Chandler v. F. Strauss & Son

194 So. 133
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 1, 1939
DocketNo. 6062.
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 194 So. 133 (Chandler v. F. Strauss & Son) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chandler v. F. Strauss & Son, 194 So. 133 (La. Ct. App. 1939).

Opinion

DREW, Judge.

The opinion of the lower court correctly sets out the issues involved in this case and has correctly determined the issue of liability. It reviews all of the testimony relating to the accident, and we know of nothing we could add to that part of the opinion. The awards made in the opinion are seriously contested here by both plaintiff and defendants, and we will discuss that part of the lower court’s opinion.

The opinion is as follows:

“The plaintiffs, Julius Chandler and his wife, Mrs. Elnora Vallee Chandler, bring this suit against the defendants to recover damages alleged to have arisen by reason of a collision of a car operated, by Julius Chandler with a truck owned by the defendant, F. Strauss & Son, and operated by the defendant, E. D. Bolin.

“The accident is alleged to have occurred at 1:10 P. M., on the 18th day of December, 1938, at the intersection of North Second and Washington Streets, in the City of Monroe, Louisiana. The plaintiff was traveling in a two-door Chevrolet sedan south of North Second street and the defendant, Bolin, was traveling east in the truck on Washington street.

“The plaintiffs allege that traffic in the intersection is controlled by semaphore lighl and his car entered therein when this light was green and that the defendant’s truck entered on a red light. It is further alleged by plaintiffs that the defendant’s truck was traveling at excessive speed and without proper lookout. The defendant admits the accident but denies any negligence on his part and alleges he entered the intersection on a green light and that plaintiff’s car was traveling without a proper lookout and at excessive speed and reconvenes for damage to his truck.

“On trial of this case both plaintiff and defendant Bolin testified substantially in accordance with their respective pleadings and allegations. The evidence revealed that plaintiff’s car was traveling south on North Second street and defendant’s truck was *134 traveling east on Washington street. The plaintiffs car was driven by Julius Chandler, accompanied by his -wife. The defendant, Bolin, an employee of F. Strauss & Son, was alone in the defendant’s truck. Traffic is regulated by a semaphore light over the center of the intersection of said streets. The collision occurred a little east and south of the intersection, the front of the defendant’s truck striking the plaintiff’s car on the right side, slightly to the rear, causing the plaintiff’s car to swerve completely around, without overturning, coming to rest facing in a northeast direction. Defendant’s truck moved only a few inches fom the point of contact.

“The physical facts convince the Court that neither vehicle was traveling at excessive speed; otherwise, it would have been physically improbable for the plaintiff’s car to have remained upright and practically improbable for the defendant’s truck to have ceased its forward motion so near the point of contact. As aforesaid, both litigants claim the protection of the green light. On this point we have the evidence of a disinterested witness, a Mr. Ehrhardt, who testified, in substance, to the effect that at the time of the collision he was inside an office situated in the southeast corner of Washington and North Second streets; that the noise of the collision caused him to look out just as plaintiff’s car came to rest; that he had an open view of the traffic light on North Second street; that he looked up and observed the light at this time to be amber or caution .and that immediately thereafter the light changed to red. This evidence, coupled with the evidence of the physical facts, convinces this Court that plaintiff’s car approached the intersection on the green light and that the caution signal appeared simultaneously with or immediately after his entry into the intersection. The physical facts further strongly indicate that plaintiff’s car was the first to enter the intersection. His car was struck in the rear part and the place of contact was near the center of the intersection. These findings of fact convince' the Court that plaintiff was without fault. It necessarily follows that defendant’s truck must have approached the intersection on the red light and entered on either red or caution, and that he was, therefore, negligent and is liable for the consequences of his act.

“The damages alleged by Julius Chandler, itemized as medical and hospital bills, damages to his car and loss of wages by his wife, totally the sum of Three Hundred Fifty and 99/100 ($350.99) dollars, are substantially established by the evidence.

“The physical injuries suffered by the plaintiff, Mrs. Elnora Vallee Chandler, being principally a fractured rib, severe shock and general bruises, no doubt caused severe and excruciating pain for a time but the evidence does not indicate the possibility of any permanent injury or disability. Under the facts and circumstances, the sum of Seven Hundred ($700.00) dollars is adjudicated to be ample and sufficient compensation therefor.

“For the reasons above assigned, it is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed that there be judgment herein in favor of the plaintiff, Julius Chandler, and against the defendants, F. Strauss & Son, D. B. Bolin and United Employees Casualty Company, in solido, in the sum of Three Hundred Fifty and 99/100 ($350.99) Dollars, with legal interest thereon from judicial demand until paid.

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that there be judgment in favor of Mrs. Elnora Vallee Chandler and against said defendants, in solido, in the sum of Seven Hundred Dollars, with legal interest thereon from judicial demand until paid.

“It is further ordered that defendants pay all costs of this suit, including fees of medical experts not to exceed Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars each.

“Thus done, read and signed this 29th day of June, A. D., 1939.

“R. R. Reeves,
“Judge.”

Julius Chandler, as head and master of the community,- prayed for damages in the sum of $115 for hospital, X-ray and doctors’ bills. 'This amount was proved and awarded to him. The judgment in that respect is correct.

He also prayed for judgment for $108.49 for repairs to his car, and was awarded judgment in that amount which, it is not denied and is proved, was the actual price charged for repairing the car after the accident. He carried insurance to cover this item of damage, the policy containing a $50 deductible clause. The result was that Julius Chandler paid only $50 and his insurer paid the balance. Defendants contend that they are not liable to Mr. Chandler for anything more than the $50 paid by him. There is no merit to this conten *135 tion. They are liable for all damage caused by the collision and are not concerned with the settlement between Mr. Chandler and his insurer. Ayres v. Wyatt et al., La.App., 185 So. 84. The award made by the lower court on this item is correct.

The last item of damage awarded to Mr. Chandler is $127.50 for loss of wages by his wife, consisting of seventeen days at $7.50 per day. The record makes it clear that Mrs. Chandler lost, on account of her injuries, at least seventeen days from her work, and that she was.

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Bluebook (online)
194 So. 133, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chandler-v-f-strauss-son-lactapp-1939.