Porter v. Mobile Pulley & MacH. Works
Porter v. Mobile Pulley & MacH. Works
Opinion
The issue on appeal is whether the trial court erred in denying the Rule 60(b), Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure, motion of claimant to set aside a judgment entered upon agreement in settlement of a workmen's compensation claim. We find no error, and affirm.
Claimant, Porter, entered into an agreement with his employer, Mobile Pulley Machine Works, to settle his claim for workmen's compensation benefits arising from an injury to his back. The executed written agreement was presented by petitioner to the circuit court for approval and entry of judgment. After examination of claimant as to whether he understood the settlement agreement, judgment was entered finding the settlement to be fair and just and in compliance with the law. It was indicated that claimant had already received payment for thirty-one weeks of temporary total disability and had reached *Page 530 maximum recovery with a permanent partial disability of five percent.
Two months after the judgment and payment to claimant of the benefits awarded, claimant filed his Rule 60(b) motion. The motion alleged that the settlement was agreed to by claimant without benefit of counsel; that he now believes his injury is greater than stated by his physician, as he continues to suffer pain; and that he mistakenly understood that he could not recover future benefits if his injury was greater than first determined.
The motion was sworn to by claimant but was not further supported by proof. There is nothing in the record as to the proceedings at the hearing on the motion. The record is bare but for the pleadings and judgment. It is clear from the record that the settlement was entered and approved by the court in strict accord with the provisions of section
In considering a 60(b) motion to set aside a judgment, the court has a wide discretion and must balance the need to remedy injustice against the need for finality of judgments.Howell v. D.H. Holmes, Ltd.,
Claimant appears to consolidate all of the matters complained of in his motion, i.e. lack of counsel, more serious injury than thought by his physician, and misunderstanding the effect of his agreement to settle, into one argument under ground 60(b)(6).
It first must be said that lack of counsel is not one of the grounds for setting aside an agreed judgment under Rule 60(b). Neither is counsel required for settlement of a claim under section
The judge who talked with the claimant, reviewed the agreement, and entered judgment thereon is the same judge who less than two months later reviewed the motion and refused to set aside the judgment. There is no record before us of what transpired at the hearing on the motion. From aught that appears, there was no evidence presented in support of the allegations of the motion. Those allegations, though sworn to, are mere opinions and conclusions of the claimant. This court does not find any abuse of the broad discretion of the trial court. Therefore, we must affirm the judgment. Erwin v. Harris,
The foregoing opinion was prepared by Retired Appellate Judge L. CHARLES WRIGHT while serving on active duty status as a judge of this court under the provisions of section
AFFIRMED.
All the Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Edmond Porter v. Mobile Pulley MacHine Works.
- Cited By
- 15 cases
- Status
- Published