Martin v. A-1 Home Appliance Center, Inc.

117 So. 3d 281, 12 La.App. 5 Cir. 784, 2013 WL 2350405, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 1065
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 30, 2013
DocketNo. 12-CA-784
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 117 So. 3d 281 (Martin v. A-1 Home Appliance Center, Inc.) 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
Martin v. A-1 Home Appliance Center, Inc., 117 So. 3d 281, 12 La.App. 5 Cir. 784, 2013 WL 2350405, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 1065 (La. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

ROBERT A. CHAISSON, Judge.

| ¡¡This is an appeal by David Martin from a judgment in favor of A-l Home Appliance Center, Inc. (A-l), and its insurer, Hanover Insurance Company, in this delic-tual action arising out of an in-home accident during delivery of a refrigerator. For the following reasons, we affirm that judgment.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Mr. Martin bought a refrigerator from A-l. The salesman advised him that for an additional $75 fee, A-l would have the refrigerator delivered to his home. In addition to the purchase price, Mr. Martin paid the $75 delivery fee to A-l by check. Some time later, he received a phone call advising him that the refrigerator would be delivered the next day. The next day, he received a phone call in which the caller indicated that it was A-l, and that they were in his area and ready to deliver his refrigerator. Mr. Martin had no knowledge of whether the delivery was to be made by A-l employees, or by an independent delivery service, and he did not ask that of the salesman or the person who called him for the delivery. Mr. Martin assumed that the delivery was being made by A-l employees.

Mr. Martin testified that while the deliverymen were attempting to lift the refrigerator over his kitchen counter, it appeared to him that they were losing control of the refrigerator and that it was tipping over. He further testified that no one asked him to assist with the moving of the refrigerator; however, in order to stop it from falling over, he grabbed one of the sides of the refrigerator. When he did this, the weight of the refrigerator shifted to Mr. Martin and resulted in him tearing the bicep in his right arm. Mr. Martin required surgery and rehabilitation to repair the injury to his arm. Mr. Martin also subsequently experienced problems with his right shoulder that he attributed to the prolonged inability to use his arm. He required two surgeries and extensive rehabilitation to repair that injury. This suit followed.

Mr. Martin subsequently learned that A-l had contracted with Johnson Delivery Service (“Johnson”) to make deliveries of appliances, and it was this company which made the delivery of his refrigerator. Johnson was named as a defendant, and it and its insurer settled Mr. Martin’s claim for $100,000. After a trial against A-l, the jury returned a verdict finding Johnson negligent, but exonerating A-l. The trial judge entered judgment in A-l’s favor, as per the verdict, and subsequently denied Mr. Martin’s motion for a new trial. Mr. Martin now appeals the judgment.

Mr. Martin urges two assignments of error, both of which raise the same issue, i.e., did the trial judge err in not giving a [283]*283jury instruction as to “apparent authority?” There is no dispute that Johnson was a separate entity from A-l, that it was an independent contractor, and that A-l did not exercise any control over its activities. A-l did not hire Johnson employees, did not pay them and did not supervise them. The Johnson delivery truck had no markings on it and the deliverymen all wore Johnson uniforms. It is also not disputed that the jury was properly instructed as to the law applicable to cases of master and servant arising under La. C.C. art. 2320, and that it properly found in favor of A-l under that law. Mr. Martin argues that the principle of “apparent authority” is a second and distinct |4basis upon which to impose liability on A-l, and that the trial judge erred in failing to give the requested jury charge on this theory of liability.

LAW AND ANALYSIS

A trial court is afforded wide discretion in determining and framing questions to be posed as special jury interrogatories. Schram v. Chaisson, 03-2307 (La.App. 1st Cir.9/17/04), 888 So.2d 247, 251. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 1792(B) requires that a trial court instruct jurors on the law applicable to the cause submitted to them. In Fisher v. River Oaks, Ltd., 93-677 (La.App. 5 Cir. 3/16/94), 635 So.2d 1209, 1213, unit denied, 94-0932 (La.6/3/94), 637 So.2d 503, the Court stated:

The trial judge is not required to give the precise instructions submitted by either party. Jones v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 568 So.2d 1091, 1094 (La.App. 5th Cir.1990). The trial judge must only give instructions which properly reflect the law which is applicable to the facts of a particular case. Jones v. Liberty Mutual, at 1094. Adequate jury instructions are those which fairly and reasonably point up the issues and which provide correct principles of law for the jury to apply to those issues. Jones v. Liberty Mutual at 1094. The adequacy of jury instructions must be determined in light of the instructions as a whole and the manifest error standard of review may not be ignored unless the instructions were so incorrect or inadequate as to preclude the jury from reaching a verdict based on the law and the facts. Jones v. Liberty Mutual at 1094.

In the case before us, the trial court gave the following jury instructions regarding master/servant liability, vicarious liability and independent contractor liability:

Masters and employers are answerable for the damages occasioned by their servants and overseers, in the exercise of the function in which they are employed.
For purposes of determining an employer’s vicarious liability in tort, it is not the actual supervision or control which is actually exercised by the employer that is significant for determining whether the employee is an independent contractor or a mere servant, but whether, from the nature of the relationship, the right to such supervision or control exists.
| {¡Vicarious liability is based on Louisiana Civil Code Article 2320 which provides in pertinent part; again, this is kind of a repeat:
“Masters and employers are answerable for the damage occasioned by their servants and overseers in the exercise of the functions in which they are employed.”
Under Codal Article 2320, an employer can be held liable for an employee’s tortuous conduct only if the injuring em[284]*284ployee is acting within the course and scope of his employment.
The distinction between employee and independent contractor status is a factual determination to be decided on a case-by-case basis.
The Louisiana Supreme Court has found the following five factors to be relevant in determining whether the relationship of principal and independent contractor exists:
1. There is a valid contract between the parties;
2. The work being done is of an independent nature such that any contractor may employ non-exclusive means in accomplishing it;
3. The contract calls for specific piece work as a unit to be done according to the independent contractor’s own methods, without being subject to the control and direction of the principal, except as to the result of the services to be rendered;
4. There is a specific price for the overall undertaking agreed upon, and;
5. The duration of the work is for a specific time and not subject to termination or discontinuation at the will of either side without a corresponding liability for its breach.

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Bluebook (online)
117 So. 3d 281, 12 La.App. 5 Cir. 784, 2013 WL 2350405, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 1065, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-v-a-1-home-appliance-center-inc-lactapp-2013.