Barr v. Searcy

133 S.W.2d 714, 280 Ky. 535, 1939 Ky. LEXIS 149
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976)
DecidedOctober 24, 1939
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 133 S.W.2d 714 (Barr v. Searcy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976) primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barr v. Searcy, 133 S.W.2d 714, 280 Ky. 535, 1939 Ky. LEXIS 149 (Ky. 1939).

Opinion

Opinion op the Court by

Judge Bees

Affirming.

On September 16, 1936, an automobile owned by appellant, W. L. Barr, and driven by his infant daughter, Bernice Barr, collided with a truck owned by Mrs. Lillian B. Searcy. The collision occurred in the town of Bedford in Trimble County at the intersection of U. S. Highway 42 and Kentucky Highway 37. The truck was traveling west on highway 42, and the Barr automobile, traveling north, entered the intersection from highway 37. The truck swerved to the right, ran into a concrete waif on the north side of highway 42, and was practically demolished. Mrs. Searcy brought this action against Barr, predicating his liability on the family purpose doctrine, to recover $1,390.39 damages to the truck and $300 for loss of its use. According to the preponderance of the proof, the collision occurred at a point to the right of the center of highway 42-in the direction in which the truck was traveling. Miss Barr, the driver of .the automobile, admitted that she did not stop before entering the intersection, and that she did not know she was approaching highway 42. Buildings are located on each side of highway 37 at the intersection, and an automobile approaching the intersection from highway 37 cannot be seeii by travelers on highway 42. The proof shows there was a stop sign at this point on highway 37. On the trial of the case the plaintiff recovered a judgment for $470 for the damages to the truck and $80 for loss of the use of the truck, and the defendant has appealed. The appellant’s principal contention is that the family purpose doctrine does not apply to the facts of this ease.

Appellant is a merchant and lives in LaGrange, Kentucky. He purchased the automobile in question in 1933,' and had the license issued in his name. It was so licensed each year thereafter, and he paid the license fee and the ad valorem taxes. The cost of repairs on the automobile and the operating expenses were paid out of the store account in which it appears all members of his family had an interest. At the time the *537 automobile was purchased, appellant’s family consisted of himself, his wife, James Barr, an adult son, Mildred Barr, an adult daughter, and Bernice Barr, an infant daughter, all of whom lived at appellant’s home. James Barr married in 1935, and therafter lived in his own home in LaG-range. James Barr worked at his father’s store and, after his marriage, kept the automobile at his home and used it daily in going to and from the store. Appellant was unable to drive his automobile, but Mildred Barr drove it frequently and it was driven occasionally by Bernice Barr, though she was an inexperienced driver. On pleasure trips it was usually driven by James Barr, and he was sometimes accompanied by his father, mother and sisters. On the day of the accident James Barr had driven the automobile to the store and parked it on the side of the street. Bernice Barr, who was 17 years of age, testified that she took it without obtaining anyone’s permission, and accompanied by another young woman, drove to Campbellsville and then to Bed-ford where the accident happened. The appellee Lillian B. Searcy, testified that, accompanied by her attorney, she went to appellant’s place of business soon after the accident and had a conversation with him in which he said that he had no insurance and that he had let his daughter have his car, but would never let her have it again. Mr. H. H. Both, the attorney who was preesnt, testified as follows:

“Mr. Barr seemed quite excited, said that he didn’t have any insurance on his ear, and didn’t know how he was going to pay the damage to the truck, that he let his daughter have it that time, but she certainly never would get it again. ’ ’

There was ample proof to take the case to the jury on the issue as to whether or not appellant maintained the automobile for the use and pleasure of the family and whether or not it was being so used at the time of the accident. Euster v. Vogel, 227 Ky. 735, 13 S. W. (2d) 1028. If Bernice Barr had charge of the car at the time of the accident with the implied consent or tacit acquiescence of her father, then he would be liable for any negligence in its operation when in her possession and while under her control. Wells v. Lockhart, 258 Ky. 698, 81 S. W. (2d) 5.

In paragraph 4 of his answer, counterclaim, and cross-petition the defendant alleged that the plaintiff’s *538 truck was insured against collision and accident with some insurance company, the name of which was unknown to him, and that after the accident the plaintiff made claim against her insurer for her loss and the insurance company thereupon paid the claim and settled with the plaintiff and she assigned the claim to the insurance company; that plaintiff therefore had no further right, claim or interest in the matter, and the insurance company alone had a claim if any there be. A demurrer to paragraph 4 of the answer was sustained with leave to amend, and the defendant later filed an amended answer in which he alleged that the plaintiff was insured against loss by reason of damage to her truck caused by a collision; that her insurer was Royal Exchange Assurance, a corporation; and that the insurance company had paid to her the sum of $1,200 in full settlement of the claim which was assigned to the insurance company. A demurrer to the amended answer was sustained. It is appellant’s contention that Lillian B. Searcy is not the real party in interest and has no actual interest in the matter, since she carried insurance on her truck, collected the insurance, and assigned the claim to the insurance carrier, and therefore that she had no right to maintain this action. He cites and relies upon Monson v. Payne, 199 Ky. 105, 250 S. W. 799, but in that case the plaintiff had settled and adjusted with the tort-feasor his whole claim against it. The plaintiff owned certain buildings which were destroyed by fire allegedly caused by the negligence of the railroad company. The buildings were insured. The owner and the railroad company entered into a written agreement of compromise, settlement, and discharge of the claim, and, when this fact was made to appear in an action subsequently instituted by the owner against the railroad company, the petition was dismissed. In affirming the judgment, this court distinguished the case from Illinois Central Railroad Company v. Hicklin, 131 Ky. 624, 115 S. W. 752, 23 L. R. A., N. S., 870, and said [199 Ky. 105, 250 S. W. 802]:

“Here the situation is wholly different. The right of action- which the property owners had against the tort-feasor has been extinguished by the settlement, and they no longer have the right to prosecute the same in their own names and for their own benefit, and it therefore follows, that a judgment in this case in favor of the plaintiffs on a cause of action *539 which has been extinguished by the settlement would not be a protection to the railroad company as against the insurance companies in any action the latter might institute against the wrongdoers growing out of their subrogation to the rights of the plaintiffs.”

In the Hicklin case the plaintiffs owned a house which was destroyed by fire.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Krahwinkel v. Commonwealth Aluminum Corp.
183 S.W.3d 154 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2006)
Baptist Healthcare Systems, Inc. v. Miller
177 S.W.3d 676 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2005)
Schwartz v. Hasty
175 S.W.3d 621 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2005)
Sherwood v. Arndt
332 S.W.2d 891 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1960)
Works v. Winkle
234 S.W.2d 312 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1950)
Works v. Winkle
234 S.W.2d 312 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1950)
York v. Cumberland Const. Co.
229 S.W.2d 970 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1950)
Pope's Adm'r v. Terrill
214 S.W.2d 276 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1948)
Louisville N. R. Co. v. Hill
212 S.W.2d 320 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1948)
Thomas v. Dahl
170 S.W.2d 337 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1943)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
133 S.W.2d 714, 280 Ky. 535, 1939 Ky. LEXIS 149, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barr-v-searcy-kyctapphigh-1939.