R. E. Gaddie, Inc. v. Price

528 S.W.2d 708, 1975 Ky. LEXIS 81
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedMay 23, 1975
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 528 S.W.2d 708 (R. E. Gaddie, Inc. v. Price) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
R. E. Gaddie, Inc. v. Price, 528 S.W.2d 708, 1975 Ky. LEXIS 81 (Ky. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

STERNBERG, Justice.

William Price, who was hired to supervise the construction of a motel, was fatally injured on the job when a truck backed over him. The administratrix of his estate filed a wrongful-death action against John [710]*710Grainger, driver of the truck, and William Settle, owner of the truck. By amended complaints R. C. Gaddie, Inc., the subcontractor in charge of the paving of the parking lot, and Gary Brothers Crushed Stone Co., the supplier of the paving material, were named defendants. Gary Brothers was dismissed by summary judgment and is not a party to this appeal. Gaddie cross-claimed against Grainger and Settle, seeking indemnification or contribution for any amount the jury determined it (Gaddie) owed Price’s estate. The jury returned a verdict for $82,589.83 against Gaddie, based only on a last-clear-chance instruction. Judgment was entered on that verdict and a supplemental judgment was entered exonerating Grainger and Settle from any liability either to Price’s estate or to Gad-die.

Gaddie appeals from the judgment and the supplemental judgment and names Marie Price, administratrix of Price’s estate, Grainger and Settle as appellees. Grainger and Settle cross-appeal only as a protective measure. Gaddie’s motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict attacked both the original and supplemental judgments. It charged that the verdict was not sustained by sufficient evidence and was contrary to law. It also complained of errors of law occurring at the trial. The motion was overruled. This appeal is taken from the judgment entered on June 15,1971, and from the supplemental judgment entered on July 2, 1971.

The “Statement of Questions Presented” in appellant’s brief is directed at the original judgment entered on the verdict of the jury and does not attack the supplemental judgment. Failure of appellant to discuss the alleged errors in its brief is the same as if no brief had been filed in support of its charges.

Rule 1.260(b) of the Rules of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky provides: “If the appellant fails to file his brief within the time allowed, the appeal may be dismissed.” See Adams v. Parsons, Ky., 313 S.W.2d 426 (1958).

It is our opinion that the appeal as to Grainger and Settle has been abandoned and should be dismissed. The supplemental judgment of the Warren Circuit Court entered on July 2, 1971, is affirmed.

The accident occurred when a truck driven by Grainger was backing up to deposit a load of asphalt into a paving machine operated by Paul Anderson, an employee of Gaddie, the subcontractor. It was the usual and customary practice for the paving machine operator to direct the movement of the truck by a hand, voice or horn signal. Grainger testified that Anderson gave him a hand signal, after which he (Grainger) began backing the truck toward the paving machine and that he never saw Price either before or after the truck was in motion. Anderson was seated at the rear of and on the left-hand side of the paver, with his vision unobstructed. He testified that he saw Price walking toward the truck and that when Price was about three or four steps away from it, he (Anderson) yelled “Hold the truck”, or words of like import. There was conflicting testimony by witnesses who were close to the scene of the accident as to whether any verbal warning was given. Anderson further testified that he could have sounded a horn which was located on the paver, but he did not remember whether he did. There was testimony that no horn signal was given.

Gaddie claims that the trial court erred when, over objection, it gave an instruction based on the last-clear-chance doctrine. It is clear from the record that Price was inattentive rather than helpless; therefore, the right to recover under the last-clear-chance doctrine is governed by the rule announced in Restatement of the Law, Torts 2d, which states:

“480. Last Clear Chance: Inattentive Plaintiff.
A plaintiff who, by the exercise of reasonable vigilance, could discover the danger created by the defendant’s negligence [711]*711in time to avoid the harm to him, can recover if, but only if, the defendant
(a) knows of the plaintiff’s situation, and
(b) realizes or has reason to realize that the plaintiff is inattentive and therefore unlikely to discover his peril in time to avoid the harm, and
(c) thereafter is negligent in failing to utilize with reasonable care and competence his then existing opportunity to avoid the harm.”

Section 480, when read with section 12(1) of the same Restatement, requires such a defendant to have actual knowledge “of the plaintiff’s situation.” General Telephone Company of Kentucky v. Yount, Ky., 482 S.W.2d 567; Beasley v. Standard Paving and Engineering Co., Inc., Ky., 511 S.W.2d 667. Also there must be sufficient time after the peril is discovered for the defendant to avoid the impending harm. Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railroad v. Wood, Ky., 392 S.W.2d 437. Until the defendant has actual knowledge of the peril the calculation of time for the opportunity to avoid the accident does not begin. Beasley v. Standard Paving and Engineering Co., Inc., supra.

In Young v. De Bord, Ky., 351 S.W.2d 502, we said:

“In applying the last clear chance doctrine to a given situation, the defendant must, as a matter of fact, have a last clear chance and not a speculative or a possible chance to avoid the accident. * * sfc tf

Thus, possibility of avoidance is not the test but rather that the chance of avoidance was clear, plain, apparent, self-evident, distinct, manifest and unmistakable. Also see Eades v. Stephenes, Ky., 302 S.W.2d 117 (1957).

There was some conflict in the testimony as to what happened at the time of the accident. However, the jury, which is a fact finder, had the right to believe such of the witnesses as it chose to arrive at its conclusion.

Price was the general supervisor of the whole construction project, which included the blacktopping of the parking lot. He was 39 years of age; had been in the construction business for many years; was well qualified and undoubtedly familiar with the hazards attendant to paving undertaking; and, unbeknown to his fellow workers, was hard-of-hearing.

Grainger, the driver of the truck, pursuant to a signal given to him by Anderson, started the truck in a backward motion. He did not see Price prior or subsequent to putting the truck in a backward motion. He did not know that he had hit and run over Price until after it had occurred and he had brought the truck to a stop.

Anderson, an employee of Gaddie, the subcontractor, was sitting in the operator’s seat at the left rear of the paver. He noticed Price talking to James Scott, foreman of the paving crew. He did not see Price again until Price was three or four steps away from the truck.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Randolph Wayne Brown v. Jeannette Lynn Gray
Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2021
Kaminski v. Bremner, Inc.
281 S.W.3d 298 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2009)
Milby v. Mears
580 S.W.2d 724 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1979)
Smith v. Commonwealth
567 S.W.2d 304 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 1978)
Adams v. Boyd
557 S.W.2d 426 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1977)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
528 S.W.2d 708, 1975 Ky. LEXIS 81, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/r-e-gaddie-inc-v-price-kyctapp-1975.