claimed to have accrued as premiums on the policies covering the defendant’s Louisiana operations, and he is entitled to have said sum of $1059.14 so paid by defendant in cash to plaintiff and credited on the Louisiana premiums, credited in turn on the balance of defendant’s debt due as premiums on the policies covering defendant’s Texas operations, said balance of said Texas debt being $2464.72, * * * leaving the defendant justly and legally indebted to the plaintiff as premiums on the policies covering defendant’s Texas operations in the sum of $1405.58.- * * *
“The court further finds, * * * that the plaintiff sues the defendant herein to recover premiums alleged to be due on the Texas policy * * * on a pay-roll of defendant accruing between the 19th of July, 1938, and prior to August 22, 1938, of about $4000.00, but the court finds that the defendant is not indebted to the plaintiff on said pay-roll for any such premiums * * *.
“To all that- portion of this judgment herein denying .plaintiff recovery for the $1468.30 remaining on the total Louisiana premiums of $2527.44 sued for herein, and to all that portion of the judgment herein allowing defendant to credit on his debt to plaintiff for premiums on the policies covering defendant’s Texas operations the sum of $1059.14 paid by defendant to plaintiff and credited by plaintiff on the premiums due on the policies covering defendant’s Louisiana operations, the plaintiff excepts and objects, and gives notice of appeal.”

Otherwise than as appears in the quoted judgment, no findings of fact nor conclusions of law were either requested or filed.

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Bluebook (online)
137 S.W.2d 126, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/waller-mccumber-inc-v-fields-texapp-1940.