Summary
In Progressive, the trial courtimplicitly overruled an objection to an untimely disclosed expert without any evidence of good cause or lack of unfair prejudice or surprise, or even any discussion after the objection, and did not offer a postponement of trial to allow discovery.
Summary of this case from Hilburn v. ProvidianOpinion
No. 11-05-00063-CV
Opinion filed August 31, 2006.
On Appeal from the County Court at Law Waller County, Texas, Trial Court Cause No. C00-53.
Panel consists of: WRIGHT, C.J., and McCALL, J., and STRANGE, J.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
This action stems from an insurance carrier's denial of a claim involving a one-vehicle accident that occurred in 1996. Plaintiffs, John Arrell Roberson (Johnny) and John Harris Roberson, brought suit alleging various causes of action against Progressive County Mutual Insurance Company and others who are not parties to this appeal. The only cause of action tried to the jury was breach of contract. The main issue at trial was whether the policy went into effect before Johnny wrecked his pickup. The jury found in favor of the Robersons and awarded damages totaling $22,518 plus interest and attorney's fees. Progressive appeals. We affirm in part and reverse and render in part.
Even though all of the parties and issues were not directly addressed in the judgment, we will presume that the judgment is final and appealable in this case because the trial court held a conventional trial on the merits, and the judgment shows that all other relief not expressly granted in the judgment was denied. In re Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse of McAllen, Inc., 167 S.W.3d 827, 829 (Tex. 2005); Houston Health Clubs, Inc. v. First Court of Appeals, 722 S.W.2d 692, 693 (Tex. 1986); Ne. Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Aldridge, 400 S.W.2d 893, 897-98 (Tex. 1966). We note that the trial court's docket sheet reflects the existence of nonsuits and a summary judgment.
Progressive asserts four issues on appeal. In its first issue, Progressive contends that the trial court erred in submitting a jury question on attorney's fees because the Robersons' attorney was not timely designated as an expert. In the second issue, Progressive complains of the submission of a jury question regarding personal injury protection because there was no testimony as to loss of employment or medical expenses as a result of any injury. In the third issue, Progressive asserts, "The jury's finding of entitlement to personal injury protection benefits was contrary to the greater weight of the evidence." In the fourth issue, Progressive argues that the trial court erred in denying Progressive's motion for new trial, which was based upon newly discovered evidence.
Failure to Timely Designate Expert on Attorney's Fees
Progressive's first issue addresses the propriety of the submission of a jury question asking the jury to award attorney's fees to the Robersons because their attorney was not timely designated as an expert witness. We apply the abuse of discretion standard in reviewing a trial court's decision to give or refuse a jury instruction. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Johnson, 106 S.W.3d 718, 719 (Tex. 2003); McMillin, 180 S.W.3d at 199. A trial court abuses its discretion if it acts in an arbitrary or unreasonable manner without reference to any guiding rules or principles. Walker v. Gutierrez, 111 S.W.3d 56, 62 (Tex. 2003); Downer v. Aquamarine Operators, Inc., 701 S.W.2d 238, 241-42 (Tex. 1985).
When the Robersons' attorney, Randy Clapp, called himself to testify, Progressive objected as follows:
Judge, I think I just need to lodge an objection about what we discussed earlier outside the presence of the jury. There was no expert witness designation within 30 days prior to trial. I have received no paperwork or documentation reflecting the amount of the attorney's fees and for those reasons I think I need to object to it because it violates the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and the disclosures.
We note that the earlier discussion that apparently occurred outside the presence of the jury is not contained in the reporter's record.
The court responded, "Okay. Thank you." Immediately thereafter, Clapp testified regarding attorney's fees and offered an exhibit listing his fees for this case. Progressive objected to the exhibit on the same basis as it had objected to Clapp's testimony, but the trial court admitted the exhibit into evidence.
The record shows that Progressive objected again during the jury charge conference. Progressive objected to the inclusion in the jury charge of a jury question concerning attorney's fees "for the reasons that we discussed earlier, that there was not proper and timely designation of that particular expert and no supporting documentation provided even to this day until the document was offered as a piece of evidence to the Court." The trial court overruled Progressive's objection to the jury charge.
The Robersons assert that Progressive waived this issue by failing to obtain a pretrial ruling. The case relied upon by the Robersons, Remington Arms Co. v. Caldwell, 850 S.W.2d 167 (Tex. 1993), is not applicable to the situation in this case. The holding in Remington dealt with sanctions for discovery disputes that existed before the commencement of trial. A pretrial ruling was not required to preserve Progressive's complaint for review.
The Robersons also point out that Progressive failed to obtain a ruling on the record when it objected to Clapp's testimony because the trial court merely responded, "Okay. Thank you." Pursuant to Tex.R.App.P. 33.1(a), a complaint is properly preserved for review if (1) the complaint was made to the trial court by a timely and sufficient request, objection, or motion and (2) the trial court either "expressly or implicitly" ruled on the request, objection, or motion. It is clear from the record that Progressive did object to Clapp's testimony, that the trial court was aware of the objection and allowed Clapp to proceed, that Progressive objected to the submission of the jury question regarding attorney's fees, and that the trial court overruled Progressive's objection to the jury question. We think it is apparent from the record that the trial court implicitly overruled Progressive's objection to Clapp's testimony. Thus, the issue was preserved for review.
Pursuant to Tex. R. Civ. P. 195.2, a party seeking affirmative relief is required to designate their experts by the later of the following two dates: thirty days after the request is served or ninety days before the end of the discovery period. TEX. R. CIV. P. 193.5 allows a party to amend or supplement its response to a written discovery request if done "reasonably promptly" after the necessity is discovered. A presumption exists that an amended or supplemental response made less than thirty days before trial was not made reasonably promptly. Rule 193.5(b). Clapp was not designated as an expert within the time frames allowed by the rules. The parties stipulated that Progressive sent the Robersons discovery requests on July 20, 2000; that Clapp substituted in as counsel on June 18, 2003; and that Clapp supplemented discovery and designated himself as an expert on July 14, 2004. Trial began on July 26, 2004.
TEX. R. CIV. P. 193.6 provides that a party may not introduce into evidence the material or information that was not timely disclosed and may not offer the testimony of a witness who was not timely designated in response to a discovery request unless the trial court finds good cause or a lack of unfair surprise or prejudice. Such finding of good cause or lack of unfair surprise or prejudice must be supported by the record. Rule 193.6(b). The burden of establishing good cause or the lack of unfair surprise or prejudice is on the party seeking to call the witness. Id.
The record in this case is devoid of any showing of good cause or lack of unfair surprise or unfair prejudice. Nothing in the record shows that the Robersons even attempted to establish good cause or show that Progressive would not be surprised or prejudiced by Clapp's testimony. Therefore, we must hold that the automatic-exclusion sanction of Rule 193.6 was triggered and that the trial court abused its discretion in allowing Clapp's testimony. See VingCard A.S. v. Merrimac Hospitality Sys., Inc., 59 S.W.3d 847, 856 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 2001, pet. denied). Since there was no other evidence of attorney's fees, it was erroneous to submit a jury question on that issue. Progressive's first issue is sustained.
Medical Expenses and Lost Income
In its second and third issues, Progressive complains of the jury question and the jury award of damages related to Johnny's medical expenses and lost income. Progressive asserts in its second issue that the trial court erred in submitting a jury question on damages for lost wages and medical expenses because there was no evidence of lost wages or medical expenses resulting from a personal injury. We disagree.
First, we note that the jury question did not limit the damages for lost wages to losses resulting from a personal injury. The question asked about the amount of losses or expenses, not to exceed $2,518, incurred by Johnny "as a result of the accident" for necessary medical expenses and "80% of loss of income from employment." The jury awarded the maximum allowed. Progressive did not object that the question failed to limit damages to those resulting from a personal injury. Second, we note that Progressive objected at trial to the question at issue only on the basis that "there's been no expert testimony that those medical services were reasonable and necessary from a qualified medical doctor or practitioner and, therefore, any question about those are not admissible — any question about those is improper as far as it goes to the $2,518 they're seeking." Appellant's objection at trial, therefore, does not comport with its argument on appeal.
An objection to a jury charge "must point out distinctly the objectionable matter and the grounds of the objection." TEX. R. CIV. P. 274. Progressive did not object to the jury question on the basis argued on appeal. Consequently, he did not preserve that complaint for review. See id.; TEX. R. APP. P. 33.1(a); In re B.L.D., 113 S.W.3d 340, 349-50 (Tex. 2003).
With respect to Progressive's no evidence contention, we find that there was some evidence to support the submission of the question and the jury's answer. A legal sufficiency challenge may only be sustained when: (1) the record discloses a complete absence of evidence of a vital fact; (2) the court is barred by rules of law or of evidence from giving weight to the only evidence offered to prove a vital fact; (3) the evidence offered to prove a vital fact is no more than a mere scintilla; or (4) the evidence establishes conclusively the opposite of a vital fact. City of Keller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802, 810 (Tex. 2005); Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co. v. Martinez, 977 S.W.2d 328, 334 (Tex. 1998); Robert W. Calvert, "No Evidence" and "Insufficient Evidence" Points of Error, 38 TEX. L. REV. 361, 362-63 (1960). Evidence is legally sufficient if it would enable reasonable and fair-minded people to reach the verdict under review. City of Keller, 168 S.W.3d at 827. We credit favorable evidence if reasonable jurors could, and we disregard contrary evidence unless jurors could not. Id. Furthermore, we must review the sufficiency of the evidence in light of the charge submitted. See Bradford v. Vento, 48 S.W.3d 749, 754 (Tex. 2001); Osterberg v. Peca, 12 S.W.3d 31, 54-55 (Tex. 2000).
The record shows that Johnny testified that he was "beat up" and "sore" after the accident and that he went to the Tomball Hospital emergency room. According to Johnny, the amount of his deductible for these medical expenses was "[f]ifty, sixty bucks." Johnny testified that he was off work for one and one-half to two weeks and that he made about $200 per week from the ranch and an extra $500 to $1,500 per week for hauling hay. Johnny's testimony indicated that he lost "[m]aybe a thousand bucks" in income during the time he was off work.
In addition to the above evidence showing Johnny's medical expenses and income loss due to his personal injuries, Johnny brought forth other evidence showing an income loss of $15,000 to $20,000 over a one-year period because he had no pickup in which to haul hay. While we agree that the damages resulting from Johnny's loss of use of his pickup are not damages resulting from a personal injury and should not have been recoverable under the insurance contract's personal injury protection, we again note that the jury question was not limited to those damages resulting from a personal injury and that the no evidence point must be reviewed in light of the question actually submitted. See Bradford, 48 S.W.3d at 754. Because Progressive failed to preserve for review its complaint regarding the submission of the jury question and because there was some evidence to support the submission of the jury question and the jury's finding to that question, we overrule Progressive's second issue.
In its third issue, Progressive complains of the sufficiency of the evidence in support of the jury's award of $2,518 for medical expenses and loss of income. Progressive argues in this issue that there was "no evidence" and that, therefore, the finding is "so against [the] great weight and preponderance of [the] evidence as to be clearly wrong and unjust." It is not clear whether Progressive is attempting to challenge the legal or the factual sufficiency of the evidence. To the extent that Progressive's third issue is a legal sufficiency/no evidence challenge, this argument has been addressed in the discussion of Progressive's second issue. To the extent that the complaint is a challenge to the factual sufficiency of the evidence or a challenge to the excessive amount of the damages awarded, it was not preserved for review. Tex. R. Civ. P. 324(b) mandates that certain complaints must be raised in a motion for new trial in order to be preserved for appellate review. These include a complaint of factual insufficiency of the evidence in support of a jury finding, Rule 324(b)(2); a complaint that a jury finding is against the overwhelming weight of the evidence, Rule 324(b)(3); and a complaint of excessiveness of the damages found by the jury, Rule 324(b)(4). Although Progressive filed a motion for new trial, the only issue raised in that motion was one of newly discovered evidence. Accordingly, Progressive's third issue on appeal is overruled.
Newly Discovered Evidence
In its final issue, Progressive complains of the trial court's refusal to grant its motion for new trial based upon newly discovered evidence showing that the Robersons knowingly falsified evidence and fabricated their testimony. The decision to grant or deny a motion for new trial based on newly discovered evidence rests largely in the discretion of the trial court. Jackson v. Van Winkle, 660 S.W.2d 807, 809 (Tex. 1983), overruled in part on other grounds by Moritz v. Preiss, 121 S.W.3d 715, 720-21 (Tex. 2003). The party moving for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence must demonstrate the following: (1) that the evidence has come to light since the time of trial; (2) that it was not because of a lack of due diligence that the information was not discovered sooner; (3) that the new evidence is not merely cumulative or for the purpose of impeachment; and (4) that the evidence is so material that it would probably produce a different result in a new trial. Id. at 809; New Amsterdam Cas. Co. v. Jordan, 359 S.W.2d 864, 866 (Tex. 1962).
The record in this case shows that Progressive filed its motion for new trial based upon the newly discovered evidence from Belinda Dawn Tidwell. Tidwell's affidavit in support of the motion for new trial showed that she was currently in the process of seeking a common-law divorce from Johnny. According to Tidwell, both Johnny and his father, John, had discussed the lawsuit with her many times in the six years prior to her affidavit. Both had admitted that they had not made the required premium payment but hoped that they would win the suit based upon the incorrect dates listed in Progressive's documents. Tidwell also averred that, after the conclusion of the lawsuit, she witnessed Johnny and John laugh and congratulate each other for successfully defrauding the insurance company. Johnny stated that he had lied while on the witness stand regarding making the premium payment and that the jury "bought every bit of it." Tidwell stated that she had not told anyone before trial what she knew because she was afraid. Progressive's motion indicated that Progressive had no knowledge of Tidwell's existence until after trial when she contacted the insurance agency. The motion for new trial was overruled by operation of law. See TEX. R. CIV. P. 329b(c).
After reviewing the record, we cannot find that Progressive demonstrated the factors required to grant a new trial based upon newly discovered evidence. Not only should part of Tidwell's accusations have been discovered through the use of due diligence prior to trial, but all of the information contained in the affidavit was for the purpose of impeachment. See Ski River Dev., Inc. v. McCalla, 167 S.W.3d 121, 132 (Tex.App.-Waco 2005, pet. denied). Consequently, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion with respect to the motion for new trial. The fourth issue is overruled.
The judgment of the trial court is reversed only with respect to the award of attorney's fees, and we render judgment that the Robersons take nothing on their claim for attorney's fees. In all other respects, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.