Court Opinion

ID: 9770929
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:25:40.059436+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:22.635544
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Culver,
dissenting, on rehearing.
I concur with the dissent in this case and am therefore of the opinion that the motion for rehearing should be granted.
The Company received notice of this accident within two or three days after its occurrence from other sources. I think then that the finding of the jury, to the effect that the written notice given by the insured approximately thirty days thereafter, was within a reasonable time, is not wholly unsupported by the evidence.
The purpose of the provision in the policy that written notice should be given by or on behalf of the insured as soon as practicable, is obviously for the sole purpose of enabling the Company to proceed with a timely investigation and this the Company did.
In New Amsterdam Casualty Company v. Hamblen, 144 *174Texas 306, 190 S.W. 2d 56, cited by the majority, the facts differed materially from others in our case. The accident occurred on February 13th. Suit was filed on August 4th. The Company had no notice either of the claim or of the suit until the receipt of a letter from the assured on March 8th of the following year, some seven months after the filing of the suit. I do not think, therefore, it is necessarily decisive of the case here.
Opinion delivered February 23, 1955.