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Texas & Pacific Railway Co. v. Watts

Texas & Pacific Railway Company v. R. C. Watts

Tex. & Pac. Ry. Co. v. Watts, 81 S.W. 326 (Tex. App. 1904)
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Court
Court of Appeals of Texas · State Appellate Courts
Decided
May 4, 1904
Judges
Stephens
Citations
81 S.W. 32636 Tex. Civ. App. 291904 Tex. App. LEXIS 148
Syllabus
1. —Evidence—Effect of Personal Injury—Opinion. Where in an action for personal injuries plaintiff was asked, “To what extent do you think you are still injured in the way of strength and ability to work; how much are you at this time weakened or reduced in the way of strength and the doing of work, or the ability to work, as the result of these injuries?” his answer, “More than one-half, anyhow,” was not inadmissible as being an opinion. 2. —Personal Injury—Verdict Not Excessive. A verdict for $1999 for personal injuries to a stout man earning $35 per month and hurt by being run over by a hand car, held not excessive.
Summary
Appeal from the District Court of Parker. Tried below before Hon. J. W. Patterson.

Syllabus and headnotes are prepared by the reporter or publisher, not the court, and are not part of the opinion.

Opinion of the Court — Stephens

STEPHENS, Associate Justice.

Appellee was thrown from a hand car and injured. The verdict and judgment appealed from allowed him $1999, all the damages claimed. Exceptions to the amount of the verdict and to the admission of testimony bearing on that issue were the only exceptions reserved in the court below, and no other questions are raised in this court.

After describing minutely his injuries and giving their history and effect, appellee was asked the following question by his counsel: “To what extent do you think you are still injured in the way of strength and ability to work; how much are you at this time weakened or reduced in the way of strength and the doing of work, or the ability to do work, as the result of these injuries?” To which appellant objected because the question called for an opinion of the witness. The objection was overruled and appellee answered: “More than one-half, anyhow.” This ruling was warranted by the following authorities: International & G. N. Ry. Co. v. Locke, 67 S. W. Rep., 1082 , in which writ of error was refused; 68 S. W. Rep., 16 ; Chicago R. I. & T. Ry. Co. v. Long, 26 Texas Civ. App., 601, 65 S. W. Rep., 882 , and cases there cited.

The verdict was not excessive. Appellee was but 26 years old, and was a stout man earning about $35 a month when he was run over by the hand car. He was rendered unconscious for some time, had to be carried to the hospital, suffered considerable pain, and was not able to work for three or four months, and has only been able to do light work since. One side of his head was cut and also the left ear. His arm was split open at the elbow and he was injured across the back, which he testified was “badly crushed.” According to his version, the injury in the back was the principal injury, from which he had not recovered *30 at the time of the trial, more than a year after he was injured. The physicians who attended him in the railroad hospital were not called to rebut the case made by his testimony. We refer to appellee’s brief for a more detailed statement of his injuries and losses.

The judgment is affirmed.

Writ of error refused.

Affirmed.

How later courts describe this case

No later court has written an explanatory parenthetical about this case yet.

1910: 11916: 11928: 11934: 11971: 119102026peak 1910 · 1

Relies on it most ⓘ

  1. Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n v. Davies6 S.W.2d 792 (Tex. App. 1928)
  2. Missouri, K. & T. Ry. Co. v. Gilcrease187 S.W. 714 (Tex. App. 1916)
  3. El Paso Electric Co. v. Cannon69 S.W.2d 532 (Tex. App. 1934)
  4. FB McIntire Equipment Company v. Henderson472 S.W.2d 566 (Tex. App. 1971)
  5. Hassell v. Steinmann132 S.W. 948 (Tex. App. 1910)

Most recent

  1. FB McIntire Equipment Company v. Henderson472 S.W.2d 566 (Tex. App. 1971)
  2. El Paso Electric Co. v. Cannon69 S.W.2d 532 (Tex. App. 1934)
  3. Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n v. Davies6 S.W.2d 792 (Tex. App. 1928)
  4. Missouri, K. & T. Ry. Co. v. Gilcrease187 S.W. 714 (Tex. App. 1916)
  5. Hassell v. Steinmann132 S.W. 948 (Tex. App. 1910)

Citing references are not a citator: they show that a later opinion cites this case, not whether it followed, distinguished, or overruled it. Check negative history before relying on this case.

Authorities cited 1

DepthCaseCited by
Chicago, Rock Island & Tex. Ry. Co. v. Long, 65 S.W. 882 (Tex. App. 1901) 16

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