Morrison v. Clark

72 So. 305, 196 Ala. 670, 1916 Ala. LEXIS 508
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedMay 18, 1916
StatusPublished
Cited by54 cases

This text of 72 So. 305 (Morrison v. Clark) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morrison v. Clark, 72 So. 305, 196 Ala. 670, 1916 Ala. LEXIS 508 (Ala. 1916).

Opinion

THOMAS, J.

The case was tried on a simple negligence count, charging that: “While plaintiff and his wife, Sarah E. Clark, were in a vehicle, to-wit, a buggy, upon a public highway in the city of Birmingham, Ala., an automobile being operated by defendant ran into, upon, or against said vehicle in. which plaintiff and his said wife were, and as a proximate consequence thereof, etc. * * * Plaintiff alleges that said automobile ran upon or against or into said vehicle in which plaintiff was on the occasion aforesaid, and plaintiff suffered the personal injuries and damages to himself and damages and loss to his said property, and the consequent damages and loss to him from the said injuries and damages to his said wife, all as a proximate consequence of the negligence of defendant, in this, to-wit, defendant negligently caused, or. allowed said automobile to run upon or against or into said vehicle on the occasion aforesaid.”

(1) The second count, charging a willful and intentional injury inflicted by the defendant’s servant or agent, failed to aver that such servant or agent of the defendant, having charge or control of said car at the time of the infliction of the injury, was acting within the line and scope of his employment by the [674]*674defendants. This defect was taken by demurrer that should have been sustained. — Addington v. Amer. Casting Co., 186 Ala. 92, 64 South. 614; Wise, Adm’r, v. Curl, et al., 177 Ala. 324, 58 South. 286; Daniels v. Carney, 148 Ala. 81, 86, 42 South. 452, 7 L. R. A. (N. S.) 920, 121 Am. St. Rep. 34, 12 Ann. Cas. 612; Ala. Gt. Sou. R. R. Co. v. Pouncey, 7 Ala. App. 548, 61 South. 601.

(2) It is clear that the question whether the agent or servant in charge of the car at the time of the infliction of said injury was acting within the line and scope of his employment was correctly submitted for the decision of the jury. From the undisputed evidence it is likewise clear that the jury found for the defendant under the second count of the complaint, and that punitive damages were not awarded.

The evidence shows that by reason of the collision the plaintiff sustained the loss of $110 on his horse, $2 or $3 damage to the harness, $20 damages for the buggy that was destroyed, incurred a medical bill of $100 or more, and sustained loss of time from his labor, where he was earning $100 a month before the accident, or the value of his services in nursing his wife, on account of her injuries caused by the collision, for the period of about three months. Thus it is clear, that the verdict for $250 was on the first count, for the actual damages of the plaintiff sustained and claimed, and not on the second count, for punitive or exemplary damages. We are of opinion, from the entire record, that the defendant was not injuriously affected in his substantial rights by the ruling on demurrer and the refusal to give charge No. 2.

(3) Adverting to the first count, in which is the averment that the “defendant negligently caused or allowed said automobile to run upon or against or into said vehicle on the occasion aforesaid,” in City Del. Co. v. Henry, 139 Ala. 161, 34 South. 389, this court held that as to simple negligence, an averment that the “defendant” did the wrongful act could be maintained by proof that defendant’s servants or agents did the act of negligence, while acting within the line and scope of their employment by the defendant. — 31 Cyc. 1626. Moreover, there was no objection to the evidence on the ground of a variance; therefore the court could not be put in error. — Circuit court rule No. 34, 175 Ala. xxi.

(4) If, then, there was evidence to warrant the jury in drawing the inference that the wrongful act was committed by the [675]*675defendant acting through servants or agents who, at the time, were in the discharge of the master’s business, and were acting within the scope of the employment, then the affirmative charges requested by the defendant, as A and 1, were properly refused.

(5) When there is evidence which tends to establish the plaintiff’s case, the court should not withdraw the cause from the jury. — Tobler v. Pioneer Mining & Mfg. Co.,, 166 Ala. 517, 52 South. 86; McCormack v. Lowe, 151 Ala. 313, 44 South. 47; M., J. & K. C. R. R. Co. v. Bromberg, 141 Ala. 258, 37 South. 395; Shipp v. Shelton, 193 Ala. 658, 69 South. 102; Amerson v. C. C. & I. Co., 194 Ala. 175, 69 South. 601; Holmes v. Bloch, infra, 71 South. 670; L. & N. R. R. Co. v. Jenkins, infra, 72 South. 68. An examination of the evidence shows that this question of fact was properly submitted to the jitry.

The tendency of the evidence in the case at bar is more nearly analogous to that in Levine v. Ferlisi, 192 Ala. 362, 68 South. 269, being different from that in the case of Parker v. Wilson, 179 Ala. 361, 69 South. 150, 43 L. R. A. (N. S.) 87, and Armstrong v. Sellers, 182 Ala. 582, 62 South. 28.

Observance of the rule of the road is becoming moré important, with the increasing use of steam, electric, and motor power' vehicles on the public highways. — Berry on Automobile Law, § 119; Parker v. Wilson, supra; Gen. Acts 1911, pp. 640-642. In Sherman & Redfield on the Law of Negligence, vol. 3 (6th Ed.) § 649, it is said: “It is a universal custom under law in America for travelers, vehicles, and animals under the charge of man, to take the right hand of the road when meeting each other, if it is reasonable practicable to do so; and this rule, meaning that one should seasonably take the right hand, is enforced by statute in many states, so far as it relates to travelers in vehicles or on horseback. The statutes upon this subject generally prescribe that travelers shall pass to the right of the ‘center of the road.’ This means the center of the lawfully worked part of the road. No one is bound to leave that part of the road while there is room for other travelers to pass upon it, even though the smooth part be entirely on one side of the road.”

(6, 7) It is generally accepted that vehicles, whether automobiles, horse-drawn conveyances, or bicycles, when meeting orí the highways, must turn seasonably to the right of the center of the traveled portion of the highway in order to give each other room to pass. — Slaughter v. Goldberg, et al., 26 Cal. App. 317, [676]*676147 Pac. 90. A driver may use any part of the highway except under special circumstances, and when meeting another vehicle or a person. At the time of such meeting and passing, the duty of each to the other is to keep to the right. — Giles v. Ternes, 93 Kan. 140, 145, 143 Pac. 491; Ternes v. Giles, 93 Kan. 435, 144 Pac. 1014; Segerstrom v. Lawrence, 64 Wash. 245, 247, 116 Pac. 876. Each has a right to presume that the other will obey the rule of the road in meeting and passing. — Medlin v. Spazier, 23 Cal. App. 243, 137 Pac. 1078; 29 Cyc. 516.

(8) Where, however, a collision occurs in such passing on the highway, the presence of one on the left side of the road may be explained or justified as the particular circumstances or exigencies of the case may warrant. — Johnson v. Small, 5 B. Mon. (Ky.) 25; 3 Shearman & Redfield on Neg. § 649; Elliott on Roads and Streets, 620; Clay v. Wood, 5 Esp. 44;

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Bluebook (online)
72 So. 305, 196 Ala. 670, 1916 Ala. LEXIS 508, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morrison-v-clark-ala-1916.