Court Opinion

ID: 9687398
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 16:27:19.490124+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:07:13.597788
License: Public Domain

ON THE MERITS
We will first consider Assignments of Error 1, 2 and 6.
Assignments 1 and 6 refer to the same written charge 2, which directs the jury, with hypothesis, to return a verdict for the defendant.
This charge was not lawfully marked “refused” and signed by the trial judge. See CERTIORARI, supra. Assignments of Error which do not refer to any ruling of the trial judge will not be considered on appeal. United Insurance Company of America v. Pounders, supra; Cash v. Usrey, 278 Ala. 313, 178 So.2d 91(9); Ala.Dig., Vol. 2A, Appeal & Error, <®=°724 (1).
*681Assignment of Error 2 asserts that the court erred in overruling appellant’s motion for a new trial. There was no lawful ruling on this motion. It was discontinued. See MOTIONS, supra. In the absence of a lawful ruling there is nothing to review. See citations in the preceding paragraph.
RULINGS ON EVIDENCE
Appellant challenges the court’s adverse ruling on defendant’s objection to a question as follows:
“Q. At this time, shortly before you passed out did you have any chest pains or any pains in your arms, or anything like that?
“MR. SELF: Object to that as leading. It calls for a conclusion of the witness as to what particular pain he would have.”
Overruling on the ground that question was leading was free of error. Allowance of leading questions is largely in the court’s discretion and is not reviewable in the absence of abuse of discretion. Elliott v. McCraney, 26 Ala.App. 565, 163 So. 814; Louisville & Nashville R. R. Co. v. Dumas, 209 Ala. 324, 96 So. 243; 2A Ala.Dig., Appeal & Error, ^971 (5). We do not think the question calls for a conclusion. It calls for a statement of fact concerning plaintiff’s physical condition immediately before the heart attack which plaintiff suffered, and which he contends was totally disabling within the terms of the insurance policy. The ruling was correct. This assignment 7 is without merit.
Assignment 8 asserts error by the trial court in overruling appellant’s objection to question propounded to plaintiff as follows:
“Q. Was this pain you had in your chest and left arm severe, or was it just now and then?
“MR. SELF: I object to that as leading and calling for a conclusion of the witness.”
There was no error in the ruling. See Assignment 7, supra.
Assignment 9.
“Q. Were you in bed most of the time while you were in Auburndale?
“MR. SELF: Objection.”
“THE COURT: Overruled. Answer.”
“A. Practically all the time.”
The objection was general and without specific assignment of ground or grounds.
This question did not call for evidence that was patently inadmissible under the issue. Circuit and Inferior Court Rules, Rule 33, Title 7, Code of Ala.1940, Appendix; Tankersley v. Webb, 263 Ala. 234, 82 So.2d 259. The ruling was free of error.
Assignment of Error 11 refers to the adverse ruling of the trial court on a question propounded to plaintiff as follows:
“Q. And I believe you stated to Mr. Self that you not only have this condition with your heart, but you also have arthritis,?
“MR. SELF: I object to that as calling for a conclusion, and self-serving.
“THE COURT: Overruled.”
The inquiry refers to plaintiff’s heart condition as well as to an arthritic condition. Without question, the heart condition was a proper subject of inquiry. The objection is to both facets of the inquiry. The objection was properly overruled.
Assignment of Error 12.
“Q. And you say you had four skin grafts on your leg since July of 1965 ?
“A. Yes.
“Q. And that was partially caused by this lick you had on that same leg since July of 1965?
*682“MR. SELF: Objection.
“THE COURT: Overruled.”
It appears in the record that defendant, on direct examination of plaintiff, made an inquiry of plaintiff as follows:
“Q. Have you been treated by either of these physicians since you moved to Winfield ?
“A. No, sir, Dr. Couch was my heart doctor when I came up here until he died, and, of course, Dr. James Gaba, he has done four operations, skin grafts on my legs since I have been up here and since Dr. Couch has passed on * * *.
“Q. All Dr. Gaba did since you moved to Winfield and until Dr. Couch’s death was to treat your leg?
“A. Yes, sir.”
Plaintiff merely pursued the subject of treatment for plaintiff’s leg. There was no error on the part of the court in overruling defendant’s objection to the evidence. It was a legitimate pursuit of a subject that defendant opened up.
Assignment of Error 13.
Appellant here challenges the adverse ruling of the trial court to the inquiry of plaintiff’s attorney to plaintiff, as follows:
“Q. I notice, Mr. Dillard, that when you walk you have.' a distinct limp as a result of that injury to your leg?
“MR. SELF: I object to that.
“THE COURT: Sustained.
“Q. In other words, after you walk for a little bit you can walk better?-
"MR. SELF: I object to that as calling for a conclusion. • •
“THE COURT: Overruled.”
We think this question called for a factual answer that was forthcoming. The answer was: “Yes”.
Assignment of Error 14.
Adverse rulings by the court to defendant’s objections were made by the trial court to questions to plaintiff as follows :
“Q. As I understand it, you just went along for the ride?
"A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Did you take your medicine with you?
“MR. SELF: I object to that.
“THE COURT: Overruled.
******
“A. Yes, sir.”
We think the record discloses that the “medicine” referred to was medicine prescribed for plaintiff’s heart condition. There was no error in allowing plaintiff to show a continuation of the treatment, prescribed by his physician, for his heart condition.
Assignment of Error 15.
There was no error in allowing plaintiff to answer the question as follows:
“Q. Did you take your oxygen and glycerin and all your medicine on that trip?
“MR. SELF: Object to that. It calls for a conclusion.”
The answer was: “Yes, sir”.
The question called for a factual answer that followed. There was .no error in the ruling of the court.
Assignment of Error 16.
*683There was no error on the part of the court, over defendant’s objection, in permitting the following question:
“Q. In other words, the business of staying around the house all the time gets mighty old and tiresome, does it not?
“MR SELF: Objection.
“THE COURT: Overruled. You may answer.
“A. You don’t know it until you’ve tried it.”
This question and answer merely deal with the wear and tear on a person having to stay around the house while suffering from a heart condition. It implies the need of recreation. We are unwilling to say that the question and answer were patently irrelevant and illegal. Circuit and Inferior Court Rules, Rule 33, supra; Tankersley v. Webb, supra.
We conclude that the judgment of the trial court should be affirmed. It is so ordered.
Affirmed.
BLOODWORTH and McCALL, JJ., concur.
HEFLIN, C. J., and COLEMAN and MADDOX, JJ., concur in result.