Gibson v. Boyle

679 P.2d 535, 138 Ariz. 512, 1983 Ariz. App. LEXIS 695
Court of Appeals of Arizona·Decided December 20, 1983·No. No. 1 CA-CIV 5869·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

OPINION

OGG, Judge.

This is an appeal by the plaintiff, Mary Ellen Gibson, for and on behalf of Brent Woodruff and as personal representative of the estate of Dianna Woodruff, deceased. At the trial court below, two separate claims were litigated, resulting in jury verdicts in favor of defendant-appellee, Inez Boyle, personal representative of the estate of Kelly Allen Boyle, deceased, on both claims.

[515]*515For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the trial court’s judgment.

We begin by reviewing the facts giving rise to this matter. On the evening of October 13, 1974, John Woodruff, his wife Dianna, and their four-year-old son Brent were returning home from a visit with John Woodruff’s cousin. John Woodruff was driving; his wife and child were passengers in the front seat of the Woodruff vehicle. As the Woodruff vehicle approached the intersection of Alma. School Road and McClellan Road in Mesa, Arizona, John entered the left turn bay in anticipation of making a left turn onto McClellan. According to his testimony, John slowed down almost to a stop but proceeded to make his turn after deciding that the vehicles approaching in the northbound lanes of Alma School Road were a safe distance away. John began his turn and at some point in the turn, noticed that one of the north-' bound vehicles was almost upon his vehicle. John apparently attempted to accelerate through the turn but unfortunately was unable to avoid a tragic collision.

The vehicle which struck the Woodruff’s was a recently purchased CJ-5 four-wheel drive Jeep convertible driven by decedent, Kelly Boyle. The Boyle vehicle was occupied by decedent and three passengers. Apparently Kelly Boyle was taking the passengers for a ride in his new vehicle. Kelly, as well as his passengers, had been guests at a “family gathering” at the home of Jack and Jeannine Cerney.

As a result of the collision, both Dianna Woodruff and Kelly Boyle were killed almost instantly. Both John and Brent Woodruff suffered extensive injuries. The passengers in the jeep were all injured to one degree or another.

Several lawsuits resulted, two of which were consolidated for trial and are now before this court. The first claim is that of Brent Woodruff, brought by his guardian ad litem, for injuries he suffered as a result of the accident, against appellee as personal representative of the estate of Kelly Boyle. The second claim is a wrongful death claim brought on behalf of the estate of Dianna Woodruff against appellee for the benefit of her husband, John Woodruff, and her son, Brent Woodruff.

The first issue raised on appeal is whether the trial court erred in submitting to the jury an imputed spousal negligence instruction pertaining to the wrongful death claim brought by the personal representative of Dianna Woodruff’s estate. In light of our supreme court’s recent decision in Fernandez v. Romo, 132 Ariz. 447, 646 P.2d 878 (1982), we find that the trial court did err.

A right of action for wrongful death is purely statutory. Bowslaugh v. Bowslaugh, 126 Ariz. 517, 617 P.2d 25 (1979); Lueck v. Superior Court, County of Cochise, 10 Ariz. 583, 469 P.2d 68 (1970). The Arizona wrongful death statute, A.R.S. § 12-611, reads as follows:

When death of a person is caused by wrongful act, neglect or default, and the act, neglect or default is such as would, if death had not ensued, have entitled the party injured to maintain an action to recover damages in respect thereof, then, and in every such case, the person who or the corporation which would have been liable if death had not ensued shall be liable to an action for damages, notwithstanding the death of the person injured ...

Arizona courts have consistently held that our wrongful death statute permits an action for wrongful death only if the decedent could have maintained an action had that person lived. See e.g., Fernandez v. Romo, supra; Delozier v. Smith, 22 Ariz.App. 136, 524 P.2d 970 (1974). Hence, the statutory representative of a decedent’s estate in a wrongful death action is subject to such defenses as could have been presented against the decedent had she lived and brought an action for her injuries. Womack v. Preach, 64 Ariz. 61, 165 P.2d 657 (1946). This would, of course, include the defense of contributory negligence. See Delozier v. Smith, supra.

Prior to Fernandez, negligence on the part of a decedent or the spouse of a dece[516]*516dent barred recovery by all statutory beneficiaries. Delozier v. Smith, supra. In light of the supreme court’s abolition of interspousal tort immunity in automobile accident cases, we must decide whether the doctrine of imputed spousal negligence is likewise abolished. See Fernandez v. Romo, supra.

In Fernandez, a wrongful death action was brought for the benefit of the two surviving children of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph N. Ashford, II, against the estate of their deceased father for the death of their mother. Both parents were drowned when Mr. Ashford attempted to drive through a wash, resulting in their vehicle being swept away by running water. The personal representative of the estate of Mr. Ashford was granted summary judgment based upon the doctrine of interspousal tort immunity, which barred one spouse from bringing suit against the other. Since Mrs. Ashford, had she lived, could not have maintained an action against her husband’s estate, her representative was likewise barred from bringing a wrongful death action for the benefit of her surviving children. The supreme court set aside the motion for summary judgment after concluding that the doctrine of interspousal tort immunity should no longer be retained in Arizona. Before doing so, the court examined the four reasons generally given for retaining the doctrine of interspousal tort immunity. The first reason considered was the ancient view of the legal unity of husband and wife. The court concluded:

The doctrine of interspousal immunity cannot be supported by an antiquated and narrow “unity” doctrine that perpetuates the fiction of female disability if not inferiority. Whatever logic the unity doctrine had in times gone by, it cannot operate as a reason for supporting the doctrine of interspousal tort immunity.

132 Ariz. at 450, 646 P.2d at 881.

The second reason discussed was the preservation of family harmony and domestic tranquillity. The court concluded that, considering the existence of automobile accident insurance, neither would likely be harmed by allowing interspousal lawsuits for injuries sustained.

The third reason discussed was that abolition of interspousal immunity might result in fraud and collusion between the parties. The court found this reason the most persuasive but nonetheless concluded:

We think the courts can control this [fraud and collusion], however, and the attorneys for the insurance company will, we are sure, be quick to detect and bring to the court’s attention any evidence of collusive conduct by the parties.

132 Ariz. at 451, 646 P.2d at 882.

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Gibson v. Boyle, 679 P.2d 535, 138 Ariz. 512, 1983 Ariz. App. LEXIS 695 (Ark. Ct. App. 1983).

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Gibson v. Boyle
679 P.2d 535 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1983)