Opinion ID: 1624253
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: application of tcic

Text: At trial TCIC attempted to establish that Bolding's death was not sustained in the course of his employment for Southwestern Bell because he was going home or was on some other personal mission or that his death was a suicide. The jury having found that Bolding was in the course of employment, TCIC contends in its application for writ of error that the trial court correctly rendered judgment non obstante veredicto because there is no evidence to support the jury's finding. In deciding TCIC's no evidence point, we must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict and consider only the evidence and inferences that support the verdict. TCIC's point of error must be sustained if there is a complete absence of, or no more than a scintilla of, evidence that Bolding was in the course of his employment at the time of the collision. The following events preceding Bolding's death are not substantially disputed. At the time of his death, Bolding was a PBX installation foreman for Southwestern Bell, in charge of a crew of about six men. The collision occurred at about 2:05 p. m. on a Saturday, five minutes after Bolding had left an appointment in downtown Fort Worth. The purpose of his visit downtown was to take a polygraph test in connection with charges that he had attacked a woman in a parking lot about a month earlier. The victim had obtained the license number of the car driven by her assailant. The ownership of the car was traced to Bolding. In late August, Bolding was arrested and identified at a lineup. A Southwestern Bell security supervisor learned of the allegations against Bolding as a result of a call from the police. An interview of Bolding with some of his supervisors was scheduled for Friday, September 13. At the interview, Bolding admitted that he had been at the parking lot, but denied that he had approached anyone. After discussing the discrepancies between Bolding's story and the story of the victim, Bolding and his supervisors agreed that Bolding would take a polygraph test the following day. An appointment was arranged by Southwestern Bell for the following day. The next morning Bolding went to take the polygraph test. He first denied the parking lot incident, but later admitted it except for allegations that he had used a knife. The collision occurred about five minutes after Bolding left the examination at a location about six miles away. The Worker's Compensation Act provides compensation only for injuries sustained in the course of employment. Section 1 of article 8309 of the Act provides: The term `injury sustained in the course of employment,' as used in this Act, shall not include: (1) An injury caused by an act of God, unless the employee is at the time engaged in the performance of duties that subject him to a greater hazard from an act of God responsible for the injury than ordinarily applies to the general public. (2) An injury caused by an act of a third person intended to injure the employee because of reasons personal to him and not directed against him as an employee, or because of his employment. (3) An injury received while in a state of intoxication. (4) An injury caused by the employee's wilful intention and attempt to injure himself, or to unlawfully injure some other person, but shall include all other injuries of every kind and character having to do with and originating in the work, business, trade or profession of the employer received by an employee while engaged in or about the furtherance of the affairs or business of his employer whether upon the employer's premises or elsewhere. Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. art. 8309, § 1 (Vernon 1966). Article 8309, section 1b of the Act provides that injuries sustained while traveling are not in the course of employment unless the transportation is furnished as a part of the contract of employment or is paid for by the employer, or unless the means of the transportation are under the control of the employer, or unless the employee is directed in his employment to proceed from one place to another. Id. § 1b. Although four exceptions to the general rule of noncompensability for travel injuries are given, section 1b does not enlarge the definition of course of employment given in section 1; its purpose is to circumscribe the probative effect that might be given to the means of transportation or the purpose of the journey. Texas General Indemnity Co. v. Bottom, 365 S.W.2d 350, 353 (Tex.1963). It is clear from the evidence in this case that none of the first three exceptions are applicable. Among the situations comprehended by the fourth exception, applicable when the employee is directed from one place to another, are situations in which the employee performs a special mission at the express or implied request of his employer. See Texas Employers Insurance Association v. Knipe, 150 Tex. 313, 239 S.W.2d 1006 (Tex.1951); Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Nelson, 142 Tex. 370, 178 S.W.2d 514 (Tex.1944); Federal Underwriters Exchange v. Lehers, 132 Tex. 140, 120 S.W.2d 791 (Tex.1938); Consolidated Underwriters v. Breedlove, 114 Tex. 172, 265 S.W. 128 (Tex.1924). See generally A. Larson, The Law of Workmen's Compensation § 16.10 (1978). After a careful review of the evidence, we hold that there is evidence to support the verdict. The jury may have reasonably inferred that Bolding was directed by Southwestern Bell to take the polygraph test, and that an obligation to take the test was imposed upon Bolding as a condition of his employment. A Southwestern Bell security supervisor testified that the truth of the allegations against Bolding was a matter that Southwestern Bell, as Bolding's employer, would want to know about because of its responsibility to the public. An interview of Bolding with several of his supervisors was arranged by a Bell employee. The security supervisor testified that at the interview, [w]e pointed out to Mr. Bolding that we were aware of the allegations that had been made against him and the fact that his car and his license number and that he had been picked from a lineup, yet he had denied being at the scene, and explained to him, with the facts that we had at hand; could he understand why there was a question in our mind as to what the real story was and why we had to resolve it. According to the same witness Bolding agreed that he sympathized with the company's position and was willing to clear the matter up. The witness further testified, We discussed that perhaps a polygraph examination would be the cleanest, neatest, surest way to get to the bottom of things.... The security supervisor suggested the examiner who conducted the test and set up the appointment for the next day. The supervisor met with Bolding at the polygraph examiner's office before the appointment and participated in discussions throughout the examination. The examination was paid for by Southwestern Bell and the results were given to Bell. This evidence, tending to show that Bolding was directed by his employer to take the test, brings this case within the exception to article 8309, section 1b allowing recovery for injuries sustained when the employee has been directed by his employer to proceed from one place to another. TCIC has brought forward two points of error complaining of the exclusion of evidence by the trial court. At trial TCIC offered testimony from four witnesses relating to conversations with Bolding about suicide. Three of these witnesses were co-workers of Bolding when Bolding worked for Southwestern Bell in Wichita Falls. TCIC contends that Bolding's statements are evidence of suicidal tendencies. The trial court excluded the testimony on the ground that it was too remote. On bill of exceptions, the witnesses did not testify as to the dates of the alleged conversations. Other evidence shows that Bolding moved from Wichita Falls to Fort Worth in 1973, and this fact indicates that the conversations must have occurred at least a year before Bolding's death. After the alleged conversations, Bolding moved to Fort Worth and was promoted in his job. In the absence of some showing that Bolding's attitudes, as reflected by his statements to the three co-workers, continued to exist at the time of his death, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in excluding the testimony. For similar reasons we overrule TCIC's complaint about the exclusion of testimony of a Fort Worth co-employee who had a conversation with Bolding in which Bolding mentioned that he had previously attempted suicide and discussed one attempt. This evidence was also excluded by the trial court on the ground of remoteness. On bill of exceptions, the witness stated that Bolding had not indicated when the suicide attempt had occurred and that it could have occurred as many as ten years before Bolding's death. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in excluding this testimony. Another evidentiary point raised by TCIC complains of the admission of testimony offered by Freeman to establish that Bolding was on his way to a worksite at the time of the collision. We agree with the court of civil appeals' holding that because there was other evidence sufficient to support the jury verdict we need not consider whether the admission of this testimony was error because error, if any, would be harmless. For the reasons discussed above, TCIC's points of error are overruled. We render judgment that Freeman and her minor children recover death benefits under the Worker's Compensation Act. The judgment of the court of civil appeals awarding death benefits is affirmed but modified with respect to the amount payable after Freeman's remarriage. The judgment of the trial court is reversed and the cause remanded for entry of judgment to conform with the computation of benefits in accordance with this opinion.