Kimble v. Reason

626 So. 2d 6, 1993 WL 428989
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 15, 1993
Docket92 CA 0405
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 626 So. 2d 6 (Kimble v. Reason) 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
Kimble v. Reason, 626 So. 2d 6, 1993 WL 428989 (La. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

626 So.2d 6 (1993)

Bill Martin KIMBLE, et ux.
v.
Donna REASON, et al.

No. 92 CA 0405.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

October 15, 1993.

*7 Bill Martin Kimble, in pro. per.

Henry R. Terhoeve, Baton Rouge, for defendant-appellee Donna Reason, State Farm Mut. Auto Ins.

Before SHORTESS, CARTER, LeBLANC, WHIPPLE and PITCHER, JJ.

CARTER, Judge.

This is an appeal from a trial court judgment in a suit for damages arising out of an automobile accident.

FACTS

On June 27, 1986, plaintiff Bill Kimble was traveling in a westerly direction on Florida Boulevard in Baton Rouge when he was rear-ended by an automobile being driven by Donna Reason. As a result of the collision, Kimble allegedly sustained serious personal injuries and property damage to his vehicle.

On June 10, 1987, Kimble and his wife filed a suit for damages against Donna Reason, driver of the automobile which rear-ended him; Randy Reason, owner of the automobile; and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm), liability insurer of the automobile.

Sometime thereafter, the parties allegedly entered into a settlement agreement, whereby the defendants agreed to pay plaintiffs $16,500.00, plus court costs incurred through the date of trial, for a release of all claims. State Farm subsequently issued a settlement check to plaintiffs, and the check was sent to plaintiffs' attorney on April 18, 1989. However, the check was returned, and plaintiffs claimed that they had not reached an agreement to settle their claim for damages against the defendants. On June 29, 1989, defendants filed a motion to enforce the settlement agreement, which was denied.

*8 On October 23, 1989, the Reasons and State Farm filed a Petition for Concursus against Mr. and Mrs. Kimble and their attorney, Frederick Stolzle, Jr. The petition alleged that a settlement in the amount of $16,500.00 had been reached between the parties. In the petition for concursus, State Farm admitted liability in the amount of $16,500.00 and sought to deposit that sum into the registry of the court.[1] The trial court granted leave for State Farm to deposit the sum of $16,500.00 into the registry of the court. On August 22, 1990, Stolzle, who had previously withdrawn as the Kimbles' attorney, filed a petition of intervention for attorney's fees.

On January 14, 1991, the trial on the merits of the Kimbles' tort claims against Donna Reason and State Farm was held.[2] The jury returned a verdict, finding that Donna Reason was solely at fault in causing the accident and awarded Mr. Kimble $6,100.00 in damages, which were itemized as follows:

(a) Property damage to car                        $1,250.00
(b) Past & Future medical expenses                $1,850.00
(c) Permanent disability                          $   -0-
(d) Past & future mental pain and suffering       $3,000.00

The jury did not award Mrs. Kimble any damages for loss of consortium.

Thereafter, State Farm filed a motion to withdraw funds from the registry of the court. On April 26, 1991, a hearing on the motion to withdraw funds and the petition for attorney's fees was held. The trial court denied State Farm's motion to withdraw the funds and awarded Stolzle attorney's fees in the amount of $2,500.00, plus $1,000.00 for expenses. The trial court further awarded State Farm $378.00 as reimbursement for court costs and ruled that the Kimbles were entitled to the remaining funds on deposit in the court's registry, plus interest.

On July 1, 1991, the trial court rendered judgment in favor of State Farm and the Reasons, dismissing all claims against them. The court cast State Farm and the Reasons for all costs incurred prior to October 23, 1989 (the date of the filing of the Petition for Concursus), and the Kimbles were cast for all court costs incurred after that date. The judgment also held that the $16,500.00 previously deposited by State Farm and the Reasons could not be withdrawn by the depositing parties. The court then ordered that the deposited funds be disbursed as follows:

1. $3,500.00 to Frederick A. Stolzle, Jr.;
2. $378.00 to State Farm as reimbursement of costs; and
3. Balance, plus any interest, to the Kimbles and their attorney.

From this judgment the Kimbles appealed, contending that the trial court erred in the following respects: (1) not allowing a consolidation of this case with a second action filed by the Kimbles;[3] (2) excluding certain evidence; (3) ordering a concursus proceeding; (4) awarding Stolzle $3,500.00;[4] and (5) awarding inadequate damages.

State Farm answered the appeal, alleging as error the trial court's denial of its motion to withdraw the deposited funds in excess of the jury's verdict.

CONSOLIDATION

The Kimbles contend that the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to consolidate his two suits. They argue that the jury was confused as to which injuries and medical expenses arose from the two accidents in which Kimble was involved.

LSA-C.C.P. art. 1561 provides that, when two or more separate suits involving a common issue of law or fact are pending in the *9 same court, the court, at any time prior to trial, may order the consolidation of the suits for trial or may order a joint trial of any of the common issues. However, the language granting the court the power to consolidate is discretionary in nature. Alleman v. Joffrion, 411 So.2d 1142, 1144 (La.App. 1st Cir.), writ denied, 415 So.2d 945 (La.1982).

We find no abuse of the trial court's discretion in not consolidating the Kimbles' action against the Reasons and State Farm with any action they may have against the owner of the store in which Kimble allegedly slipped and fell.[5]

EXCLUSION OF EVIDENCE

The Kimbles contend that the trial court erred in excluding the testimony and medical bills of Dr. Joseph Bowles, a chiropractor at Gavin Chiropractic Clinics. The Kimbles reason that, as a result of the exclusion of Dr. Bowles testimony and evidence of the medical expenses incurred during his treatment by Dr. Bowles, they were not permitted to recover some $2,500.00 in medical expenses.

Generally, when the court rules against the admissibility of any evidence, the court shall either permit the party to make a complete record thereof or permit the party to make a statement setting forth the nature of the evidence. LSA-C.C.P. art. 1636. See McLean v. Hunter, 495 So.2d 1298, 1305 (La.1986); Scurto v. Siegrist, 598 So.2d 507, 510 (La.App. 1st Cir.), writ denied, 600 So.2d 683 (La.1992); Menzie Tile Company, Inc. v. Professional Centre, 594 So.2d 410, 415 (La. App. 1st Cir.1991), writ denied, 600 So.2d 610 (La.1992); Joseph v. Mid-American Indemnity Co., 532 So.2d 347, 348 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1988). Moreover, when a party who contends that evidence was improperly excluded fails to make a proffer of that evidence, he cannot complain on appeal of its exclusion. Engineered Mechanical Services, Inc. v. Langlois, 464 So.2d 329, 340 (La.App. 1st Cir.1984), writ denied, 467 So.2d 531 (La. 1985).

However, in the instant case, counsel for the Kimbles did not attempt to introduce the testimony of Dr. Bowles nor did he attempt to introduce the bills for the medical services received from the Gavin Chiropractic Clinics.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
626 So. 2d 6, 1993 WL 428989, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kimble-v-reason-lactapp-1993.