John Hill and Nancy George, on Behalf of Their Daughter, Kayomoniqic George v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Trejo's Princeton, LLC, Juan Monzon, and Francisco Valdez- Ramirez

Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided May 10, 2023·No. 55,091-CA·Published

Opinion

Judgment rendered May 10, 2023.

Application for rehearing may be filed within the delay allowed by Art. 2166, La. C.C.P.

No. 55,091-CA

COURT OF APPEAL

SECOND CIRCUIT

STATE OF LOUISIANA

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JOHN HILL and NANCY GEORGE, Plaintiffs-Appellants on behalf of their deceased daughter, KAYOMONIQIC GEORGE

VERSUS

STATE FARM MUTUAL Defendants-Appellees AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, TREJO’S PRINCETON, LLC, JUAN MONZON, and FRANCISCO VALDEZ-RAMIREZ

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Appealed from the

Twenty-Sixth Judicial District Court for the Parish of Webster, Louisiana Trial Court No. 78577

Honorable Allen Parker Self, Jr., Judge

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JOHN D. & ERIC G. JOHNSON LAW FIRM Counsel for Appellants By: Eric Gerard Johnson

LAW OFFICES OF DAMON D. KERVIN By: Damon D. Kervin

SEABAUGH & SEPULVADO LLC Counsel for Appellees, By: Alan Thomas Seabaugh State Farm Mutual Michael Christopher Melerine Automobile Insurance Paul L. Wood Company and Juan Monzon

PHELPS DUNBAR, LLP Counsel for Appellee, By: Douglas M. Kleeman Nautilus Insurance Company

BLANCHARD, WALKER, O’QUIN, Counsel for Appellee, & ROBERTS, APLC Trejo’s Princeton, LLC By: Scott R. Wolf McLaurine H. Zentner

DAVIDSON, MEAUX, SONNIER, Counsel for Appellee, McELLIGOTT, FONTENOT, Alberto Andrade Moya GIDEON & EDWARDS, LLP By: Robert D. Felder Jami L. Ishee James H. Domengeaux, Jr.

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Before PITMAN, STEPHENS, and ROBINSON, JJ.

STEPHENS, J.

The issue in this survival action/wrongful death action is whether plaintiffs’ initial petition, which named as defendants the driver, the driver’s alleged employers, and the employers’ insurer, interrupted prescription against another employee who was riding in that vehicle but was not added to the lawsuit until an amending petition was filed more than two years after the accident. Plaintiffs have appealed from the trial court’s adverse judgment granting the exception of prescription filed by the later-added defendant, Alberto Andrade Moya (“Moya”). For the reasons set forth below, we amend the trial court’s judgment in part, affirm as amended, and remand the matter for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion.

FACTS/PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND This action for damages for the survival and wrongful death of Kayomoniqic George was filed by her parents, John Hill and Nancy George (“plaintiffs”), on March 27, 2020. Kayomoniqic died as a result of injuries she sustained in a two-vehicle accident that occurred on November 28, 2019, around 2:15 p.m. The vehicle she was driving south on US Highway 79 in Webster Parish, Louisiana, was struck head-on by a northbound drunk driver, who was attempting to pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone. Named as defendants were the driver of the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe that hit Kayomoniqic, Francisco Valdez-Ramirez (“Valdez-Ramirez”), his alleged employer, Trejo’s Princeton, LLC (“Trejo’s”), the owner of the vehicle, Juan Monzon (“Monzon”)1 (Trejo’s was also alleged to be an owner of the

1 Monzon is both an owner and a manager of the Trejo’s which allegedly employed Valdez-Ramirez.

vehicle), and the vehicle’s insurer, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. (“State Farm”).

Plaintiffs alleged negligence on the part of Valdez-Ramirez in operating the vehicle, including being intoxicated, and negligence on the part of Monzon, for negligent entrustment. Plaintiffs also alleged Monzon and Trejo’s were negligent in hiring, training, and supervising their alleged employee, Valdez-Ramirez, as well as contributing to his intoxication and failing to prevent him from operating the vehicle. In Paragraph 5, plaintiffs alleged that Valdez-Ramirez was an agent and/or employee under the supervision of Monzon and/or Trejo’s, and that the actions of Valdez- Ramirez arose out of and were during the course of his employment for Monzon and/or Trejo’s. In Paragraph 6 of the petition, plaintiffs alternatively alleged that, even if Valdez-Ramirez was not an agent or employee, he operated the Tahoe with the consent of Monzon and/or Trejo’s and, as such, was covered by any and all liability policies of these defendants.

Discovery between the parties began. Depositions were taken, including that of Moya, a passenger in the Tahoe driven by Valdez-Ramirez. Moya, however, was not added as a defendant until plaintiffs filed an amending petition on January 13, 2022, in which they alleged that Moya was also an employee of Monzon and Trejo’s working in the course and scope of his employment alongside Valdez-Ramirez and Monzon at the time of the accident. Plaintiffs further alleged that Moya conspired with Valdez- Ramirez to commit a willful act, and that Moya was jointly negligent together with Monzon for allowing Valdez-Ramirez onto Trejo’s property, permitting him to access the restaurant’s vehicle, and furnishing him with

alcohol.2 Also added as a defendant in this petition was Nautilus Insurance Company.

Moya filed an exception of prescription on March 17, 2022, plaintiffs filed an opposition on April 5, 2022, and the trial court held a hearing on the

2 Paragraph 5 of plaintiffs’ petition was amended to state:

At all times pertinent hereto, VALDEZ-RAMIREZ and ANDRADE [MOYA] were agents and/or employees and/or under the supervision of MONZON and/or TREJO’S, and the actions of VALDEZ-RAMIREZ and ANDRADE [MOYA] arose out of and were during the course of his employment for MONZON and/or TREJO’S and/or while performing duties related to the conduct of MONZON’S and/or TREJO’S business. At all material times, ANDRADE [MOYA] conspired with VALDAZ-RAMIREZ to commit a willful act, and is solidarily liable with VALDEZ-

RAMIREZ for Plaintiffs’ damages. MONZON and ANDRADE [MOYA] negligently permitted VALDEZ-RAMIREZ to enter TREJO’S premises, and the risk of harm to Plaintiffs was foreseeable and easily associated with MONZON’S and ANDRADE [MOYA]’S negligence. MONZON and ANDRADE [MOYA] knew or should have known that VALDEZ-RAMIREZ was not competent to operate the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe.

MONZON and ANDRADE [MOYA] negligently permitted VALDEZ-RAMIREZ access to the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe.

MONZON and ANDRADE [MOYA] committed acts of negligence, gross negligence, and reckless disregard for the safety of Plaintiffs in furnishing alcoholic beverages to VALDEZ-

RAMIREZ. At all material times, MONZON, VALDEZ-

RAMIREZ, and ANDRADE [MOYA] were in the course and scope of their employment with TREJO’S and/or were performing duties related to the conduct of TREJO’S business.

Paragraph 6 was amended to state:

In the alternative, even if VALDEZ-RAMIREZ was not an agent or employee of MONZON and/or TREJO’S, VALDEZ-RAMIREZ operated the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe, VIN No. [omitted], with the consent of the aforementioned, and as such any and all liability policies of MONZON, TREJO’S, VALDEZ-RAMIREZ, STATE FARM, and NAUTILUS covered VALDEZ-RAMIREZ and TREJO’S employees.

Added to the petition, Paragraph 16 provides:

TREJO’S, MONZON, VALDEZ-RAMIREZ, and ANDRADE [MOYA] are all insured for their liability by NAUTILUS.

KAYOMONIQIC’s damages were caused by the negligence of TREJO’S employees (including, without limitation, VALDEZ-

RAMIREZ, MONZON and/or ANDRADE [MOYA]) who were acting at all material times within the scope of their employment with TREJO’S and/or while performing duties related to the conduct of TREJO’s business.

exception on May 3, 2022. The trial court found that: the allegations made in the amending petition were insufficient; Moya was neither a joint tortfeasor nor solidarily liable with the other previously named defendants; plaintiffs were not entitled to amend their petition further; and, based upon the above findings, the trial court granted the exception of prescription and dismissed plaintiffs’ claims against Moya. Judgment granting the exception of prescription, inter alia, was rendered and signed on May 19, 2022. It is from this judgment that plaintiffs have appealed.

DISCUSSION

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John Hill and Nancy George, on Behalf of Their Daughter, Kayomoniqic George v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Trejo's Princeton, LLC, Juan Monzon, and Francisco Valdez- Ramirez, (La. Ct. App. 2023).

John Hill and Nancy George, on Behalf of Their Daughter, Kayomoniqic George v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Trejo's Princeton, LLC, Juan Monzon, and Francisco Valdez- Ramirez (John Hill and Nancy George, on Behalf of Their Daughter, Kayomoniqic George v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Trejo's Princeton, LLC, Juan Monzon, and Francisco Valdez- Ramirez) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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