LeBlanc v. Adams

510 So. 2d 678
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 12, 1987
DocketCA 6432
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 510 So. 2d 678 (LeBlanc v. Adams) 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
LeBlanc v. Adams, 510 So. 2d 678 (La. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinion

510 So.2d 678 (1987)

Sandra LeBlanc and Guy LeBLANC
v.
Dyane ADAMS, et al.

No. CA 6432.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

May 12, 1987.
Rehearing Denied August 28, 1987.

*679 Russell Solomon, DeRussy, Bezou, Matthews & Solomon, New Orleans, for plaintiffs-appellants.

Christopher Kosciuk, Bailey & Leininger, Metairie, for defendants-appellees Commander's Palace and Angelina Cas. Co.

Edward A. Rodrigue, Jr., Terry B. Deffes, Boggs, Leohn & Rodrigue, New Orleans, for defendants-appellees Better Properties, Inc., and Commercial Union Ins. Co.

George L. Lamarca, Law Offices of James J. Morse, New Orleans, for defendants-appellees Latter & Blum, Inc., and The Travelers Ins. Co.

Before KLEES and ARMSTRONG, JJ., and HUFFT, J. Pro Tem.

PRESTON H. HUFFT, Judge Pro Tem.

Sandra LeBlanc and her husband Guy LeBlanc, plaintiffs-appellants, appeal the grant of summary judgment against them and in favor of the defendants: Better Properties, Inc., and its insurer Commercial Union Insurance Company; Latter & Blum, Inc., and its insurer The Travelers Insurance Company; and Commander's Palace, Inc., and its insurer Angelina Casualty Company. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm summary judgment in favor of all the defendants named immediately above.

This case arises out of an automobile accident that occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, 1984, when Dyane Adams, a secretary employed by Better Properties, Inc., collided with an automobile driven by Sandra LeBlanc.

*680 The appellants have assigned the following specifications of error:

(1) The trial judge erred in granting Commander's Palace's motion for summary judgment as plaintiffs have stated a cause of action.
(2) a. The trial judge erred in granting Better Properties' motion for summary judgment as there is a genuine issue of fact as to whether or not Dyane Adams was within the course and scope of her employment for Better Properties, Inc. at the time of the accident.
b. The trial judge erred because Better Properties, Inc. is independently negligent.
(3) The trial judge erred in granting Latter & Blum's motion for summary judgment as there is a genuine issue of fact as to whether or not they merged with Better Properties, Inc.

Adams began the day of the accident by stopping at her place of employment, Better Properties, Inc., to pick up a file concerning the details of a banquet that her employer would host at Commander's Palace beginning at 11:30 on the very same day. Adams picked up the folders not necessarily because her employer required her to do so but because she had a personal habit of being prepared should the occasion arise. Better Properties, Inc., sponsored the banquet to recognize and reward the achievements of its real estate agents. Although a licensed agent, Adams worked for Better Properties, Inc., solely as a secretary.

Adams assisted in her employer's preparation for the banquet by receiving acceptances of the invitations. Adams reported the acceptances to one of the principals of her employer, Liz Bertucci who performed most if not all of the other tasks required for sponsoring the banquet. Liz Bertucci invited Adams to the banquet not necessarily as an honoree but as a courtesy extended to an employee who had helped with receiving the acceptances. Adams also had stopped at her employer's office to offer transportation to anyone present who may have needed it.

Adams arrived at Commander's Palace at approximately 11:30 a.m. An open bar provided cocktails, champagne and nonalcoholic beverages for little over an hour before seating of the guests and the serving of dinner. The attendants of Commander's Palace served a glass of champagne to the guests when they sat down for dinner and then provided bottles of champagne at each table for the guests to serve themselves throughout the remainder of the dinner, the awards presentation and dessert.

Adams had not eaten for the twenty-four hour period preceding the banquet where she consumed approximately five glasses of champagne with the light meal provided. No one present noticed Adams behaving in a manner that would indicate inebriation. One person with Better Properties noticed that Adams was talking a little louder than she usually did but the festive nature of the banquet could have explained such behavior. Approximately eighteen bottles of champagne had been provided for approximately forty guests. Because several purchased bottles of champagne remained at the end of the banquet, Francis J. Breaud, President of Better Properties, Inc., and Liz Bertucci packed these to put in Ms. Bertucci's car. Mr. Breaud gave one of these bottles, an unopened bottle, to Dyane Adams. No one saw Dyane Adams leave the restaurant. As she walked to her parked car, a heel on her shoe broke and she stumbled.

After leaving Commander's Palace, Adams drove down St. Charles Avenue at an approximate speed of 20-25 m.p.h. as she ordinarily does when driving on the avenue. She was on her way to a birthday party for her niece. As she approached the intersection of St. Charles Avenue with Felicity Street, Adams looked up to turn down the sun-visor. When she looked down to see the traffic in front of her, she noticed that the car ahead of her, driven by Sandra LeBlanc, had suddenly stopped. Adams swerved to avoid a collision but slightly hit the corner of the rear bumper of the LeBlanc car. Adams then went to a corner restaurant to get a cup of coffee and to ask someone to call her boy friend. Adams *681 returned to the scene of the accident where she began to cry. The police arrested her for driving while intoxicated to which she plead guilty.

On February 13, 1985, plaintiffs filed suit against Dyane Adams, and her insurer (Sentry Insurance A Mutual Company); her employer, styled as A.B.C. Company, and its insurer, styled as X.Y.Z. Company; State Farm Insurance Company, as plaintiff's insurer of underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage; and D.E.F. Insurance Company, excess insurance carrier of Dyane Adams. On February 21, 1985, plaintiffs filed a First Supplemental and Amending Petition, naming as additional defendants Commander's Palace, Inc.; G.H.I. Insurance Company; and Toyota Motor Company. On April 12, 1985, the plaintiffs filed a Second Supplemental and Amending Petition which named as additional defendants Latter & Blum, Inc., and its insurer J.K.L. Insurance Company; Better Properties, Inc., insured by X.Y.Z. Insurance Company; Angelina Casualty Company, insurer of Commander's Palace, Inc.; Craig Poche, Adams' boy friend, and his insurer M.N.O. Insurance Company.

On December 23, 1985, Commander's Palace, Inc., and its insurer Angelina Casualty Company filed a motion for summary judgment, or, in the alternative, a peremptory exception of no cause of action. An excerpt of Dyane Adams' deposition accompanies the motion and supporting memorandum.

On February 6, 1985, Latter & Blum, Inc., filed a motion for summary judgment; affidavits supporting the motion, executed by the respective presidents of Better Properties, Inc., and Latter & Blum, Inc., were attached to the supporting memorandum.

On February 7, 1985, Better Properties, Inc., filed a motion for summary judgment; an excerpt of Dyane Adams' deposition accompanies the supporting memorandum.

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Bluebook (online)
510 So. 2d 678, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/leblanc-v-adams-lactapp-1987.