Newell v. Musgrove

1928 OK 117, 264 P. 156, 129 Okla. 207, 1928 Okla. LEXIS 386
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedFebruary 14, 1928
Docket17715
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 1928 OK 117 (Newell v. Musgrove) 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
Newell v. Musgrove, 1928 OK 117, 264 P. 156, 129 Okla. 207, 1928 Okla. LEXIS 386 (Okla. 1928).

Opinion

TEEHEE, C.

On September 9, 1925, T. L. Musgrove, plaintiff, sued R. S. Colton and Rose Newell, defendants, for damages. He alleged, in substance, that on August 7, 1925, through the negligent operation of their automobiles in approaching an intersection of two certain public highways, the defendant Newell's car collided with the defendant Col-ton’s ear in the intersection with such force that the impact caused the defendant Col-ton’s car to strike him with such violence as to inflict serious and permanent injuries upon his body; that such injuries consisted of “an extensive open comminuted fracture of the tibia and fibula of the left leg, and severe bruises and contusions to several parts of his body,” from which he “suffered excruciating physical pain and mental anguish,” by reason of which injuries he was compelled to incur and make certain professional expenditures and suffer loss of income from his employment; that such injuries were inflicted on him on the premises of his home and place of business without contributory negligence on his part, and that the same are permanent; that the negligent driving of the defendants was without the exercise of ordinary care and in disregard of the safety and protection of plaintiff, causing infliction upon him of the injuries aforesaid, by reason whereof he was damaged in the sum of $10,009, for which amount he prayed judgment against the defendants.

The defendants by separate answer denied plaintiff’s allegations, with a further answer by the defendant Oolton of negligence on the part of the defendant Newell as the cause of the injuries with no.ncontribution on his part, by reason of which he prayed discharge from plaintiff’s cause of action and judgment over against his codefendant for damages to his automobile. New matter in Colton’s answer was denied by the plaintiff.

There was a jury verdict and judgment thereon against the defendants awarding damage to plaintiff in the sum of $4,000. The defendant Newell alone has appealed to this court, and, as further reference to the defendant Colton as a litigant in this court is not required, the parties litigant here will be further referred to as they appeared in the trial court.

Of- the judgment, defendant complains on three grounds, namely:

“ (1) The insufficiency of the evidence.
“ (2) The court erred in the 20th instruction given the jury.
“ (3) The court erred in giving the 15th instruction. ”

In the order of their statement, these grounds will be considered.

The first ground of complaint is based, first, on the refusal of the trial court to sustain defendant’s motion for an instructed verdict in her favor, and second, that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the verdict and judgment rendered. The first contention hereunder requires a brief notice of the salient points of the evidence, in which there was a sharp conflict as to the manner of *208 tlie collision. Summarized, plaintiff’s evidence was to tlie effect that about 9 Vclods in the morning plaintiff was on the outside of his place of business, located about 30 feet from the northeast corner of the intersecting highways, seated on a box reading a newspaper with his brother by him. Without warning, a collision occurred slightly northeast of the center of the intersection betvceen Colton's car, going east, and Miss Newell’s car, going north. The Newell car struck Colton’s car on the right center, swerving and driving Colton’s car directly toward plaintiff, which he vainly sought to escape, the car striking him with the results as alleged. In this the physical facts harmonized with the oral evidence.

Defendant Colton’s evidence was to the effect that he was driving east on the highway at about 15 miles per hour. He first noticed the Newell car driving north on the intersecting highway when he was about 60 feet from the intersection, with the Newell car then about 200 feet from the intersection, and that he entered the intersection first and was struck when he was more than half thereacross. He thought he had time to clear the intersection, as there was a stop line at the approach of the intersecting highway. Seeing the Newell car bearing down on him, he sought to avoid the collision by puffing over to the north side and turning slightly northeastward and putting on the brakes. His car was struck with suoh force that he was unable to avoid striking plaintiff.

‘ Defendant Newell’s evidence was to the effect that at about the time she entered the intersection, driving about 15 miles per hour, and on the right of the center of the highway, she first saw Colton’s car driving east about 100 feet from the intersection; that at that time she signaled that she would turn west on the highway, at the intersection ; that she had the right of way and first entered the intersection with ample space for Colton to pass behind her had Colton kept to the south side of the highway; and that there was no stop line at the approach to the intersection.

In the details respecting these salient points of the evidence as to the manner of the collision, the one defendant sought to shift the responsibility or negligence to the other.

It is a uniform rule in this jurisdiction -that:

“When a motion is made at the close of the evidence by the defendant for a directed verdict, it presents to the trial court the question whether, admitting the truth of the evidence, which has been given in favor of the plaintiff, together with such inferences and conclusions as may be reasonably drawn from it, there is enough competent evidence to reasonably sustain a verdict, should the jury find in accordance therewith. Where the evidencp is conflicting, and the court is asked to direct a verdict, all facts and inferences in conflict with tlie evidence against which the action is to be taken must he eliminated entirely from consideration, and totally disregarded, leaving for consideration that evidence which is favorable to the party against whom the motion is leveled. If, upon such consideration, there appears to he sufficient evidence to support a verdict for the plaintiff, it is not error to overrule the motion to direct a verdict for the defendant.” Alva Roller Mills v. Simmons, 74 Okla. 314, 185 Pac. 76; Solts v. Southwestern Cotton Oil Company, 28 Okla. 706, 115 Pac. 776: Cooper v. Flesner, 24 Okla. 47, 103 Pac. 1016, 20 Ann. Cas. 29, 23 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1180; Harris v. Missouri, K. & T. Ry. Co., 24 Okla. 341, 103 Pac. 758, 24 L. R. A. (N. S.) 858.

It is also the rule that:

“It is only when the evidence, with all the inferences that the jury can reasonably draw therefrom, is insufficient to support a verdict, that the court is' authorized to direct a verdict for the defendant. ” Oklahoma Union Railway Co. v. Hainey, 96 Okla. 217, 222 Pac. 243; Keaton v. Taylor, 114 Okla. 167, 245 Pac. 56.

Guided by the foregoing rules, therefore, it is plain that the court did not err in overruling defendant Newell’s motion for a directed verdict.

Under the second contention hereunder, it is evident from the foregoing summary of the evidence that there is sufficient evidence in the record that reasonably tends to support the verdict of the jury.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1928 OK 117, 264 P. 156, 129 Okla. 207, 1928 Okla. LEXIS 386, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/newell-v-musgrove-okla-1928.