Rogers v. Funkhouser

212 P.2d 497, 121 Colo. 13, 1949 Colo. LEXIS 162
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedNovember 28, 1949
DocketNo. 16,208
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 212 P.2d 497 (Rogers v. Funkhouser) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rogers v. Funkhouser, 212 P.2d 497, 121 Colo. 13, 1949 Colo. LEXIS 162 (Colo. 1949).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Alter

delivered the opinion of the court.

Rolland M. Funkhouser, Marcella Funkhouser, Ronald R. Funkhouser, a minor, by his parent and next friend, Rolland M. Funkhouser, began an action against Verna L. Rogers, in which the latter two plaintiffs sought judgments for damages for personal injuries resulting from an automobile collision; and Rolland M. Funkhouser sought damages for personal injuries and property damage resulting from the same collision. The action was tried to a jury, which returned verdicts against defendant of $800 for Rolland M. Funkhouser, $200 for Marcella Funkhouser, and $200 for Ronald R. Funkhouser. Appropriate judgments were entered on the verdicts. Defendant brings the case here for review, seeking a reversal of the judgments.

We will herein refer to the parties by name or as they appeared in the trial court, namely as plaintiffs and defendant.

[15]*15In the complaint, filed on the 2nd day of August, 1946, it is alleged: That on or about July 20, 1946, about one mile east of the city of Montrose, plaintiff Rolland M. Funkhouser was operating his automobile, in which the two other plaintiffs were passengers; that “defendant negligently drove her automobile upon the highway from the side road and/or otherwise operated her said automobile in such a negligent manner as to cause a collision between her automobile and that of the plaintiffs.” It is further alleged that each of the plaintiffs suffered bodily injuries as a result of the collision, and, in addition thereto, that Rolland M. Funkhouser incurred travel and additional living expenses in the sum of $200; automobile damage in the sum of $424.52; a total amount of $1000. Marcella Funkhouser, it is alleged, suffered bodily injuries occasioning great and extreme pain of body and mind and incurred medical and hospital bills in the sum of $25,«and she will be obliged to incur additional expenses, all to her damage in the sum of $1200. It is further alleged that Ronald R. Funkhouser suffered bodily injuries resulting in great pain and incurred medical expenses in the sum of $15, and he will be obliged to incur further additional medical expenses, all to his damage in the sum of $1500. Judgments for the specified amounts for damages allegedly sustained by each of the plaintiffs were sought.

In defendant’s answer and counterclaim, filed August 9, 1946, she admitted the collision as alleged by plaintiffs, but specifically denied all negligence on her part, and alleged that the collision was the result of carelessness and negligence on the part of plaintiff Rolland M. Funkhouser by reason of his driving his automobile at an excessive rate of speed. She further alleged that as a result of the collision her car was damaged in the sum of $500, for which she sought judgment; further, she denies that plaintiffs, or either of them, suffered [16]*16damages, personal or otherwise, as a result of the collision.

To the counterclaim a reply was filed September 19, 1946, in which plaintiff denied each and every allegation therein contained, except certain formal statements.

On the 19th day of February, 1948, defendant filed a motion for leave to amend her answer and counterclaim by adding thereto a second defense in words and figures as follows:

“1. That on or about July 20, 1946, at Montrose, Colorado, Plaintiff, Rolland M. Funkhouser, on behalf of himself and the other persons joined as Plaintiffs herein did offer to Defendant in full compromise and settlement of all claims Plaintiffs had or claimed against Defendant arising out of said automobile collision, that if Defendant would agree to pay the amount of the repair bill of Hartman Brothers garage at Montrose, Colorado for repairs then being made to the automobile of said Plaintiff he would release and save Defendant harmless from any claim of the Plaintiffs herein arising out of said collision.

“2. That Defendant did then and there deny liability for such damages but did accept such offer and agree to pay the amount of such repair bill at Hartman Brothers garage in order to avoid the expense of litigation over such claims.

“3. That Defendant prior to the institution of this action on July 26, 1946, and subsequent thereto was ready, able and willing to perform said agreement with Rolland M. Funkhouser.

“4. That Defendant is informed and believe that the amount of said repair bill was the sum of $281.57.”

One of plaintiffs’ attorneys receipted for a copy of the motion for leave to amend February 18, 1949, but no ruling thereon was made by the trial court prior to the trial, which began on February 24, 1948. At the conclusion of the trial, when the parties thereto had rested, the trial judge denied defendant’s motion for [17]*17leave to amend. This action of the trial judge was assigned as one of the seventeen grounds of her motion for a new trial, which the trial court overruled.

The court gave the jury twenty instructions, to seven of which objections were interposed; and counsel for defendant tendered three instructions, all of which were refused.

There are seven specifications of points presented here, in one of which defendant assigns error to the court’s refusal to permit her to amend her answer and counterclaim, and in another she assigns error to the giving of an instruction, over defendant’s objection, submitting the question of special damages to the jury for consideration.

1. It will be observed that in the tendered amendment to defendant’s answer and counterclaim she alleged a compromise and settlement of all damages sustained by plaintiffs by reason of the automobile collision involved in this action. On the trial, when plaintiff Rolland M. Funkhouser was being questioned by his counsel on direct examination, he was asked concerning, and specifically denied, that there had been a compromise and settlement of all damages resulting from the accident, and was cross-examined with reference thereto without objection. When plaintiffs had rested and defendant had called to the witness stand the service manager of the garage to which plaintiff Rolland M. Funkhouser’s car had been towed and was awaiting repairs, he was asked on direct examination about a conversation occurring between plaintiff Rolland M. Funkhouser and defendant pertaining to the alleged compromise and settlement, and after this interrogation had proceeded and witness had testified that defendant had stated to him in the presence of Rolland M. Funkhouser, “We have had a settlement and I am to pay the bill at your garage for fixing his car,” that plaintiff then asked Rolland M. Funkhouser if that was o.k. or all [18]*18right. Funkhouser then assented thereto by answering, “Yes.” Then the following occurred:

“Mr. Bryant: I would like to make inquiry if the defendant is asking this line of questions for the purpose of establishing compromise and satisfaction, or what is the purpose of this testimony. If it is for the purpose of showing accord and satisfaction then we are going to object to it because there is no allegation in court on accord and satisfaction, and that is not a question.

“Mr. Sherman: It is compromise and settlement.

“Mr. Bryant: We object to any testimony as to compromise and settlement, and ask that all testimony be stricken for the reason there is no allegation of compromise and settlement between the plaintiff and defendant, and it is not proper testimony or evidence to produce in this trial.

“Court: I am inclined ta

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Bluebook (online)
212 P.2d 497, 121 Colo. 13, 1949 Colo. LEXIS 162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rogers-v-funkhouser-colo-1949.