Dockter v. City of Santa Ana

261 Cal. App. 2d 69, 67 Cal. Rptr. 686, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 1718
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 12, 1968
DocketCiv. 8629
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 261 Cal. App. 2d 69 (Dockter v. City of Santa Ana) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dockter v. City of Santa Ana, 261 Cal. App. 2d 69, 67 Cal. Rptr. 686, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 1718 (Cal. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

McCABE, P. J.

Petitioner noticed her appeal “from that certain order and judgment” of denial on'June 6, 1966, and a denial of her motion for reconsideration on September 23, 1966.

On February 9, 1966, petitioner filed with the City of Santa Ana an application for leave to present a late claim. In that application petitioner alleged she had a cause of action for personal injuries which occurred on September 14, 1965, and failure to file within the one hundred-day period was through mistake, inadvertence, and excusable neglect, and the City of Santa Ana was not prejudiced by the delay. Attached to the application was a verified proposed claim alleging: the personal injury occurred on September 14, 1965, while she was attending an adult class given by the City of Santa Ana; she was engaged in using her own knitting machine when a defective table, supplied by the City, broke causing the knitting machine to fall on her leg resulting in injury to it; her general damages were $10,000 and the medical expenses were unascertained.

In a verified declaration, supporting the application and claim of February 9, 1966, petitioner again states the personal injury occurred on September 14, 1965, and further asserts: “On the Thursday, following the accident, declarant telephoned the City Recreation Department, who referred her to the City’s Insurance Carrier, Allstate Insurance Company. The manager of the Allstate Insurance Company sent an adjuster to speak with declarant, who said to her, ‘Don’t worry about anything, we’ll take care of everything.’ Declarant was not aware of the 100-day statute, and had not consulted an attorney for legal advice . . . Declarant felt that *71 the insurance carrier . . . would take care of her case, however, she has now learned that she has permanent injury to her left lower extremity, and the insurance company . . . has refused to negotiate further on this matter. ...”

Petitioner’s application to the City for leave to present a late claim was denied on April 9,1966.

On April 15, 1966, the petition for leave to present a late claim was filed in the superior court with a hearing noticed for April 29, 1966. The hearing dates in the superior court were continued from time to time until June 3,1966, when the matter was submitted. A minute order of June 6, 1966, denied the petition.

In the interim between April 15 and June 6, petitioner filed two additional and supplemental declarations. In summary, these declarations contain statements conflicting within themselves and with prior declarations. The primary conflicts concern the date of the accident and conversations with various persons. Until the last supplemental declaration which was filed on June 6 (the date of the court’s ruling), petitioner maintained the accident occurred on September 14, 1965, however, in the last supplemental declaration which was in the nature of one in opposition to declarations filed by and on behalf of the City, she stated, “. . . however, after reading Mr. Whitson’s declaration, I do believe that the accident probably occurred in October rather than September of 1965.” By so stating, petitioner could not have called “the Recreation Department on September 28, 1965” from the school office or reported the matter to Allstate Insurance Company on or about September 30 and the adjuster could not have come to see petitioner on or about October 1 and she could not have had several conversations with the adjuster from October 1.

For the first time in her petition to the court, petitioner sets forth specifics as to why no claim was filed within the 100-day statutory period. In resume, these consist of statements that Allstate would settle the case upon completion of the medical treatment; the continued inquiry by Allstate representatives as to her medical progress; between December 15 and 20, the Allstate representative upon being informed she would get an attorney, informed her not to get an attorney and he would be in touch with her after the Christmas Holidays; and it was not until about the middle of January 1966 that Allstate informed her it would not pay any money to her. There is no *72 evidence or declaration as to when medical treatment- was terminated.

In declarations in opposition, it appears the first contact by an Allstate representative was on November 1, 1965. On November 9, petitioner informed the representative she had incurred a medical bill of $10 and he attempted to settle the matter for $30, but was informed she would not settle, and would not be “intimidated or rushed” by Allstate. Petitioner had been involved in prior litigation and dealings with insurance companies, was experienced in her- dealings and had been represented by an attorney in her previous ease. “Por this reason she knew she did not have to settle, would not settle, and could control the settlement negotiations in her own good time.” Another offer to settle was made and refused. The latter offer was for $50. On November 11, the representative again attempted to settle the matter, informed petitioner the medical records did not appear to reveal a serious injury at which time he was informed she was going to retain an attorney, as she had in her automobile accident, and the case was not going to be pushed by the representative since his attempts and the company’s attempt to settle the case were “against God’s way.” She would get an attorney to see the case was settled 11 in accordance with God’s will. ’ ’

Prom another opposition declaration, it appears that about November 15 petitioner called the Allstate office and requested a particular representative not contact her again. The only other contact with the declarant, Mr. Deeper, of Allstate, was in mid-March or early April 1966 in which petitioner sought to negotiate a settlement at which time she was informed there was no liability and the statute of limitations had run on this claim.

Another declarant in opposition, Mr. Barwieker, a supervisor for Allstate, first contacted petitioner at her apartment on December 10, 1965, to discuss her physical condition and determine if there were additional bills. On this contact for the first time Allstate learned petitioner claimed damage tó her knitting machine and would, as to it, only settle for a new machine, although there was no. evidence of damage, repair bill or whether it could be repaired. On December 17, in a telephonic conversation, petitioner informed Mr. Barwieker she had not seen a doctor ¿gain, nor obtained an estimate of damage to her knitting machine, but she.would obtain estimates. On December 21, Mr. Barwieker contacted petitioner’at her apartment and learned she -had no verification of damage *73 to the machine. He informed petitioner at that time, no further consideration would be given to her matter until there was indication she was still being treated, and a verification of machine damage had been received and until Allstate had an indication from her as to a settlement amount. There were no further contacts or communication by anyone from Allstate with petitioner from December 21, 1965 until January 21, 1966, when petitioner talked to Mr. Earwicker by telephone. At that time he informed her Allstate having received nothing from her was not considering, and would not consider, her claim because no liability existed.

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

Related

APRI Insurance v. Superior Court
90 Cal. Rptr. 2d 171 (California Court of Appeal, 1999)
Conservatorship of Coombs
79 Cal. Rptr. 2d 799 (California Court of Appeal, 1998)
Ramon v. Aerospace Corp.
50 Cal. App. 4th 1233 (California Court of Appeal, 1996)
Watts v. Valley Medical Center
8 Cal. App. 4th 1050 (California Court of Appeal, 1992)
Passavanti v. Williams
225 Cal. App. 3d 1602 (California Court of Appeal, 1990)
Santee v. Santa Clara County Office of Education
220 Cal. App. 3d 702 (California Court of Appeal, 1990)
Miller v. United Services Automobile Assn.
213 Cal. App. 3d 222 (California Court of Appeal, 1989)
Rojes v. Riverside General Hospital
203 Cal. App. 3d 1151 (California Court of Appeal, 1988)
County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court
169 Cal. App. 3d 1095 (California Court of Appeal, 1985)
Gurrola v. County of Los Angeles
153 Cal. App. 3d 145 (California Court of Appeal, 1984)
Westinghouse Electric Corp. v. Superior Court
143 Cal. App. 3d 95 (California Court of Appeal, 1983)
Blue Mountain Development Co. v. Carville
132 Cal. App. 3d 1005 (California Court of Appeal, 1982)
Harman v. Mono General Hospital
131 Cal. App. 3d 607 (California Court of Appeal, 1982)
Rivera v. City of Carson
117 Cal. App. 3d 718 (California Court of Appeal, 1981)
Robinson v. Varela
67 Cal. App. 3d 611 (California Court of Appeal, 1977)
Moore v. Morhar
65 Cal. App. 3d 896 (California Court of Appeal, 1977)
Bozaich v. State of California
32 Cal. App. 3d 688 (California Court of Appeal, 1973)
Segal v. Southern California Rapid Transit District
12 Cal. App. 3d 509 (California Court of Appeal, 1970)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
261 Cal. App. 2d 69, 67 Cal. Rptr. 686, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 1718, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dockter-v-city-of-santa-ana-calctapp-1968.