Robichaux v. Dorion

134 So. 784, 17 La. App. 159, 1931 La. App. LEXIS 708
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided May 25, 1931·No. No. 13,658·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinions

HIGGINS, J.

Plaintiff claims damages from defendant for personal injuries said to have resulted from being knocked down by defendant’s automobile at the intersection of Milan and Magazine streets, .this city, on July 21, 1929, at 10:30 a. m.

The petition alleges that defendant was operating his car at a high and dangerous rate of speed; that plaintiff was past the middle of the street when struck; that, although plaintiff had the right of way under the traffic ordinance, defendant failed to recognize it; and that plaintiff was in plain view, and defendant could have avoided running into him had his car been under proper control and had he been keeping a proper lookout.

Defendant answered, admitting the accident, but denying that he- was at fault; averring that plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence, and “that the said plaintiff walked into the automobile of respondent.”

The trial court found that plaintiff was guilty of negligence in failing to look in the direction in which defendant’s car was-coming, but that defendant had the last clear chance of avoiding the accident, and rendered judgment in favor of plaintiff in the sum of $1,000. , Defendant has appealed.

The evidence shows that on the morning in question plaintiff, who was sixty-seven years of- age, was walking on the uptown sidewalk of Milan street in the direction [160] of the lake. As he reached the corner of Magazine street, he proceeded across the intersection, and had reached a point slightly past the middle of the street when defendant’s automobile, which was proceeding down Magazine street, struck him and knocked him down, fracturing both bones of the left leg about 4 inches below the knee. He was taken to the Charity Hospital for treatment.

Magazine street is a two-way street, with double street car tracks thereon. The tracks on.the lake side are used by street cars mpving uptown and the tracks on the river side are used by street cars going downtown. It is agreed by both parties that the width of the river sidewalk of Magazine street, at the intersection of Milan street, is 11 feet 10 inches; that the distance from the curb of the. river sidewalk of Magazine street to the first rail of the downtown tracks is 10 feet 3 inches; and that the width of the car track is 5 feet 1 inch. It is estimated that the distance between the two sets- of tracks is about 5 feet.

The evidence of both defendant and plaintiff clearly establish that plaintiff had reached a point near -the river rail of the uptown tracks or slightly past the middle of Magazine street at the time that defendant’s automobile struck him.

While plaintiff says he looked up and down Magazine street before attempting to cross, it, and did not see any automobiles close enough to interfere with his crossing, it is apparent that plaintiff either did not look or, if he did look, he did not do so carefully. To Took and not see is just .the same as not looking at all. We find, as did our learned brother below, that he was guilty of negligence in going out into the street without having properly and carefully looked before doing so.

But, notwithstanding the fact that plaintiff was guilty of negligence, defendant will- still be liable under the doctrine known as last clear chance, in the event, after seeing plaintiff’s perilous position, he failed to stop his car or to swerve it so as not to strike the plaintiff, if he had an opportunity to do so.

Defendant contends (hat he did not have an opportunity of avoiding the accident, because there was a parked automobile 15 feet, several inches from the gutter curb on the uptown river corner, and that plaintiff suddenly stepped from in. front of the parked car into the path of his automobile, that he had been running about 20 miles per hour, but had slowed down to about 10 or 12 miles per hour, and that immediately upon seeing plaintiff, who continued to walk across' the’ intersection looking in a downtown direction, he applied his brakes, and swerved sharply to the left, causing his car to come into collision with one of the several cars which were going uptown.

Defendant on cross-examination testified as follows:

“Q. On what spot in that intersection was Mr. Robichaux when he was struck?
“A. Well, he was past thei track on the river side, maybe just exactly between the two tracks, about ten feet, in the middle of Magazine Street, ten feet below the sidewalk line of Milan Street.
“Q, We understand each other perfectly about that, Mr. Robichaux was between the two car tracks, actually in the center of the street and about ten feet below the curb line of the Milan St. sidewalk?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. When you were going twelve miles, an hour, you could stop your car in about seven or eight or ten feet, could you not?
“A. Cars should be able to stop in that distance, I understand.
“Q. Could not you have done that?
“A. I guess I could have done it.
[161] “Q. You are familiar with driving cars and had good brakes, and could have stopped your car in ten feet?
“A. About.
“Q. And twelve miles an hour is going very slow?
‘‘A. Very slow.
“Q. It is going with the car thoroughly under control, is it not?
“A. Supposed to be; yes, sir.”

He further testified that' he saw plaintiff when he was 12 feet away from him, as he came from behind the parked car.

Defendant’s witnesses corroborated him to the effect that he was" going only about 10 miles per hour, and could have stopped almost immediately, and that he saw plaintiff when he was 12 feet in front of the ear.

The evidence is undisputed that plaintiff was sixty-seven years of age and was walking across the intersection at the time he was struck. Conceding that the parked automobile interfered with the view of defendant, there can be no doubt that, after plaintiff passed from in front of the parked car into the street, he was plainly in view, and defendant saw him or should have seen him.

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

Robichaux v. Dorion, 134 So. 784, 17 La. App. 159, 1931 La. App. LEXIS 708 (La. Ct. App. 1931).

134 So. 784 (Robichaux v. Dorion) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Taylor v. Victoria Nav. Co.
176 So. 519 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1937)
Cavicchi v. Gaiety Amusement Co.
173 So. 458 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1937)
Harlow v. Owners' Automobile Ins.
160 So. 169 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1935)
Prior v. Pounds
151 So. 890 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1933)