Kleinschmidt v. Clark

238 N.E.2d 473, 143 Ind. App. 99, 1968 Ind. App. LEXIS 446
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 11, 1968
DocketNo. 967A65
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 238 N.E.2d 473 (Kleinschmidt v. Clark) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kleinschmidt v. Clark, 238 N.E.2d 473, 143 Ind. App. 99, 1968 Ind. App. LEXIS 446 (Ind. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

Smith, J.

This is an action to recover damages for the wrongful death of appellee’s decedent, brought against the appellant and one Bruce McNeill. Settlement was made before trial with Bruce McNeill and the cause of action against him was dismissed.

The issues were formed by appellee’s complaint and the answer in denial filed by the appellant pursuant to Rule-1-3 of the Supreme Court of Indiana.

The trial was had to a jury in the Starke Circuit Court, and the jury returned a verdict for the appellee, Marcia E. Clark, Administratrix of the Estate of Millard T. Clark, Deceased, and against the appellant, Marylynn L. Kleinschmidt, and assessed damages in favor of appellee in the sum of $50,000. Upon the rendition of the verdict, the court entered a judgment as follows:

“It Is, Therefore, Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed by the Court, That the plaintiff recover of and from the defendant the sum of $50,000.00 together with her costs in this matter.”

The complaint, in part, reads as follows:

“Plaintiff complains of defendants and for cause of action alleges and says:
“1. That Plaintiff is the duly appointed, qualified, and acting special administratrix of the Estate of Millard T. Clark, in Estate No X7439 of the Lake Circuit Court, Lake County, Indiana, having been appointed for the purpose of bringing a wrongful death action for the use and benefit of the dependents of Millard T. Clark.
[101]*101“3. That on the 22nd day of March, 1965, at. about 3:55 P.M., Central Standard Time, Millard T. Clark, Plaintiff’s intestate, was driving a 1959 Chevrolet Truck in a northerly direction on State Road No. 55, about two (2) miles north of its intersection with State Road No. 2, which .location is also about five (5) miles northeast of Lowell in Lake County, Indiana, while proceeding north on said State Road No. 55 in. the east and north bound lane of traffic. (Sic)..
“4. That, on said date, time and place the defendant, Bruce McNeill, was driving his 1954 Buick Skylark, proceeding in a northerly direction on said State Road No. 55 immediately and closely behind the truck of Plaintiff’s decedent.
“5. That on said date, time and. place .the defendant, Marylyhn L. Kleinschmidt, was driving her 1962. Oldsmobile .two .door Convertible in a southerly direction on •said< State. Road No. 55 while proceeding, in the opposite direction of Plaintiff’s decedent, and the motor vehicle.pf the defendant Bruce McNeill. • . ■ '
“6. That on said date, time and. place. said Staté Road No. 55 was a two lane blacktop highway, twenty-four (24)..feet.in width, running due north and south, providing two lanes of traffic, one for traffic proceeding, north and. the other for traffic proceeding. south and marked arid dividéd by a dotted white centér line.. . i ..:,
. “7. ..That on said date, time and place said three .motor . vehicles were approaching a hillcrest. on said State. Road Np. 55; that south from said hillcrest for a distance of .over one thousand (1000) feet- said highway .was down grade and for a. .distance of eight. hundred (800) feet' south of. said hillcrest was marked by a continuous, unbroken .yellow, line to the east., of said center,, line of said, highway and at a. distance.rif eight hundred (800) feet south of said hillcrest there was erected on .the east. berm of said highway by the Highway Department á sign, facing ■ to. the , south, with the words ‘no passing’ thereon'; that ■to the.north of said hillcrest. said Sate Road ..No;-55 was also down grade • for .■ a distance of approximately one thousand (1000) feet; also marked by a continuous, unbroken yellow line to the west pf said center line and with a like ‘no passing’ 'sign "erected-on the west' bernt'of said highway fácirig to the north ; and that both south áiíd north [102]*102of said hillcrest vision of traffic approaching from the opposite direction was obscured.
“8. That the death of Plaintiff’s decedent was proximately caused by the negligence of the defendant, Bruce McNeill, in the following particulars, to-wit:
(a) that while proceeding north, directly behind the motor vehicle of Plaintiff’s decedent, and at a point approximately eight hundred (800) feet south of said hillcrest described, he carelessly and negligently proceeded to pass Plaintiff’s decedent by turning to the left and entering the west lane of said two lane highway provided for southbound traffic, while entirely within said no passing zone, in violation of the Indiana Statutes prohibiting passing while in a no passing zone.
(b) that while proceeding north, directly behind the motor vehicle of Plaintiff’s decedent, and at a point approximately eight hundred (800) feet south of said hillcrest described, he carelessly and negligently proceeded to pass Plaintiff’s decedent by turning to the left and entering the west lane of said two lane highway provided for southbound traffic, with his vision of on coming traffic approaching from the north of said hillcrest completely obscured.
“9. That as a result of the defendant, Bruce McNeill, passing Plaintiff’s decedent in said no passing zone and with vision obscured as aforesaid, and the proximity of the defendant, Marylynn L. Kleinschmidt, arriving in her motor vehicle at said hillcrest, in the west bound lane in which he was using to pass Plaintiff’s decedent, he caused said defendant, Marylynn L. Kleinschmidt, to lose control of her motor vehicle in attempting to avoid his motor vehicle proceeding in her south bound lane of traffic and to crash into the motor vehicle of Plaintiffs decedent head on and with great force and violence, killing Plaintiffs decedent as a result of said collision and the ensuing fire of the truck which Plaintiffs decedent was driving. (Emphasis supplied).
“10. That the death of Plaintiff’s decedent was proximately caused by the negligence of the defendant, Marylynn L. Kleinschmidt, in the following particulars, to-wit:
(a) that said defendant failed to have her motor vehicle under control while approaching the hillcrest described above and as a result lost control and crossed [103]*103the- center line of said two lane highway into> the east and northbound lane of traffic and into the path of the motor vehicle of Plaintiffs decedent. (Emphasis supplied.)
“11. That as a result of the defendant, Maryiynn L. Kleinschmidt, not having her motor vehicle under control and losing control thereof crossing into the opposite lane of traffic as aforesaid, she crashed head on into the motor vehicle of Plaintiff’s decedent, causing his death as a result of said collision and the ensuing fire of the truck which Plaintiff’s decedent was driving.”

The appellant filed a timely motion for a new trial, setting forth therein the following grounds:

1. The verdict of the jury is not sustained by sufficient evidence.
2. The verdict of the jury is contrary to law.
3. The court erred in overruling defendant’s motion, made at the close of plaintiff’s evidence, to instruct the jury to return a verdict for the defendant.
4.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
238 N.E.2d 473, 143 Ind. App. 99, 1968 Ind. App. LEXIS 446, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kleinschmidt-v-clark-indctapp-1968.