Gonzales v. Arizona Public Service Co.

775 P.2d 1148, 161 Ariz. 84, 28 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 26, 1989 Ariz. App. LEXIS 42
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedFebruary 23, 1989
Docket2 CA-CV 88-0269
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 775 P.2d 1148 (Gonzales v. Arizona Public Service Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gonzales v. Arizona Public Service Co., 775 P.2d 1148, 161 Ariz. 84, 28 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 26, 1989 Ariz. App. LEXIS 42 (Ark. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinion

OPINION

ROLL, Judge.

Defendant Arizona Public Service Company (APS) appeals from a jury verdict awarding the estate of Lupe Gonzales, Jr., his wife, and surviving children, $1,550,000 in compensatory damages in connection with a wrongful death action following his electrocution. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm.

FACTS

Thirty-two-year-old Lupe Madrid Gonzales, Jr., was the husband of Rosa Gonzales and father of three children. The family resided in Coolidge. He worked full time at Frito Lay as a corn cook and supplemented his income by doing part-time yard work in Coolidge.

Vicky Burden Espinosa owned a residence on West Pinkley in Coolidge. A large elm tree, approximately 66 feet tall, was situated on the premises. APS power lines were located in the alley between West Pinkley and Central Streets. The power lines included service lines to the various houses. These service lines were insulated. However, the power lines also included primary lines which carried 14,200 volts of electricity through uninsulated wire. These primary lines were situated at the top of the power poles approximately 28 feet off of the ground.

Seventy-six-year-old Easter Davidson lived next door to the Espinosa property. The branches from the large elm tree extended from the Espinosa property line and across her property. At least one branch extended over, the primary power lines in the alley. The base of the Espinosa elm tree was located about 20 feet from the power line. Mrs. Davidson feared that limbs from the Espinosa tree would damage the power lines, possibly causing a power outage. She described seeing sparks from the power lines on windy days when the tree branches brushed against the lines. Mrs. Davidson reported the perceived danger to APS. On another occasion, she personally asked an APS crew in the vicinity to trim the tree. The crew told Mrs. Davidson that they would charge $200 to trim the Espinosa tree. APS repeatedly declined to take action regarding the tree.

APS was required to comply with provisions of the National Electrical Safety Code, including Section 281, Subsection 1. That provision states in part: “Trees which may interfere with ungrounded supply connectors should be trimmed or removed.”

Ultimately, Mrs. Davidson asked Vicky Espinosa if she would split the cost of hiring someone to trim the tree. Espinosa declined. Mrs. Davidson then asked Lupe Gonzales if he would trim the tree. Gonzales agreed to do the job for $100.

On February 28, 1986, Lupe Gonzales climbed the Espinosa elm tree and used an electric chainsaw to cut a branch which was approximately 30 feet long and which extended over the primary power lines. He attached a chain from the branch which he was cutting to a branch immediately above that branch in order to prevent the severed branch from striking the power line. Gonzales had told his wife that he feared that a falling branch would damage the line and he would be required to pay for any damage resulting therefrom.

When Gonzales cut the branch, it struck one of the primary power lines. The tree branch conducted electricity from the line back to the tree where Gonzales was working, resulting in his electrocution. This sequence of events was established by physical evidence, including burn marks left on the branch which came into contact with the high-voltage line and falling of the line itself after it was struck by the branch.

Although APS suggested that Gonzales violated numerous safety precautions, including use of an electric chainsaw with an extension cord, use of an aluminum ladder to climb the tree, use of a chain to brace the branch, and lack of expertise in trimming trees near electrical lines, the cause of his electrocution was the branch coming into contact with the high-voltage wire while it was still attached to the tree.

*87 PROCEDURAL HISTORY

A complaint was filed against APS by Gonzales’ wife and children and his estate. Trial lasted nearly three weeks, during which over 30 witnesses testified and approximately 250 exhibits were utilized. The jury returned a verdict finding APS 90% negligent, Davidson 5% negligent, and Gonzales 5% comparatively negligent. The jury awarded $500,000 to Gonzales’ estate, $300,000 to his wife, and $250,000 to each of the children.

ISSUES ON APPEAL

On appeal, APS argues that (1) damages were improperly awarded to both Gonzales’ estate and his survivors, (2) four categories of photographs were improperly admitted during trial, (3) the trial court erroneously failed to instruct the jury on assumption of the risk, and (4) excessive damages were awarded.

AWARD TO ESTATE

The complaint filed against APS in connection with Lupe Gonzales’ electrocution sought damages on behalf of the estate as well as on behalf of his wife and children. APS argues that A.R.S. -§ 12-612 was violated when the jury awarded damages to both Gonzales’ estate and to his survivors. A.R.S. § 12-612(A) states:

A. An action for wrongful death shall be brought by and in the name of the surviving husband or wife or personal representative of the deceased person for and on behalf of the surviving husband or wife, children or parents, or if none of these survive, on behalf of the decedent’s estate. (Emphasis added.)

Accordingly, a decedent’s estate may bring an action to recover damages only if the decedent is survived by neither spouse nor children. Solomon v. Harman, 107 Ariz. 426, 430, 489 P.2d 236, 240 (1971); Katz v. Filandro, 153 Ariz. 601, 604, 739 P.2d 822, 825 (App.1987). Had APS timely challenged the capacity of Gonzales’ estate to sue, dismissal of the estate would have been appropriate. However, counsel for APS failed to raise the issue of the estate’s capacity to sue.

Rule 9(a), Ariz.R.Civ.P., 16 A.R.S., states in part:

When a party desires to raise an issue as to the legal existence of any party or the capacity of any party to sue or be sued or the authority of a party to sue or be sued in a representative capacity, he shall do so by specific negative averment, which shall include such supporting particulars as are peculiarly within the pleader’s knowledge.

APS did not raise lack of capacity to sue in its answer, verified or otherwise, and did not raise it in a responsive pleading. APS did not raise the issue in a motion for summary judgment. Compare Baxter v. Harrison, 83 Ariz. 354, 321 P.2d 1019 (1958). Nor did APS challenge the estate’s capacity to sue in the pretrial statement. APS did not even object to the jury instruction informing the jury of the right of Gonzales’ estate to recover damages. APS did not raise incapacity of the estate to sue until three days after the jury’s verdict was returned.

Lack of capacity to sue is not jurisdictional and can be waived. Ballard v. Lawyers Title of Arizona, 27 Ariz.App.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
775 P.2d 1148, 161 Ariz. 84, 28 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 26, 1989 Ariz. App. LEXIS 42, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gonzales-v-arizona-public-service-co-arizctapp-1989.