Court Opinion

ID: 9767015
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:06:16.979031+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:26.933121
License: Public Domain

CARVER, Justice,
dissenting.
I must respectfully dissent since the majority opinion endorses “trial by ambush” in holding that unpled special damages (future medical expenses and future physical impairment) requiring expert rebuttal testimony may be pled by trial amendment. Here follows the body of the original panel’s holdings as to Ortale’s assignments of error, which I adopt.
Ortale first argues that his general prayer was a sufficient pleading to support the admission of evidence and the submission of issues, and to entitle him to judgment. Ortale relies upon Adams v. Morris, 584 S.W.2d 712 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1979, no writ); Clanahan Construction Co. v. Mills, 426 S.W.2d 265 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1968, writ ref’d n.r.e.); and Cowden Cab Co. v. Thomas, 425 S.W.2d 886 (Tex.Civ. App.—Fort Worth, 1968, writ ref’d n.r.e.). Upon examination, however, each of these cases support a different proposition than is being urged by Ortale. Adams holds that a “disfigurement” claim was supported by pleadings which stated: “When all of the casts were finally removed, she had a shortening of the right leg” (emphasis added). 584 S.W.2d at 719. Clanahan holds that a trial amendment allowing a claim for future earnings was not a “surprise” to the defense because “[t]his is a general injury case where the injuries are specifically set out and damages alleged in the sum of $125,000.” 426 S.W.2d at 267. Cowden holds that a trial amendment allowing a claim for lost past and future earnings was correct but unnecessary because the injuries were detailed, general *643damages of $15,000 were sought, plus general relief, and no exceptions were filed to this pleading. 425 S.W.2d at 888-89.
None of the cases relied upon contemplate that fair notice pleadings permit a party to elect to plead some items of special damages (rather than general damages) and then claim that fair notice of additional special damages claims had, somehow, been given. The controlling precedent in our case appears to be Weingartens, Inc. v. Price, 461 S.W.2d 260 (Tex. Civ.App.— Houston [14th Dist.] 1970, writ ref'd n.r.e.), which holds:
We believe it to be a rule of general application that if a plaintiff makes a general allegation of damages it will suffice as a basis for proof of those damages which naturally and necessarily result therefrom, for the law implies such damages. But if, as here, plaintiffs choose to particularize the injuries arising from a harm or hurt all that it intended to be proven must be alleged. Southern Pacific Co. v. Martin, 98 Tex. 322, 83 S.W. 675 (1904); Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Co. v. Doyal, 142 S.W. 610 (Tex.Civ.App.—Austin 1911, no writ). Such rule is closely akin to that applicable in negligence cases which provides that where negligence is pled specifically the plaintiff is limited to the grounds specifically pleaded, even though negligence is pled generally. Knight v. Caloudas, 409 S.W.2d 904 (Tex.Civ.App.—Houston 1966, no writ); Rhodes v. Liberty Welding Works, 391 S.W.2d 796 (Tex. Civ.App.—Beaumont 1965, writ ref’d n.r. e.); Yanowski v. Fort Worth Transit Co., 204 S.W.2d 1001 (Tex.Civ.App.—Fort Worth 1947, writ ref’d n.r.e.).
461 S.W.2d at 263. Weingartens also examines and finds inapplicable Clanahan and Cowden. I would hold that when Or-tale elected to specifically plead some one or more special damages, but omitted others, fair notice was not given to the City that Ortale would seek the omitted special damages. Absent fair notice to his opponent in the case, Ortale should not now claim, unfairly, unpled special damages.
Ortale also complains that, when the City failed to except to his pleadings, they waived the right to exclude unpled damages. I cannot agree. The office of exceptions does not include complaining of the lawful election Ortale possessed to plead, or not plead, his special damages. Ortale cites Roark v. Allen, 633 S.W.2d 804 (Tex. 1982), in support of his proposition, but Roark addresses the elements of a cause of action which may be inferred from stated facts. Roark does not conflict with Weingartens, since one addresses causes of action and the other addresses special damages. The elements of a cause of action must be present while elements of special damages may be, but are not necessarily, present. I would hold that the City was entitled to prepare for trial of the special damages claimed by Ortale without first asking through an exception, “Is that really all?”
Ortale additionally complains that the City, by failing to object to the special issues, either tried the additional special damages by consent or waived its earlier objections to the testimony thereon. I cannot agree. The City, in addition to clear, specific, and consistent objections to testimony as to the unpled special damages, objected to the special issues submitting the same “on the grounds there is no pleading to support the submission of the damage issues; that has never been pled in this case.” This objection is substantially identical with the objection approved in Wein-gartens. I would hold that the City, by its objections to the testimony and to the charge, did not consent to try these unpled special damages or waive their right to have the jury’s findings thereon disregarded.
Lastly, Ortale complains that the trial court should have granted his trial amendment to overcome his prior failure to plead these special damages and to overcome the objections of the City to the testimony and charge. Ortale concedes that for the trial court to allow the amendment no prejudice to the City must be shown. TEX.R.CIV.P. 66. Ortale argues that since the possibili*644ty of such special damage was consistent with the nature of the injuries and was actually speculated upon during discovery, the City could not be surprised. I immediately note that Ortale, having the same possibility in mind, was faced with an election as to whether he would give fair notice thereof by pleading the same. If the possibility was too faint or remote for Ortale to elect to plead it, I would hold that the possibility was too faint or remote to constitute fair notice to the City. See Fry v. Guillote, 577 S.W.2d 346, 348 (Tex.Civ. App.— Houston [14th Dist.] 1979, writ ref'd n.r.e.).
I would affirm the judgment of the trial court, and for the reasons set forth above, I respectfully dissent.
ALLEN, WHITHAM, DEVANY and McCLUNG, JJ., join in the dissenting opinion.