Court Opinion

ID: 9825619
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 13:48:27.29439+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:41:13.438366
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON REHEARING. Wood, J. Counsel for the - appellee, on rehearing, contend that this court was not warranted in entering a judgment here in favor of the appellant against the appellee in the sum of $859.51, and they say that the complaint does not allege any damages for the loss of oil, nor does it allege facts upon which to predicate a decree for the damages caused by the expense of enlarging or constructing additional storage. They contend that the testimony was not sufficient to sustain the decree. We have re-examined the transcript, and are unable to concur in this view of learned counsel. After setting up and alleging a breach of contract on the part of the appellee, the complaint alleges “that, by reason of the breach of said contract, * * * plaintiff * * * has been forced, in order to take care of his oil, to enlarge his earthen storage, put in a treating plant, and make other necessary preparations for storage at great expense, * * * and has been damaged in the sum of $2,000. ’ ’ There was a further allegation in the complaint to the effect that plaintiff “had been forced by the breach of said contract to put in a treating plant, enlarge its earthen storage, and make further necessary preparations to take care of his oil, which had been accumulating at the rate of 500 barrels per day at a great and heavy expense.” While the appellant was being examined as a witness in his own behalf, he was asked by his counsel: “Did you lose any oil by reason of the crowded condition of your tank there, brought about by the breach of this contract?” Objection was interposed by counsel for the appellee on the ground that ‘ ‘ there is no such allegation in his complaint.” Thereupon counsel for the appellant stated: “I ask to amend right now.” The court thereupon announced: “Let the objection be overruled. Plaintiff permitted by the court to amend, and include loss of oil.” The appellant (witness) thereupon made the following answer to the question: “I figure I have lost about. 1,500 barrels.” Appellee’s counsel thereupon objected to the answer because the answer is uncertain. In addition to the above testimony as to the loss of 1,500 barrels of oil, the appellant further testified that the extra expense necessarily incurred by him by reason of the failure of the appellee to take his oil amounted in the aggregate to $109.51, and he specified the items of cost constituting the above sum. It is obvious from the above that the court treated the complaint as amended to allow the appellant to include the loss of oil as an element of damages, and the complaint was sufficient to justify the introduction of the testimony of the appellant tending to prove the expense he incurred in enlarging his earthen storage tank. Therefore we conclude that the allegations of the complaint and the proof adduced by the appellant warranted the court in entering a decree in his favor against the appellant in the sum of $859.51 as directed in the original opinion. The motion for rehearing is therefore overruled.