Lynch v. Culpepper

96 So. 2d 516, 1957 La. App. LEXIS 744
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 28, 1957
DocketNo. 8673
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 96 So. 2d 516 (Lynch v. Culpepper) 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
Lynch v. Culpepper, 96 So. 2d 516, 1957 La. App. LEXIS 744 (La. Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

GLADNEY, Judge.

This action was brought by George M. Lynch and Faye Stewart Lynch against Paul Culpepper and other defendants for the recovery of damages occasioned by [517]*517personal injuries received by Mrs. Lynch, loss of wages during the period of disability, and medical expenses incurred by the community. Following a trial on the merits, judgment was rendered in favor of George M. Lynch for a total of $820 as loss of wages, $681.95 for medical expenses incurred, and the sum of $2,000 was awarded to Mrs. Lynch for personal injuries.

The petition filed herein names as defendants Paul Culpepper, City Drug Store and/or Culpepper’s Drug Store, a commercial partnership composed of Paul Culpep-per and Jacob Segura, Sr., Jacob Segura, Sr., and James W. Burr, Sr., individually and in his representative capacity as father of the unemancipated minor, Roy Burr. The judgment rendered below cast Paul Culpepper individually and James W. Burr, Sr., individually, and in his representative capacity. Jacob Segura, Sr., individually, and the named partnership composed of Paul Culpepper and Jacob Segura, Sr., were exonerated and the demands against these parties were rejected. An appeal has been perfected only on behalf of Paul Culpepper, individually, and consequently the judgment is definitive as to the other named defendants. Plaintiffs have answered the appeal, asking that the judgment be increased by this court.

For a cause of action Mrs. Lynch alleges that on August 26, 1953, at about 5:40 o’clock p. m., at which time the weather was clear and the streets dry, she was walking across Washington Street in the Town of Mansfield, Louisiana, when she was struck by a bicycle being ridden by Roy W. Burr, and as a result of the impact she was knocked to the pavement and sustained severe injuries to her left leg and hip, which resulted in operative procedure and extended confinement. Plaintiffs allege that at the time of.the accident Roy W. Burr, a minor, was employed as a bicycle delivery boy by Paul Culpepper and a partnership composed of Paul Culpepper and Jacob Segura, Sr., known as City Drug Store, and that said employee was acting within the scope of his employment at the time his bicycle struck Mrs. Lynch. Negligence is attributed to Burr in that he was riding his bicycle south on Washington Street when the signal light for him was red; that he was riding his bicycle on the left side of Washington Street; that his bicycle was equipped with defective and faulty brakes; and that he failed to keep a proper lookout in time to see plaintiff, Mrs. Lynch, and avoid striking her. Petitioners invoke also the last clear chance doctrine.

In defense of the action brought against them, defendants uniformly assert in their respective' pleadings that the existence of a partnership between Culpepper and Segura was restricted to the handling of prescriptions under the trade name of City Drug Store; that Segura is the manager and druggist thereof which is owned by Paul Culpepper and Jacob Segura, Sr., as equal partners; and that another portion of the drug establishment is solely owned by Paul Culpepper. It is further averred by respondents that Roy Burr was employed solely by the partnership and had no connection with the fountain or sundry departments of the store; that on October 26, 1953, Roy Burr was not making a delivery for the prescription department but was making an unauthorized delivery of a malted milk from the fountain department, and in making said delivery carried no articles of merchandise from the prescription department; and that his salary of $15 per week was paid entirely by the prescription department.

Further answering, the defendants alleged that at the time of the accident Roy Burr was riding a bicycle owned by him, in good working condition, and as he headed south on Washington Street for the purpose of making the aforesaid delivery he stopped for a red light at the intersection of Polk Street; that when the green light came on he waited on traffic to see if any vehicles were making a left turn before proceeding down Washington Street; that [518]*518Mrs. Lynch started across Washington Street, going east in the face of a red light and in doing so walked out from behind traffic traveling north and south on Washington Street with the green light, and stepped in front of the bicycle being ridden by Roy Burr

It is charged that the accident was caused by the negligence of Mrs. Lynch in: attempting to cross the street in the face of a red light; leaving a place of safety and placing herself in a position of danger; walking directly in front of the bicycle being ridden by Roy Burr; and in failing to see the approach of the bicycle, or if seen, in failing to heed its approach and walking in front of it. Contributory negligence is especially pleaded, and the last clear chance doctrine is invoked. An exception of no cause or right of action filed on behalf of defendants was referred to the merits and disposed of by the trial judge in a written opinion which recorded his decision upon the merits of the case.

We think it proper that it be first determined whether Roy W. Burr was guilty of any act of negligence constituting a proximate cause of the accident. Testimony in behalf of plaintiffs was given by Mrs. Lynch, Gordon Golsan, a motorist who was proceeding westerly on the same light and in the same direction as was Mrs. Rynch, and Miss Earl Cooley, who was driving a motor vehicle north on Washington Street and stopped for a red light at the same time Mrs. Lynch was crossing the street directly in front of her. Evidence was tendered in support of defendant’s position in the testimony of Roy W. Burr, James William Dorman and John Floyd Johnson.

After carefully reviewing the testimony and weighing the credibility of the witnesses involved, the trial court accepted the testimony on behalf of plaintiff and rejected that given by the defendant’s witnesses. After our review of the record it leaves this court in complete agreement with the trial judge in his findings on the issue of negligence.

At the scene of the accident, the intersection of Polk Street and Washington Street, Polk Street enters from the east but does not cross Washington Street, thus forming a “T” intersection. Polk Street runs east and west and Washington Street north and south. The intersection is governed by a traffic signal light reflecting red, yellow and green at intervals. Polk Street is forty-six feet in width and Washington Street is forty-eight feet in width.

Mrs. Lynch testified that after observing the signal light had flashed green toward the east or traffic entering Washington Street from Polk Street, she appraised Washington Street for traffic approaching from the south, and observed the automobile of Miss Earl Cooley stop near the southeast corner of the intersection and she thereupon undertook to walk across Washington Street. After she had taken about three steps, according to her testimony, she was struck by the bicycle which she did not see, and fell to the street, thus sustaining the injuries she has received.

Mr. Gordon Golsan, an attorney of Mansfield, had entered his car which was parked on the north side of Polk Street about twenty-five feet from the intersection with Washington Street, and drove his automobile to the intersection for the purpose of making a south or left turn on Washington Street, and there waited for the light until it gave a green signal. At that time he observed Mrs. Lynch was waiting. He testified he entered the intersection upon the proper signal light as did Mrs. Lynch and he began his left turn, slowing his vehicle so that Mrs.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Malone v. Plaisance Wholesale Grocery
146 So. 2d 853 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1962)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
96 So. 2d 516, 1957 La. App. LEXIS 744, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lynch-v-culpepper-lactapp-1957.