Driefus v. Levy

140 So. 259
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 16, 1932
DocketNo. 4133
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 140 So. 259 (Driefus v. Levy) 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
Driefus v. Levy, 140 So. 259 (La. Ct. App. 1932).

Opinion

DREW, J.

The plaintiff, Mrs. Gladys W. Driefus, instituted this suit against her sister, Mrs. Caro W. Levy, and her husband, Ben Levy, and Sam N. Yarbrough, for damages she claims to have been caused her in a near collision of the automobile driven by Mrs. Levy and a truck, driven by an employee of Yarbrough, in which the accident was caused in averting the collision. She alleged that she was riding in the car with'her sister as a guest, and that Mrs. Levy was guilty of the following acts of negligence: In driving at an excessive rate of speed and not slowing down at an intersection, and in not keeping a proper lookout or sounding her horn at the approach of the intersection.

The negligence alleged to the driver of the Yarbrough truck is that he was traveling at an excessive rate of speed, did not slow down at the intersection, failed to sound his horn, and did not keep a proper lookout on entering the said intersection; and in driving into the pathway of the Levy ear, which was traveling on a street which was a main artery and by custom was given the right of way.

She also alleged that the joint negligence of both defendants was the proximate cause of the accident and her resulting injuries, for which she seeks damages.

Defendant Yarbrough answered denying negligence on the part of his employee, and alleged that the defendant Mrs. Levy was guilty of all the negligence alleged by plaintiff; and, in the alternative, pleaded that plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence in not protesting against the carelessness and recklessness of Mrs. Levy, her host. He further alleged that Mrs. Levy had the last clear chance to avoid the accident.

Mrs. Caro W. Levy filed an exception of no cause of action, which was overruled. Defendant Ben Levy filed an exception of no cause of action, which was sustained. Mrs. Levy then filed a motion for severance, which was overruled. She then answered, denying any negligence on her part, and alleged that the near collision and accident following were caused by the negligence, solely, of the driver of the Yarbrough truck. In the alternative, she alleged that the failure of plaintiff to protest and not to alight from the ear [261]*261■were contributory negligence; that she had every opportunity to' observe the negligence of defendant and did not protest and was negligent in continuing to ride in the car. She prayed for a trial by jury.

On the issues as made up, the case was tried before a jury, resulting in a verdict in favor of plaintiff in the sum of $1,000 for physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, and permanent injuries, disfigurement of nose, and impairment of health; and $292, for a dress that was ruined, and for nurses’, doctor’s bills and drugs; and against defendant Mrs. Caro W. Levy.

The demands of plaintiff against Sam N. Yarbrough "were rejected.

After a motion for a new trial was filed by Mrs. Levy and overruled, the lower court signed the judgment in accordance with the jury’s verdict. From that judgment, plaintiff and Mrs. Levy have both appealed.

Plaintiff contends for judgment against Sam N. Yarbrough, the same as against Mrs. levy, and for an increase in the amount of the award. Mrs. Levy contends she is not liable in any amount and complains of many alleged errors on the trial of the case. The exception of no cause of action filed by Mrs. Levy is not urged in this court in argument or in brief, and we presume it has been abandoned. Neither is the ruling on the exception of no cause of action that was sustained, as to Ben Levy, seriously complained of here, the plaintiff stating that it is immaterial to the result of the litigation.

Defendant Mrs. Levy urges in this court eight reasons for reversing or remanding this case, based on the rulings of the lower court during the trial of the case:

I. The failure of the lower court to grant a severance.

The severance was prayed for on the ground that Mrs. Levy had prayed for a jury trial,' and her codefendants had not; that the negligence alleged could not have been a joint act or omission of the defendants and no concerted action was alleged; that defendants filed separate answers and pleadings ; and the defenses ,were antagonistic.

There is no merit in the contention that only one defendant prayed for a jury trial for the reason that the defendant, who is now complaining, is the one who prayed for a jury and a jury trial was granted her. She could not be concerned about her codefend-ants standing trial before a jury, without praying for the same. Her codefendants are not complaining and made no objection at going to trial before a jury. '

The other grounds for severance are equally without merit. Joint tort-feasors are solidarily liable, Overstreet v. Ober et al., 14 La. App. 633, 139 So. 648; Gardiner v. Erskine, 170 La. 212, 127 So. 604; Jones v. Maestri, 170 La. 290, 127 So. 631; Muller v. Davis-Wood Lumber Co., 2 La. App. 359; Weems v. Moise, 3 La. App. 224; and therefore can be brought into court to answer for their torts in one and the same action.

Plaintiff alleged that the direct and proximate result of the negligence of both, defendants caused her damage, and the pleadings show that, without the negligence of both, she would not have been damaged. Invariably, as in this ease, when joint tort-feasors are joined in the same suit, their defenses are antagonistic, for each attempts to place the blame on the other. This contention of defendant is decided adversely to his views in Overstreet v. Ober et al., cited supra. The question of severance is largely in the discretion of the trial judge, and we concur in his conclusion in overruling the motion.

II. That, on the voir dire examination of jurors, it was suggested to them that public liability insurance was carried by defendants, and that this information or suggestion to the jurors that it was a suit against the insurance company was prejudicial. The jurors were asked if they had any interest in the insurance business. -

We will answer this contention in the words of Justice Monroe, in the case of Schwing v. Dunlap et al., 150 La. 498, 58 So. 162, 172: “There were objections to the ruling of the trial judge in the matter of the selection of jurors, and they have been considered and found to be not sufficiently well grounded to call for the reversal of the judgment, the more particularly, as the case is before this court, as made up after a protracted trial, and this court is vested with jurisdiction of the facts upon which the jury acted, with power to render such judgment as the evidence may warrant.”

III. That the two defendants together were allowed six peremptory challenges, and that her codefendant used four, leaving only two for her; that, after the defendants were exhausted, she challenged B. H. Bolinger. The challenge was disallowed,, and he became foreman of the jury.

The ruling of the lower court allowing only six peremptory challenges to both defendants was correct. Code of Practice, art. 512; section 13 of Act No. 135 of 1898, p. 223; Schwing v. Dunlap, cited supra.

IY. That when plaintiff closed its case in chief, defendant Mrs. Levy announced to the court that she had closed her ease and requested the right to then present her case to the jury, which was refused by the court.

The ruling of the lower court was correct. In Overstreet v.

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Bluebook (online)
140 So. 259, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/driefus-v-levy-lactapp-1932.