Chaudoir v. Cotey

182 So. 526, 1938 La. App. LEXIS 340
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 1, 1938
DocketNo. 5728.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 182 So. 526 (Chaudoir v. Cotey) 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
Chaudoir v. Cotey, 182 So. 526, 1938 La. App. LEXIS 340 (La. Ct. App. 1938).

Opinion

DREW, Judge.

This is a suit by Peter Chaudoir, a resident of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, on behalf of his minor son, Peter Chaudoir, Jr., against Frederick A. Cotey.

Plaintiff alleges that on June 21, 1936, at about four o’clock in the afternoon, his son was riding in a Ford automobile belonging to and driven by one R. L. Litton, Jr.; that they were traveling on the Alexandria-Monroe highway toward Alexandria; that as they reached a point just outside of Pollock, Louisiana, a car owned by and driven by Frederick A. Cotey, traveling in the same direction proceeded to pass the car in which plaintiff’s son was riding and pulled over to the. left side of the road, but in swinging back to the right side, cut too sharply and, as a result, ran into the Litton car striking it with great violence and forcing and knocking it off of the highway into a ditch, finally striking a bridge, and, as a result of said accident, plaintiff’s son suffered grave injury; that at the time of the collision the Litton car was well on its right side of the road and traveling at a slow rate of speed; that the highway at the point of the accident is wide enough for three cars, and that there was no traffic on it at the time of the accident; and that as a result, of the collision, plaintiff’s son suffered contusions and bruises all over the body and severe injury to his nose, as a result of which it is crooked, the right nostril being closed entirely. He has undergone severe pain and is suffering with frequent headaches and his nose is enlarged; that as a result of the accident, the eyes of plaintiff’s son are blackened, and that in order to correct the injury to,the nose of plaintiff’s son, it will be necessary that an operation be performed, which operation will cost plaintiff the sum of $150.00.- He itemizes his damages as follows :

Medical and hospital fees.$ 200.00
Pain and suffering. 1500.00
Total . $1700.00

Defendant denied any negligence on his part and set up the following defense:

“Further answering, respondent shows that the automobile in which petitioner’s son was riding was an old dilapidated model T Ford, which .was so obsolete, worn out, dilapidated, and in such a bad state of repair, its presence on the highways constituted a menace, not only to the occupants of the said car, but likewise to other travelers on said highway. Respondent shows that he is informed, believes, and therefore alleges that the old Ford was in such a state of disrepair, the owner thereof had been offered and was willing to sell the same for the sum of $13.00; that as a matter of truth and of fact, the- said automobile was suitable only for junking.
❖ * *
“Your respondent shows that in passing the car in which plaintiff’s son was riding, he did, as alleged in said paragraph, pull over to the left and that as a matter of fact he not only pulled to the left, but likewise passed at a safe distance to the left thereof, the old model T Ford in which petitioner’s son was riding and did not *527 again drive to the right side of the highway until he was well beyond and safely clear of the said model T Ford in which plaintiff’s son was riding; that at the time he overtook and passed the car in which petitioner’s son was driving, the left side of the highway was clearly visible and free from oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking and passing to be made by him, the defendant, in perfect safety.
if: * *
“Your respondent shows that he admits that he had ample room to pass the car in which petitioner’s son was riding, without colliding with the same, and that likewise the car in which petitioner’s son was "riding had ample room so that it could be passed safely, had it remained - on its own or proper side of the road.
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“Further answering, your respondent shows that on the afternoon of June 21, 1936, Peter Chaudoir, Jr., and R. L. Litton, Jr., both of whom are young boys of approximately sixteen years of age, together with two other young boys of similar age and friends of theirs, organized among themselves a swimming expedition to go to a swimming pool at Fish Creek, near Pollock, Louisiana, and some 20 or more miles from the city of Alexandria. That it was mutually agreed between them that, as a means of conveyance from the city of Alexandria to the swimming pool and return, they would use the old dilapidated model T Ford, as hereinabove described in this petition. Shows and reiterates that the old model T Ford was in such dilapidated and worn out condition, its presence on the highways constituted a traffic menace. That the brakes on the said automobile were absolutely defective and worn, so as to be useless; that the steering apparatus was likewise worn out, dilapidated, and obsolete, so much so that the car could not be safely or properly steered or controlled; that the tires on the said automobile were completely worn out and, as a matter of truth and of fact, had blown out several times on the outward trip. That the windshield on the car was so defective and discolored that it was impossible for the driver of the car to see ahead and thus keep a proper lookout; that there was no top on the car; and that all of these defects and conditions were obvious, were easily seen and, as a matter of truth and of fact, were well known to the said Peter Chaudoir, Jr., and the said R. L. Litton, Jr., and to the other occupants of the car.
“Respondent alleges that the enterprise upon which the said Peter Chaudoir, Jr., and the others embarked was a joint adventure or enterprise, was mutually agreed upon between them; and that each and every one and all of them had like control over the movements of the other and the operation of the car.
:¡¡ * *
“That before your respondent started to pass the other car, he gave a sufficient warning of his intention to so do and, as here-inabove alleged, pulled to his left side of the road and started to pass, at a safe distance, to the left of the other car. That as he was passing the other car, Litton and Chaudoir started to and did frantically wave at your respondent and his wife; that because of their waving, which diverted the attention of the driver of the car and Peter Chaudoir, Jr., or because of the defective mechanical and dilapidated condition of the car, the car in which Peter Chaudoir, Jr., was riding pulled to its left over the center line of the highway, over onto the -left side of the highway, where the left front wheel or side of the other car struck the extreme rear of the right hand' fender of your respondent’s car a slight blow and thereafter the car in which Peter Chaudoir, Jr., was riding got out of control and, either because of its defective steering apparatus and general condition or because of the inexperience of the driver thereof, ran off the road on its right hand side.

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Bluebook (online)
182 So. 526, 1938 La. App. LEXIS 340, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chaudoir-v-cotey-lactapp-1938.