Moody v. Childers

344 P.2d 262
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 22, 1959
Docket38289
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 344 P.2d 262 (Moody v. Childers) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Moody v. Childers, 344 P.2d 262 (Okla. 1959).

Opinions

PER CURIAM.

The plaintiff alleged that he was a trade laborer working for the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Company,- riding as a passenger on a certain motor car- on the morning of January 10, 1957. That about [264]*2648:10 A.M. on said date the motor car on which he was riding was struck by a 1949 Dodge pick-up truck owned by the defendant Carroll J. Moody and being driven by the defendant Dave Moody, at the point where the company’s track intersects old highway 19 in Garvin County, Oklahoma. That as a result of the collision he was severely injured. That the damage was due to certain acts of negligence of the company, and by the negligence of the defendants, Carroll J. Moody and Dave Moody.

He further alleged that as a result of the negligence of the defendants and the company, he suffered certain injuries as follows :

1.“Severe shock to both his physical and nervous systems.
2. “Violent and crushing jar to his entire body causing great body weakness and nervousness.
3. “Right colles fractures not properly united.
4. “Comminuted fractures of right 11th and 12th ribs posterially necessitating the application and continually wearing of a corset type brace.
5. “Severe contusion of right shoulder region with bruises over all of his body.
6. “Severe sprain of the right ankle joint with soft tissue damage in this region.
7. “Possible internal injuries.
8. “The pain and suffering are permanent.”

He further alleged that at the time of the collision he was 65 years of age, and had no physical disabilities; that he had a life expectancy of 11.55 years, and was earning an annual wage of $3,720. He prays for $66,220 damages.

At the conclusion of the evidence the court instructed the jury to return a verdict in favor of the defendant, Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Company. No appeal was taken. The remaining parties will be referred to as they appeared in the trial court.

The separate answer of the defendants consists first of a general denial followed by a plea of contributory negligence in the following particulars:

1. That the plaintiff was operating the motor vehicle upon which he was riding in a careless and negligent manner, as follows:
2. “That he approached the crossing over said railroad at an excessive rate of speed.
3. “That in view of the fact that plaintiff was unable to see the road as he approached the same, that it was his duty to have brought said motor vehicle to a stop before entering said intersection.
4. “That it was the duty of the plaintiff to keep a lookout for persons using said highway and to notify the driver of said motor car of any vehicle using the highway and that the plaintiff failed to perform this duty, but for which the accident and injuries suffered by him would not have occurred.
5. “That the plaintiff, although it was his duty to do so failed to keep a lookout and failed to notify the operator of the motor car of the approach of the car being operated by the defendant, Dave Moody, to said intersection.”

The alleged damage, as reflected by the record, was caused by a collision between a motor car being operated on the railway tracks of the company by one C. B. Holder, section foreman, which was occupied by the plaintiff, and a Dodge pick-up truck which was being driven on old highway 19 by Dave Moody, defendant, as an employee of the defendant Carroll J. Moody.'

The collision occurred about 1.2 miles east of Pauls Valley, where the railroad track crosses highway 19. The highway runs east and west, and the railroad track runs northeast-southwest, crossing the highway at an angle of about 35 to 40 degrees. At the time of the collision the motor car was traveling from the southwest to the northeast, and the pick-up truck [265]*265was being driven from the west to the east. There was no traffic on either the railroad track or the highway. The paving on the highway is blacktop. The weather was cold (14 degrees F.) and dry, with no precipitation. The motor car was seven feet and eight inches long. It weighs about 2000 pounds. There is a bench or seat on each side of the car 28 inches wide and four feet and eight inches long. These seats were occupied by two men on each side, and there are platforms running along each side of the motor car for their feet. On the day in question the foreman, C. B. Holder, was driving the motor car, and he sat on the back of this bench on the rear left side of the car. Next to and in front of him was a 16 gallon water keg, and plaintiff sat in front of the water keg. Two other members of the section gang sat on the right side of the motor car. The car was equipped with a top and windshield, but it had no covering on the sides.

The truck driven by the defendant, Dave Moody, was a Dodge pick-up with an enclosed cab, having a glass windshield and glass in the doors on each side of the cab.. He was alone in the pick-up at the time of the accident.

The defendant, Dave Moody, testified he had been driving over the railroad track at the point of the accident for almost thirty years, and that motor cars had stopped for him before, at least one-hundred times as he approached the intersection.

He further testified that on the morning of January 10, 1957 he was driving the pick-up truck on old highway 19 from Pauls Valley to the east, at a speed of 20, or maybe 25 miles per hour. He could bring it to a stop ’within the assured clear distance ahead. There was no other traffic on the highway. The road was dry. As he approached the railroad crossing he looked to see if ■ a train was approaching. When he got within about five feet of the railroad tracks the motor car on which the plaintiff was riding was driven out in front of him. He did not have time to apply his brakes. He had heard no warning or alarm that the motor car was approaching the intersection.

All the evidence shows that the right front bumper of the truck collided with about the center of the motor car, but there is a variance as to the point on the highway where the collision occurred. The highway patrolman, Louis Speck, testified that the impact occurred three feet from the edge of the highway. He testified:

“There were two or three different ways to determine the point of impact. The best and most positive way was where the motor car left the rails in a sidewise position, where the flanges on the wheels began to leave marks on the highway.”

C. B. Holder testified he was pretty near half way across the road when the collision occurred. The plaintiff testified it was about the center, or maybe a little north of the center. The defendant Dave Moody said it was about three feet north of the south side of the road.

Regardless of where the impact occurred, neither of the parties on the motor car saw the truck, nor did the driver of the truck see the motor car before the impact which knocked the motor car about 45 feet against the railroad warning sign post with the truck resting against it.

The jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendants in the amount of $25,000.

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Moody v. Childers
344 P.2d 262 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1959)

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344 P.2d 262, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/moody-v-childers-okla-1959.