Mayhorn v. McKinney

793 So. 2d 225, 2001 WL 686979
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 20, 2001
Docket34,789-CA
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 793 So. 2d 225 (Mayhorn v. McKinney) 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
Mayhorn v. McKinney, 793 So. 2d 225, 2001 WL 686979 (La. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

793 So.2d 225 (2001)

Larry MAYHORN, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
Dona Mae McKINNEY, Norman Ellis, Union Masonic Board Pha/Temple, The Ohio Casualty Group, Caddo Parish School Board, its Agents and Employees, Alex Triggs and All Known Insurers, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 34,789-CA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

June 20, 2001.

*226 Hersy Jones, Jr., Shreveport, Counsel for Appellant.

Abrams & LaFargue, L.L.C. by Reginald W. Abrams, Shreveport, Counsel for Appellee, Alex Triggs.

Beard & Sutherland by Fred H. Sutherland, Shreveport, Counsel for Appellee, Caddo Parish School Board.

Barham & Warner, L.L.C. by Richard G. Barham, Shreveport, Counsel for Appellees, Union Masonic Board PHA/Temple and West American Insurance Company.

Before PEATROSS, KOSTELKA & DREW, JJ.

PEATROSS, J.

In this personal injury action, Plaintiff, Larry Mayhorn, appeals the grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendant Alex Triggs. For the reasons stated herein, we affirm.

FACTS

The events which form the basis of the underlying personal injury action occurred on October 11, 1996, at the retirement party for Alex Triggs, who was retiring from the Caddo Parish School Board. The party was held at the Union Masonic Temple building ("Masonic Temple"). One of Mr. Triggs' co-employees, Jim Turner, was a member of the Union Masonic Board and was able to secure the Masonic Temple for the party for a charge of $150. This charge included fees for use of the building and security guards which were selected and hired by Norman Ellis, the Union Masonic Board Business Manager. Alcoholic beverages were served free of charge at the party.

Mr. Mayhorn was not invited to the party by Mr. Triggs, but was asked to attend by Mr. Triggs' niece, Humeka Triggs. Mr. Mayhorn was 35 years old at the time and was, and still is, a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair.[1] Despite this fact, Donnie Mae McKinney[2], then 56 *227 years old, repeatedly asked Mr. Mayhorn to dance. After Mr. Mayhorn had been at the party approximately one hour, and after several requests from Ms. McKinney to dance, Ms. McKinney allegedly grabbed Mr. Mayhorn's shoulder from behind, pulling him out of his wheelchair. Mr. Mayhorn fell to the floor and fractured his hip, which had to be surgically repaired.

Mr. Mayhorn testified in his deposition that he had consumed a little more than one beer during the hour he was at the party. The record contains differing testimony as to Ms. McKinney's condition and the degree of inappropriateness of her behavior. According to Mr. Mayhorn, Ms. McKinney consumed a great deal of alcohol at the party; her speech was slurred and she was staggering. In his deposition, Mr. Mayhorn described her conduct as "bothersome," but not "out of control." On appeal, Mr. Mayhorn argues that her behavior was harassing and open and obvious to everyone in attendance. On the other hand, Mr. Triggs argues that Ms. McKinney's conduct did not appear to be out of control until the incident in which Mr. Mayhorn fell out of his wheelchair. Ms. McKinney testified in her deposition that she and Mr. Mayhorn were just "having fun," and she pulled on the arm of his sweater causing his wheelchair to tip over. According to her, Mr. Mayhorn "grinned" and had several of his friends assist him in getting back into his wheelchair.

Mr. Mayhorn sued Mr. Triggs, Norman Ellis, the Caddo Parish School Board, the Union Masonic Board/Temple and its insurer, West American Insurance Group ("West American")[3], and "all unknown insurers," for the injury to his hip as a result of the fall. Mr. Mayhorn subsequently added Emanuel and Dorothy Triggs as defendants.[4] On March 22, 1999, summary judgment was granted in favor of Caddo Parish School Board dismissing it from the suit. On August 15, 2000, summary judgment was granted in favor of the Union Masonic Board/Temple and West American, dismissing them from the suit. On September 18, 2000, Mr. Triggs' motion for summary judgment was granted.[5] It is from this judgment only that Mr. Mayhorn appeals.[6]

*228 DISCUSSION

Under La. C.C.P. art. 966, summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The burden of proof remains with the movant; however, if the movant will not bear the burden of proof at trial on the matter that is before the court on the motion for summary judgment, the movant's burden on the motion does not require him to negate all essential elements of the adverse party's claim, action or defense, but rather to point out to the court that there is an absence of factual support for one or more elements essential to the adverse party's claim, action or defense. Thereafter, if the adverse party fails to produce factual support sufficient to establish that he will be able to satisfy his evidentiary burden at trial, there is no genuine issue of material fact.

When a motion for summary judgment is made and supported, as provided by procedural law, an adverse party may not rest on the mere allegations or denials of his pleadings, but his response, by affidavits or as otherwise provided by procedural law, must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial. If he does not so respond, summary judgment, if appropriate, shall be rendered against him. La. C.C.P. art. 967.

Appellate courts review summary judgments de novo under the same criteria that govern the trial court's consideration of whether summary judgment is appropriate. Verhalen v. Forum Health Management of Georgia, Inc., 34,090 (La. App.2d Cir.11/3/00), 771 So.2d 238, writ denied, XXXX-XXXX (La.3/9/01), 786 So.2d 738; Kennedy v. Holder, 33,346 (La. App.2d Cir.5/10/00), 760 So.2d 587; Fuggins v. Burger King, 33,473 (La.App.2d Cir.5/10/00), 760 So.2d 605.

The area of civil law dealing with liability for damages caused by intoxicated persons as a result of the consumption of alcoholic beverages is commonly called "dram shop" liability. Applied in the context of vendors who are not business establishments, such liability is referred to as "social host liability." Louisiana enacted La. R.S. 9:2800.1, its first "anti-dram shop" (or anti-social host liability), statute in 1986.[7] La. R.S. 9:2800.1 provides as follows:

2800.1. Limitation of liability for loss connected with sale, serving, or furnishing of alcoholic beverages.
A. The legislature finds and declares that the consumption of intoxicating *229 beverages, rather than the sale or serving or furnishing of such beverages, is the proximate cause of any injury, including death and property damage, inflicted by an intoxicated person upon himself or upon another person.
B.

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793 So. 2d 225, 2001 WL 686979, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mayhorn-v-mckinney-lactapp-2001.