Court Opinion

ID: 9831123
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 20:50:07.949387+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:43:31.526997
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
Where a cause is submitted to a jury, it is the province of the court to accept as true all evidence which, when liberally Construed, tends to support the findings of the jury, and all conflicting evidence will be disregarded. Appellee testified in-detail that the injuries he sustained to his foot, and resulting injuries to his body and nervous system, prevented him from following his occupation of farming or hard labor, without suffering severe pain; and that he was not equipped, by education or training, to perform any other gainful occupation. His version of his incapacity was accepted by the jury, as reflected in its verdict.
In our original opinion, is stated': “Dr. Corry, who performed the operation on appellee’s foot and treated him for the resulting injuries, corroborated appellee,— testifying that the work of operating a tractor would eventually tear down appel-lee’s nervous system, calculated to cause pain and other injuries, and that, in his opinion, he would never be able to perform a substantial portion of the duties of farming or manual labor, or any other occupation that requires a like physical exertion. The opinion of Dr. Corry is concurred in by the testimony of Dr. Milliken, another physician who had been treating appellee for the injuries he sustained; and, also by Dr. Driver, appellant’s medical witness, who testified that, in July, 1936, he examined appellee and made a written report, stating ‘His disabilities are total at this time and will be until the plastic work can be completed.’ ”
Appellant has challenged the statement accredited to the doctors, and draws the conclusion that the doctors’ testimony does not corroborate appellee in the details of his disabilities. We believe our expression is not subject to appellant’s assignment, but, in view of the challenge, we will suffer the . length of this opinion by quoting literally from their testimony:
Dr. Corry testified that, during the course of treatment of appellee’s foot, “he was having considerable pain, his foot was swelling, had high fever, and it seemed like he was in a right critical condition. I was afraid of lockjaw or tetanus. He continued to have fever, and his foot swelled even to his knee. From that time on, several openings were made to drain it. Pus formed in different parts of his foot. His foot got infected, his foot and leg; had considerable fever. * * * there was so much gangrene in the fourth toe that it had to be removed * * * and then; in about a week, the next toe had to be taken off. * * * and then the general infection began to subside. * * * It was a question of whether his leg would have to be amputated. In November, it showed some more dead bone. There was necrosis of the .fourth metatarsal bone, the fourth long bone of the foot. It was removed and after that, it healed up, but the infection was generally through the foot. In fact, there was a little abscess trying to form up on the leg — pus pockets — a general infection of that limb, or, you might say, plumb to the body, because the lymphatic glands in the groin were inflamed and it looked like they were going to give trouble under the knee. The injury caused the in*575fection. * * * The infection travels up the lymphatics and the tendon sheaths. The infection goes to the body. There has been so much infection there that those tendon sheaths have .all contracted and drawn together, interfering with the nervous circulatory distribution. From those several examinations of Donald’s foot, and from my experience as a physician, Donald Curfman is not able to pursue and perform the substantial duties of farming, driving a tractor and other labor. He would have trouble in doing manual labor, or farming, or operating a tractor, and I would not advise him to do it, knowing his condition. It would be bound to wear on his nervous system. Anything that you do under pain is likely to upset you in other ways. He will never be the man he was. He is a cripple for life. So far as that foot is concerned, he will never be able to do much foot work, or walking, or any kind of work that requires walking or standing. It will always give him pain.”
On cross-examination, Dr. Corry testified that,.Mr. Curfman has a 15 per cent rating of the use of his injured foot, and to the extent of 35 per cent, his foot is totally and permanently disabled. “Q. Now Dr. Corry he has got — whatever disability he has got is limited to that foot and leg, is it not? A. Yes” (Re-direct) “Now, Dr. Corry, along that line, that is his disability generally to do anything; is that correct? A. No, I don’t think that — so far as his locomotion, getting about on his feet.”
Dr. Milliken, who examined, X-rayed, and diagnosed appellee’s injuries, necessary elements of prognosis,- or treatment, testified by deposition:
“Q. State whether or not you had occasion to examine Donald J. Curfman, on or about the 17th day of April, 1937? A. I' did. * * *
“Q. What was the physical condition of Curfmán at that time? Please give details as to the nature and extent of the injury, if any? He gave a history of an infection in his right foot which happened July 17, 1935, necessitating a partial amputation of his right foot, leaving him with his great toe, his second toe and his fifth, or little toe, intact, but of the three remaining toes, his great, or first toe, is the only one that is of any material use to him in maintaining his equilibrium while standing or walking. The second toe has a function which I would say was not exceeding 25% of normal. He has no floor grasp from it while standing. The limited flexion and extension of this second toe is due largely to adhesions of the tendons to their sheathes which prevents the muscles, beth flexors and extensors, from acting, and has resulted in a material atrophy or wasting of these muscles, as is shown by comparative measurements of the calves of the respective legs, ½ inch atrophy of the right. The remaining toe of this foot is the little toe or fifth toe, and is in a condition of tendon sheath adhesions, due to the same inflammatory process which caused the disability of the second toe. The space in the foot intervening between the second and fifth toe is occupied by scar tissue which binds the bony and soft structures together, which prevents functioning of this foot. From my examination of Mr. Curfman’s foot, on or about April 17, 1937, it is my opinion that its condition was due to an infection from the injury to his right foot. As to whether he was physically able at that time, to pursue any occupation that required physical exertion, I will say he was not able to function, owing to the above described disability. He was not able to do any physical labor that necessitated his standing or walking. He would have to take a sitting position and limit his manual labor to his hands and arms. I had occasion to again examine Mr. Curfman on May 19, 1938, and found that there is no change in his condition from that described above as of April 17, 1937, with the possible exception of callous spots on the sole of his foot at the base of his great toe, which were not present when I examined him on April 17, 1937. I found about one-half inch of atrophy of the calf of the right leg as compared to its fellow, the left. This wasting or atrophy of the calf of the right leg is due to non-use of the muscles due to a partial fixation of the tendons and tendon sheath adhesions which prevents the natural function of the muscle. Evidence of ad-hesions of the tendons, ligaments or muscles of the right foot and leg was distinctly present, both of the flexors and extensors. The scar tissue over the foot between the second and fifth toe, although the wound had healed, is clear evidence of the inflammation in this region and the limited function of the tendons, flexors and extensors, is further evidence of inflammatory process. Scar tissue in mass occupied the space in his right foot between the second and fifth toes. Based upon my examination, and my experience as a physi-*576dan and surgeon, I would say that the scar tissue I have just described would have the effect of binding and fixing the tendons and bone, which prevents their normal function. Tenosynovitis of the right foot and leg is manifested by the fact that the tendons are adherent to their sheath. The tendons, muscles and ligaments of the right leg, were affected by the injury and resulting inflammation, by being bound together and preventing their normal function. There is evidence of inability to flex or extend the ankle of the fight leg, to a limited degree, due to the extension of this inflammatory process upon the sheath of the tendons, both flexors and extensors. Inability to flex and extend the right leg, in my opinion, is due to the adhesion of the tendons and sheaths which prevents the natural pulley action of these structures in health. From my examination of Mr. Curfman, the infection and inflammation from said injury extended up to and including the ankle joint only, insofar as I was able to determine, due to the extension of tenosynovitis. Based upon my experience and knowledge as a surgeon, I believe that plastic surgery would not contribute to the usefulness of the foot and leg of Mr. Curfman, and that plastic would tend to weaken an already very much disabled foot. * * * Donald J. Curfman is not, in my opinion, now able to do any substantial portion of the usual tasks of a workman. He is not, in my opinion, able to do any manual labor or farming or driving a tractor for remuneration or profit, and he should not do such labor. It is my opinion that, if Donald Curfman should try to continue the performance of such duties as above described, he would become more disabled, and, because of the disability to this right foot, he should not attempt that type of labor. His injuries were confined to his right foot and ankle of the right foot; whatever disability he has is due to this crippled foot; he has no other disability that I know of”.
Dr. Driver testified as to his- diagnosis of appellee’s foot condition very much the same as Dr. Corry and Dr. Milliken, and then was asked:
“Q. Now Dr. Driver, assuming that nothing is done to that foot, that it remains in the condition in w.hich it was when you saw it for the last time, in January, 1937, I will ask you to tell the jury whether or not, in your opinion, this man would be able to pursue any occupation for gain or profit? (Objection sustained)
“Q. All right, tell the jury, in your opinion, whether or not he is, and in what respect he is incapacitated, if he is ? A, The incapacity I find he would haye in anything that would require his walking all day and particularly on hard surfaces, but if I may add the other occupations, I don’t think so.
“Q. If I understand you correctly, you say that the only disability that you saw would be to some occupation that would require him to stand or'walk all day? A. That was my idea.”
He then catalogued several occupations, not involving standing or walking, that, in his opinion, Mr. Curfman might be able to do. On cross-examination, the witness testified :
“Now, Doctor, in this report that you made in July 1936, * * * you said there that on account of the infection that plastic work be postponed for two or three months? A. That’s right.
“Q. ‘His disability is total at this time’? A. That’s right.
“Q. ‘And will be until the pastic. work can be completed’ ? A. That was 'my opinion at that time.
. “Q. It is still your opinion, is it? A. I don’t know about that. I haven’t seen him for a year and a half.
“Q. But at that time, that was your opinion? A. Yes. He had just — his infection, as I remember, had been cleared up' only some three or four months, and I had it in mind using his foot at that time, in all probability, might flare his infection up.”
Obviously, the above related testimony of the physicians who had an opportunity to, and did, diagnose the injured .party’s condition, tends to corroborate the insured as to his disability; and the jury having found in .line with the testimony that the insured was totally and permanently incapacitated to perform a substantial part of any work or employment which he was able -to perform before such injury, and such finding having been approved by the trial court, appellate courts are powerless to. disturb such findings.
 The insured being totally and permanently disabled to perform a substantial part of any work, or employment which he was able to perform, without further training, as demonstrated in the original opinion, we think the trial court was not required to submit an issue of partial disability. The issue of partial disability is the *577antithesis of permanent disability, the same as any other defense to an alleged breach of contract. Plaintiff’s suit is based on total permanent disability, within the purview of the contract of insurance, thus, partial disability was a complete defense to the suit, to the same effect as the defense' of general denial. The issue of partial disability merely contradicts plaintiff’s cause of action on the question of total disability.Indeed, in suits arising under the Workman’s Compensation Law, or upon contracts where partial disability appears as an element of recovery or defense, affirmative submission of partial disability is proper. This is demonstrated in cases cited in appellant’s motion for rehearing. In E. K. Local Ins. Co. No. 1 of Seymour v. Lilly, Tex.Civ.App., 1 S.W.2d 490, “total permanent disability or death”, within the terms of the contract of insurance sued on, was an issue in one bracket of recovery, and “permanent partial disability benefit” was an issue in another bracket. In that case, the .court correctly submitted both issues to the jury for their determination. The issue on partial disability there submitted, and the one here requested and refused by the trial court, is to the tenor following:
“Now comes the defendant, at the conclusion of all the evidence, prior to the submission of this cause to the jury, prior to the giving of any charge to the jury, and subject to its motion for a peremptory instruction, and in the event only that it should be overruled, and prays the court to submit to the jury its Special Requested Charge No. 8, reading as follows:
“Special Issue No.-
“Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiff, Donald J. Curfman, has become permanently partially disabled by reason of the injury to his right foot?
“In this connection I instruct you that if you believe from a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiff, as a direct result of the injury complained of by him, has sustained a partial physical inability to perform such labor as he was engaged in at the time of his injury, or any similar or other work open and available to him and that he will not recover from such physical incapacity or inability, you will answer Special Issue No.-in the affirmative, but unless you so find and believe from a preponderance of the evidence you will answer said issue in the negative. Answer Yes or No. Answer-.”
As demonstrated above, the court was not required to submit the same issue in different forms. The jury having found that the insured’s injuries totally and permanently disabled him, the only issue op which his action depended, the court did not err in refusing to affirmatively submit the issue of partial disability, as requested; appellant’s motion for rehearing is overruled.