Crandall v. Scott

350 So. 2d 922
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedSeptember 8, 1977
Docket8333
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 350 So. 2d 922 (Crandall v. Scott) 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
Crandall v. Scott, 350 So. 2d 922 (La. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

350 So.2d 922 (1977)

Larry M. CRANDALL
v.
Glenn C. SCOTT, Individually and as Administrator of the Estate of Bruce Scott, Two "R" Drilling Company, the Travelers Insurance Company and State Farm Mutual Insurance Company.

No. 8333.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

September 8, 1977.

*923 Sidney D. Torres, III, George N. Bischof, Jr., Chalmette, for plaintiff-appellant.

Perrin C. Butler, New Orleans, for defendant-appellant, Glenn C. Scott.

Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, James L. Selman, II, New Orleans, for defendants-appellees, Two "R" Drilling Co. and The Travelers Ins. Co.

Porteous, Toledano, Hainkel & Johnson, C. Gordon Johnson, Jr., New Orleans, for defendant-appellee, State Farm Mut. Ins. Co.

Before LEMMON, GULOTTA and BEER, JJ.

GULOTTA, Judge.

This litigation arises out of an accident in which plaintiff was injured when his automobile was struck by a vehicle driven by defendant Glenn C. Scott's 16-year-old son Bruce. The unlicensed minor[1] was driving a company-owned automobile furnished to the father by the father's employer, Two "R" Drilling Company. The accident occurred *924 while his parents were on vacation away from home. Suit was filed against 1) the father individually and as administrator of his minor son; 2) the son, by amended petition, after he had reached the age of majority; 3) the father's employer; 4) the employer's automobile liability insurer, Travelers Insurance Company, and, 5) the father's automobile liability insurer, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company.

Judgment was rendered in favor of plaintiff against Glenn C. Scott, the father, individually and as administrator of the estate of his minor son. The claims against the employer, its insurer and the father's insurer were dismissed.

Though it is undisputed that the negligence of the minor was the sole cause of the accident, on appeal plaintiff seeks judgment additionally against the employer and the two insurers by virtue of the coverages provided by the policies. Plaintiff further complains that the trial judge erred in his failure to award judgment against the minor who has attained the age of majority and has been made a party defendant. Additionally, plaintiff seeks an increase in the $14,122.46 award.[2] In this respect, plaintiff claims the trial judge erred in failing to award damages for loss of future earning capacity.

Defendant Glenn C. Scott also appeals and, on the liability question, asserts errors of the trial judge similar to those assigned by plaintiff. On the quantum question, however, this defendant complains that the award is excessive.

LIABILITY

I. Employer's Liability Insurer — The Travelers Insurance Company.

The insurance policy covering the vehicle owned by Two "R" Drilling Company and driven by the minor at the time of the accident, in pertinent part, provides:

"The company will pay on behalf of the insured all sums which the insured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages because of

Coverage C. bodily injury or

Coverage D. property damage . . ."

The policy further defines "Persons Insured" as follows:

"II. Persons Insured

Each of the following is an insured under this insurance to the extent set forth below:
(a) the named insured;
(b) any partner or executive officer thereof, but with respect to a non-owned automobile only while such automobile is being used in the business of the named insured;
(c) any other person while using an owned automobile or a hired automobile with the permission of the named insured, provided his actual operation or (if he is not operating) his other actual use thereof is within the scope of such permission . . ."

Clearly, Scott is not a named insured.

According to plaintiff and defendant Scott, however, because Scott was employed as an assistant mechanical engineer for Two "R" Drilling, he falls within the category of an "executive officer" [11(b)] of the employer. According to appellants, in such instance Scott is an "insured" under the terms of the policy, and because Scott is vicariously liable[3] for the torts of his minor son, Scott's liability is covered. We disagree.

In Hadrick v. Diaz, 302 So.2d 345 (La. App. 1st Cir. 1974), cited by defendant *925 Travelers, the court enumerated a number of factors relevant in a determination whether an employee is an executive officer within the meaning of a liability insurance policy. Though the cited case dealt with a wrongful death claim arising from an industrial accident (a suit instituted by the deceased employee's beneficiaries against the executive officers of the employer), its discussion of the meaning of the term "executive officer" is applicable to our case. In this regard, the court in Hadrick stated:

"In determining the issue before us, our own courts have considered the following circumstances relevant: (1) Whether the employee's position was created by corporate charter, Thibodeaux, above; (2) Whether the employee was formally elected or designated to his office or position by the Board of Directors, the officers or stockholders, Thibodeaux, above; (3) Did the employee have authority, discretion and managerial responsibility covering the divergent affairs of the corporation, Thibodeaux, above; (4) Did the employee have duties or authority outside his particular department, Thibodeaux, above; (5) Was the employee involved in shaping company policy, Thibodeaux, above; Berry, above; (6) Did the employee possess authority to alter contract terms or conditions or to change specified company procedure, Upham, above; (7) Whether the employee had several department heads under his supervision, Berry, above; (8) Whether the employee had a large number of employees under his direction and control, and (9) Did the employee have authority to hire and fire other employees, Berry, above? In Guilory v. Aetna Insurance Company, 415 F.2d 650 (Fifth Circuit), the court also considered whether the employee maintained a close connection with the corporate officers and board of directors and whether the employee was empowered to write company checks."

The Hadrick court concluded that the status of an executive officer is a factual question.

When we apply the guidelines as set forth in the Hadrick case, we cannot conclude Glenn C. Scott is an executive officer within the meaning of the policy.

R. H. Reeves, chairman of the Board of Two "R" Drilling, testified that the elder Scott is employed as an assistant mechanical engineer and that company cars are assigned to supervisory engineering personnel such as Scott for use on company business. There is no evidence in the record that Scott is a partner or officer duly elected by the Board of Directors of the corporation. The record simply contains no evidence to indicate that Scott's duties are executive in nature. Under these circumstances, we cannot say he is an "executive officer" within the meaning of the policy. Having so concluded, we necessarily conclude Scott is not an "insured", as an executive officer, under the policy terms. Accordingly, we do not consider whether the policy affords coverage to a vicariously liable "insured".

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

Related

Augustus v. St. Mary Parish School Bd.
676 So. 2d 1144 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1996)
Griffin v. Foti
523 So. 2d 935 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1988)
Faucheux v. Hooker Chemical Corp.
440 So. 2d 1377 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1983)
Sauve Heirs, Inc. v. REYNADU CONST. CO., INC.
441 So. 2d 239 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1983)
Comeaux v. Cameron Offshore Services, Inc.
420 So. 2d 1209 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1982)
Weissbohn v. Gulf Insurance Co.
392 So. 2d 752 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1980)
Wallace v. Pan American Fire & Cas. Co.
386 So. 2d 158 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1980)
Romano v. Girlinghouse
385 So. 2d 352 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1980)
Market Insurance Co. v. Commercial Union Insurance
357 So. 2d 591 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1978)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
350 So. 2d 922, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crandall-v-scott-lactapp-1977.