Davis v. Poelman

178 So. 2d 306
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 15, 1965
Docket1852
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 178 So. 2d 306 (Davis v. Poelman) 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
Davis v. Poelman, 178 So. 2d 306 (La. Ct. App. 1965).

Opinion

178 So.2d 306 (1965)

Preston E. DAVIS and Frederick J. Gisevius, Jr.
v.
Peter J. POELMAN and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc.

No. 1852.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

July 15, 1965.
Rehearing Denied September 27, 1965.
Writ Granted November 15, 1965.

*307 Frederick J. Gisevius, Jr., Robert F. Shearman, John G. Discon, Thomas J. Malik, William G. Caldwell, Dennis L. Rousseau, New Orleans, for plaintiffs-appellants.

Adams & Reese, George V. Baus, New Orleans, for defendants-appellees American Fire & Casualty Co., Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Co., Inc.

Chester A. Peyronnin, New Orleans, for defendants-appellees Peter J. Poelman, *308 Poelman Aircraft Co. and United Benefit Fire Ins. Co.

Before McBRIDE, CHASEZ and HALL, JJ.

CHASEZ, Judge.

This is an action by Preston E. Davis and Frederick J. Gisevius, Jr., co-owners of a Champion 7 EC Aircraft, for damages due to the destruction of the aircraft while in the possession of the defendants, Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc. Also joined as defendants are the United Benefit Fire Insurance Company and American Fire and Casualty Company, who were the insurers of Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc.

The American Fire and Casualty Company insured the defendants, Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc., during the period from June 1, 1959, to June 1, 1960. From June 2, 1960, to August 1, 1960, the defendants, Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc., were uninsured. The United Benefit Fire Insurance Company had insured the defendants from August 1, 1960, to August 1, 1961.

The record reflects that the plaintiffs, Frederick J. Gisevius, Jr., and Preston E. Davis, were the only stockholders in Davis Aviation, Inc. On June 11, 1959, they sold all of their stock in said corporation to Peter J. Poelman. All parties to this agreement of sale recognized that Frederick J. Gisevius, Jr., and Preston E. Davis owned the Champion airplane, the subject of this litigation, and the said Peter J. Poelman agreed, as part of the consideration of said stock sale, that said plane would remain in his hangar without charge to the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs contend that the airplane was to be kept until other arrangements could be made; the defendant, Poelman, contends it was to be stored for a reasonable length of time or 90 days. In any event, the plaintiffs, and defendant Poelman, all testified that it was agreed by the parties that the keeping of the plane storage-free was part of the consideration for the sale of the stock of Davis Aviation, Inc.

The plane was kept in the hangar for three to five months after the sale. It was then moved out of the hangar and placed in outdoor storage in an area called the "apron." This was an area under the control of the defendants, Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc.

During the period that the plane was in the care of Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft, all of the instruments and the engine were stolen; the aircraft was blown over and damaged twice by windstorms. As a result of the foregoing, it was totally destroyed. It was established, without doubt, that the above did occur but the respective dates of the occurrences are not clear, except the date that the plane was blown over by the second windstorm. The second windstorm was in late December of 1960.

The testimony reveals that some of the instruments may have been stolen while the plane was in the hangar. The engine was definitely stolen while the plane was tied in the open on the apron. The date of the theft of the engine was never established, nor was the theft reported to any law enforcement authority or to the owners of the plane. The date that the plane was blown over the first time by wind is likewise completely unknown. The plane was built of fabric and sustained weather damage during the period it was stored outside. The owners of the plane were not notified of its movement to the outside area or of any damage done to it. There is some evidence that the plaintiff, Preston E. Davis, was informed of the movement but we feel that the better view of the evidence is that the plaintiffs were unaware of the movement, as the trial court must have also decided.

The trial court rendered judgment in favor of the plaintiffs and against the defendants, Peter J. Poelman and Poelman *309 Aircraft Company, Inc., in solido for $3,500.00, with legal interest from date of judicial demand and costs. It rendered judgment in favor of the defendants, American Fire and Casualty Company and United Benefit Fire Insurance Company and against the plaintiffs. The court in its reasons for judgment found that the defendants, Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc., were compensated depositaries and that the plane was destroyed while in their custody through the absence of ordinary care. The court further stated:

"The evidence regarding the damage to the airplane does not establish with certainty when it occurred, that is whether or not it was within the period that The American Fire and Casualty Co.'s policy was in effect or whether or not it was in the period when The United Benefit Fire Insurance Co.'s policy was in effect or whether or not it occurred while the defendant, Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc., was uninsured. The record does not show the monetary amount of the damage on any given occasion and, accordingly, there can be no judgment against The American Fire and Casualty Co., or The United Benefit Fire Insurance Co."

From this judgment the plaintiffs appeal as to the dismissal of their suit against the defendant insurers; the defendants, Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc., also appeal.

In this court, the plaintiffs pray for judgment against the American Fire & Casualty Company and United Benefit Fire Insurance Company and in the alternative pray that the case be remanded for a rehearing limited to determining the dates of damage and the amounts of damage so that it may be determined whether a judgment should be rendered against the insurers. The defendants argue that Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc., were not compensated depositaries and are not liable for the damage sustained to plaintiffs' plane, and, in the alternative, the judgment should be reduced to $1,500.00.

The first question posed for our consideration is whether Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc., were compensated depositaries. The record clearly reflects that the consideration for the storage of the plane was the sale of the stock of Davis Aircraft, Inc., to Peter J. Poelman. This is admitted by all parties in their testimony, including defendants, Peter J. Poelman and Poelman Aircraft Company, Inc., thus the question is answered affirmatively.

The next question then is whether the duty of care of a compensated depositary was breached. In Indiana Lumbermens Mut. Ins. Co. v. Humble Oil & R. Co., 170 So.2d 264 (La.App.1964), the court in discussing the duty of care of a bailee and the burden of proof in a bailee-bailor situation stated:

"* * * LSA-C.C. Art. 1908, Arts. 2937 and 2938 generally provide that the duty of the depositary or bailee is to use the same diligence in preserving the property entrusted to him that he would use in preserving his own property.

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

Related

Hawkes v. Lewis
586 N.W.2d 430 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1998)
Lowe v. Graves
404 So. 2d 652 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1981)
Payne v. St. Louis Grain Corp.
562 S.W.2d 102 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1977)
Coe Oil Service, Inc. v. Hair
283 So. 2d 734 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1973)
Davis v. Poelman
179 So. 2d 432 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
178 So. 2d 306, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-poelman-lactapp-1965.