Court Opinion

ID: 9675388
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:52:09.79256+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:34.150683
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
Appellant earnestly insists we erred in holding that appellee was entitled to an instructed verdict. We have again reviewed the record and are of the opinion our original conclusion is correct. However, if we should be mistaken in concluding that appellant failed to establish a cause of action, we are of the opinion that no reversible error is presented in any of the points raised by appellant.
By points 3, 4 and 5 appellant contends the court erred in not permitting him to prove that appellee, after the date of the accident, cleared its right-of-way of brush and trees. It is the general rule that evidence of subsequent improvements is not admissible. There are exceptions to this rule and such evidence is admissible when it tends to prove the existing condition at the date of the accident or to rebut testimony of the defendant. We believe the evidence offered was not admissible. Appellant offered to prove by the witness Tetens that overhanging limbs and mesquite sprouts were removed from the right-of-way after the date of the accident. This evidence, if admitted, would not have been in rebuttal to any evidence offered by ap-pellee. The witness Tetens testified in behalf of appellee that there were overhanging limbs along the right-of-way and that no mesquite 'brush or limbs had been cleared from the right-of-way since 1942. So far we have been able to determine, appellee did not offer any testimony tending to show that the right-of-way was free from overhanging limbs and mesquite sprouts on the date of the accident. Consequently, the evidence excluded was not in rebuttal to any evidence offered by appellee and did not tend to show the condition of the right-of-way on the date of the accident. Furthermore, if it should be held that the evidence was admissible, we have concluded that its rejection does not constitute reversible error.
Rule 434, Rules of Civil Procedure, provides, in part, that no judgment shall be reversed unless the appellate court shall be of the opinion that the error complained of amounted to such a denial of the rights of the appellant as was reasonably calculated to cause and probably did cause the rendition of an improper judgment in the case. The burden of showing probable injury is upon appellant. Texas Power & Light Co. v. Hering, Tex.Sup., 224 S.W.2d 191.
The motion for rehearing is overruled.