Rall v. Schmidt

104 N.W.2d 305, 1960 N.D. LEXIS 77
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 13, 1960
Docket7896
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 104 N.W.2d 305 (Rall v. Schmidt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rall v. Schmidt, 104 N.W.2d 305, 1960 N.D. LEXIS 77 (N.D. 1960).

Opinion

TEIGEN, Judge.

Judgment was entered in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant as a result of an automobile accident for $1,155.72 special damages, $795 property damages and $1,000 general damages, plus costs equalling $24.50. Pursuant to due proceedings had, the court entered an order that the State Treasurer of the State of North Dakota pay to the plaintiff the sum of $2,180.22 in full satisfaction of that portion of the judgment for general damages and special damages, together with costs, pursuant to Chapter 39-17 of the 1957 Supplement to the North Dakota Revised Code of 1943 and amendments thereto known as the Unsatisfied Judgment Fund. The Attorney General of the State of North Dakota, pursuant to the powers provided by Section 39-1706 of the 1957 Supplement to the North Dakota Revised Code of 1943, has appealed from said order upon a question of law, the facts having been stipulated between the plaintiff and defendant (appellant) for the purposes of this appeal. The stipulation is as follows, to wit:

“Three actions were instituted by the plaintiffs Marvin G. Rail, Lorry Beth Rail, a minor by Marvin G. Rail her father and guardian ad litem, and Arlene Rail against the defendant, Verdell Schmidt. The actions arose out of the collision of two automobiles on October 19, 1957 on U. S. Highway No. 281 in the County of Dickey, State of North Dakota. Marvin G. Rail was the driver of one automobile and Lorry . Beth Rail and Arlene Rail were the. passengers in the car driven by Marvin; *306 G. Rail. Verdell Schmidt was the driver of the second automobile. Summons and complaint were served upon the defendant, Verdell Schmidt, and Verdell Schmidt failed to answer the summons and complaint; whereupon notice of default was served upon the Attorney General and the State Highway Commissioner on the 19th day of January, 1959 together with a copy of the summons and complaint in the three actions. Answers in each of the three were served and filed on behalf of the defendant by the Attorney General’s Office.
“The three actions were tried to the Court without a jury by stipulation of counsel at LaMoure, North Dakota in the County Courthouse on the 22nd day of May, 1959. Evidence was submitted in support of the plaintiffs cases. After hearing the evidence, the Court ordered judgment in each of the three cases for the plaintiffs. In the case of Lorry Beth Rail vs. Verdell Schmidt judgment was ordered in the amount of $15,000.00. In the case of Arlene Rail vs. Verdell Schmidt judgment was ordered in the amount of $500.00. And in the case of Marvin G. Rail vs. Verdell Schmidt judgment was ordered in the amount of $2,975.-22.
“The judgment in the- Marvin G. Rail vs. Verdell Schmidt case states in part: ‘That the plaintiff have judgment against the defendant in the amount of One Thousand One Hundred Fifty-five and 7%oo Dollars ($1,-155.72).’ The amount for doctor and hospital bills incurred by the plaintiff is composed of three separate items which are: 1. An amount of $987.29 paid by Marvin G. Rail for the care and treatment of his daughter, Lorry Beth Rail. 2. An amount of $92.52 paid for hospital and doctor bills paid by Marvin G. Rail for the care and treatment of his wife, Arlene Rail. 3. An amount of $75.91 for hospital and doctor bills paid by Marvin G. Rail for the care and treatment of himself.
“Judgment in each of these three cases was entered on July 8, 1959. On the 22nd day of August an application was made to the District Court for an order directing payment of these judgments for personal injuries in each of the three cases from the Unsatisfied Judgment Fund. The Court ordered that Marvin G. Rail be paid an amount of $2,180.22 for personal injuries and medical and hospital expenses incurred in the above entitled action. This amount of $2,180.22 included the amount of $987.29 for medical and hospital expenses paid by Marvin G. Rail for the care and treatment of Lorry Beth Rail, his daughter. The Court also ordered that Arlene Rail be paid an amount of $524.50 and that Lorry Beth Rail, a minor, by Marvin G. Rail, her father and guardian ad litem, be paid an amount of $5,024.50.
“Arlene Rail has received North Dakota check warrant number 44523 dated December 22, 1959, in the amount of- $524.50, and check warrant number 44525 dated December 22, 1959, in the amount of $5,024.50 has been received by Lorry Beth Rail, in care of’ Marvin G. Rail, her guardian ad litem. These amounts were paid by the Unsatisfied Judgment Fund for personal injuries received in an automobile accident.”

The appellant has specified it as error to grant an order in this case ordering the State Treasurer of the State of North Dakota to pay from the Unsatisfied Judgment Fund the hospital and medical care expended by the plaintiff for his daughter in the amount of $987.29, which was included in the plaintiff’s judgment for special damages. The State Treasurer of the State of North Dakota had been ordered to pay the sum of $5,000, plus $24.50 costs, for the said daughter’s bodily injury. Such com *307 bined payments would exceed the limitation of $5,000, plus costs, for the bodily injury of one person in one accident as provided in Section 39-1707 of the 1957 Supplement to the North Dakota Revised Code of 1943.

Thus we have but one question to determine and that is whether or not the limitation provided in Section 39-1707 of- the 1957 Supplement to the North Dakota Revised Code of 1943 is applicable when there are two judgments as a result of bodily injury to one person in one accident and the judgments run in favor of two parties, and the total of all judgments resulting from the accident, exclusive of costs, does not exceed $10,000. To state the question more simply, does the statute limit the payment allowable from the Unsatisfied Judgment Fund for bodily injury to one person in one accident to the sum of $5,000, exclusive of costs, when two judgments are obtained — one in favor of the injured person for the full amount of the limitation, plus costs, and the other in favor of one responsible for the injured person’s care covering the medical expenses incurred as a result of the bodily injury paid by the person so responsible?

The statute, Section 39-1707 of the 1957 Supplement to the North Dakota Revised Code of 1943, provides:

“39-1707. Limitation On Amount Payable From Fund. No order shall be made by the court directing the payment of more than $5,000.00, exclusive of costs, in the case of a judgment resulting from bodily injury to, or the death of, one person in one accident, nor, subject to such limit of $5,000.00 for each person so injured or killed in one accident, shall an order be made directing the payment of judgments for more than $10,000.00, exclusive of costs, in cases arising out of one accident. In cases where the judgment creditor has effected the collection of a part of his judgment from any source, the amount authorized to be paid from such fund shall be the difference between the amount of the judgment, provided that it does not exceed $5,-000.00, and the amount realized thereon.”

The respondent argues' that the particular phraseology that is determinative in his view is “in the case of a judgment.” In this case there were three judgments, only two of which are involved in this appeal.

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Bluebook (online)
104 N.W.2d 305, 1960 N.D. LEXIS 77, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rall-v-schmidt-nd-1960.