Brakhage Ex Rel. Brakhage v. Graff

206 N.W.2d 45, 190 Neb. 53, 1973 Neb. LEXIS 632
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedApril 6, 1973
Docket38581
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 206 N.W.2d 45 (Brakhage Ex Rel. Brakhage v. Graff) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brakhage Ex Rel. Brakhage v. Graff, 206 N.W.2d 45, 190 Neb. 53, 1973 Neb. LEXIS 632 (Neb. 1973).

Opinions

Boslaugh, J.

This was an action for damages arising out of an automobile accident. Craig Brakhage, who was 13 years old and will be referred to as the plaintiff, was riding his bicycle upon State Highway No. 4 in Plymouth, Nebraska, when he was struck by an automobile operated by Kathryn Graff, who will be referred to as the defendant. The action was brought by Craig’s father. George Brakhage, as next friend. Larry Graff is the [54]*54husband of Kathryn Graff and was the owner of the automobile.

The jury returned a verdict for the defendants. The plaintiff appeals. The assignments of error relate to the ruling on two motions to produce and the instructions to the jury.

The accident happened at about 12:35 p.m., on July 5, 1968. The weather was clear and the highway was dry. Highway No. 4 is a 2-lane highway, approximately 22 feet wide, and is surfaced with blacktop. The highway runs east and west and is. straight and level as it goes through Plymouth. The posted speed limit is 40 miles per hour.

The defendant testified that as she entered Plymouth from the west, her speed was below 40 miles per hour. She saw the plaintiff riding his bicycle east on the highway some distance away. As she approached, the plaintiff turned around and looked directly at her. She reduced the speed of her automobile and turned gradually to the left intending to pass the bicycle in the north lane of the highway. The bicycle was then close to the south edge of the south lane. As she started to pass the bicycle, it turned to the left directly in front of her. She applied her brakes but the right front corner of the automobile struck' the left side of the bicycle near the rear axle of the bicycle. The point of impact was on or near the centerline of the highway. The plaintiff was thrown from the bicycle and was badly injured.

The defendant’s automobile stopped with the right rear wheel on or near the centerline and the left front wheel approximately 6 feet from the north edge of the pavement. The bicycle was from 6 to 9 feet in front of the automobile and the plaintiff- was lying on the pavement from 6 to 8 feet in front of the bicycle.

The defendant’s automobile left skid marks 24 feet long. The- mark made by the right wheels commenced in the right lane and ended near the centerline. The mark [55]*55made by the left wheels was entirely in the north lane. The damage to the bicycle indicated that the impact occurred while the automobile was braking. Based upon the skid marks, the speed of the defendant’s automobile was estimated to be about 21 miles per hour at the beginning of the skid marks.

The plaintiff has no recollection of how the accident happened. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident other than the defendant.

At the time of the accident the defendant was insured against liability by the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. The policy provided that the company would, defend suits against the insured with attorneys selected and compensated by the company and make such investigation of claims and suits as it deemed expedient.

On July 8, 1968, Jon Grenseman, a field claims representative of the insurance company, interviewed the defendant and obtained a longhand statement signed by her. On approximately August 5, 1969, defense attorneys were employed by the insurance company in regard to this claim. On September 19, 1968, a second statement was obtained from the defendant.

On or before July 24, 1968, the plaintiff’s father employed counsel in regard to the claim. This action was commenced on July 29, 1969. The defendant’s deposition was taken by the plaintiff on February 10, 1970. The defendant stated, by affidavit, that she had never been contacted by any representative of the plaintiff.

On March 13, 1970, and again on February 7, 1972, the plaintiff filed motions for an order requiring the defendants to produce for inspection and copying “a statement” taken from the defendant. Both motions were overruled. These rulings are assigned1 as error.

Upon motion of any party showing good cause therefor the court may order the production of any document “not privileged.” § 25-1267.39, R. R. S. 1943. Although the right to a discovery order depends upon A [56]*56showing of good cause and to some extent is within the discretion of the trial court, in deciding the issue in this case we consider only the question of privilege.

Although there is authority to the contrary, the weight of authority appears to support the rule that a statement by an insured to his liability insurer is privileged. “According to the weight of authority, a report or other communication made by an insured to his liability insurance company, concerning an event which may be made the basis of a claim against him covered by the policy, is a privileged communication, as being between attorney and client, if the policy requires the company to defend him through its attorney, and the communication is intended for the information or assistance of the attorney in so defending him.” Annotation, 22 A. L. R. 2d 659. See, also, Heffron v. Los Angeles Transit Lines, 170 Cal. App. 2d 709, 339 P. 2d 567; Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Cochrane, 155 Ohio St. 305, 98 N. E. 2d 840; Gene Compton’s Corp. v. Superior Court, 205 Cal. App. 2d 365, 23 Cal. Rptr. 250; Lantex Constr. Co. v. Lejsal (Tex. Civ. App.), 315 S. W. 2d 177; People v. Ryan, 30 Ill. 2d 456, 197 N. E. 2d 15; Vann v. State (Fla.), 85 So. 2d 133.

The fact that the statement was made to a field claims representative of the insurer who was not a lawyer is not controlling. The privilege extends to statements made to agents of an attorney. As stated in VIII Wig-more on Evidence, § 2301, p. 583: “It has never been questioned that the privilege protects communications to the attorney’s clerks and his other agents (including stenographers) for rendering his services. The assistance of these agents being indispensable to his work and communications of the client being often necessarily committed to them by the attorney or by the client himself, the privilege must include all the persons who act as the attorney’s agents.”

The statements involved here were obtained in performance of the insurer’s obligation to investigate and [57]*57settle or defend claims made against the defendants and were intended for the use of the attorneys selected by the insurer to represent the defendant.

The answer alleged that the plaintiff was negligent in failing to maintain a proper lookout and reasonable control over his bicycle. The plaintiff contends these allegations of contributory negligence should not have been submitted to the jury and the trial court should have given a requested instruction to the effect that the operator of a vehicle being overtaken has no duty to the vehicle to the rear until he has been made aware of it.

The defendant testified the plaintiff turned around and looked directly at her as she was approaching from the west. Then, as she started to pass the bicycle, it turned to the left directly in front of her. In view of this evidence, the instruction given was proper and the requested instruction was properly refused.

The plaintiff also complains of instruction No.

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

Related

Lamar Advertising of South Dakota, Inc. v. Kay
267 F.R.D. 568 (D. South Dakota, 2010)
Schipp Ex Rel. Estate of Neufelder v. General Motors Corp.
457 F. Supp. 2d 917 (E.D. Arkansas, 2006)
Shahan v. Hilker
488 N.W.2d 577 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1992)
Richey v. Chappell
594 N.E.2d 443 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1992)
Phillips v. Dallas Carriers Corp.
133 F.R.D. 475 (M.D. North Carolina, 1990)
Langdon v. Champion
752 P.2d 999 (Alaska Supreme Court, 1988)
Heidebrink v. Moriwaki
685 P.2d 1109 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1984)
Curtis v. Millard School District No. 17
349 N.W.2d 379 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1984)
Thomas v. Harrison
634 P.2d 328 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1981)
Piro v. Bell
25 Pa. D. & C.3d 668 (Alleghany County Court of Common Pleas, 1981)
Asbury v. Beerbower
589 S.W.2d 216 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 1979)
State Ex Rel. Cain v. Barker
540 S.W.2d 50 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1976)
Bellmann v. DISTRICT COURT IN & FOR CTY. OF ARAPAHOE
531 P.2d 632 (Supreme Court of Colorado, 1975)
Brakhage Ex Rel. Brakhage v. Graff
206 N.W.2d 45 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
206 N.W.2d 45, 190 Neb. 53, 1973 Neb. LEXIS 632, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brakhage-ex-rel-brakhage-v-graff-neb-1973.