Small v. Lyons

198 So. 2d 475, 1967 La. App. LEXIS 5364
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 19, 1967
DocketNo. 10796
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 198 So. 2d 475 (Small v. Lyons) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Small v. Lyons, 198 So. 2d 475, 1967 La. App. LEXIS 5364 (La. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

AYRES, Judge.

By this action in tort plaintiff seeks to recover damages allegedly sustained as a result of an intersectional automobile collision. Involved were plaintiff’s Chevrolet, driven by Robert C. Canada, a minor, in which plaintiff was a guest passenger, and a Falcon owned by Charlton H. Lyons and operated at the time by J. C. Williams.

Made defendants in addition to Lyons and Williams were Lyons’ insurer, Employers Mutual Liability Insurance Company of Wisconsin, and Sherman Lewis, who plaintiff claimed, in the alternative, was the owner of the Falcon. Named as additional defendants through further pleadings, including third-party proceedings, were Charlie Canada, father of the minor, Robert C. Canada, Canada’s insurer, the American Casualty Company, and plaintiff Small’s insurer, Federal Insurance Company. Excel Insurance Company, collision insurer of plaintiff’s vehicle, intervened and caused to be made defendant its insured, Associates Discount Corporation, lienholder and mortgagee of the Small automobile.

After trial, there was judgment in favor of plaintiff, Rev. David Small, in the sum of $1,215.01, and in favor of the intervenor, Excel Insurance Company, for the sum of $1,196.71, in solido, against Charlie Canada, Federal Insurance Company, J. C. Williams, and Employers Mutual Liability Insurance Company of Wisconsin. Plaintiff’s demands were rejected expressly as against Lyons, Lewis, and the American Casualty Company and impliedly as against Associates Discount Corporation. From the judgment thus rendered and signed, plaintiff, Rev. David Small, and defendants J. C. Williams, Employers Mutual Liability Insurance Company of Wisconsin, and Federal Insurance Company perfected orders of appeal.

No point is made by either of the appellants with respect to the judgment exonerating Lyons, Lewis, American Casualty Company, or Associates Discount Corporation.

The accident occurred about 7:50 p. m. April 4, 1965, at the intersection of Line Avenue and 70th Street in the City of Shreveport, both of which are four-lane thoroughfares. The former, running in a general north-and-south course, intersects and crosses the latter at right angles. The movement of traffic through the intersec[477]*477tion is governed by an electric signal suspended above its center.

On the occasion of the accident, Robert Canada, 'as the driver of plaintiff’s automobile, occupied the inside southbound traffic lane of Line Avenue and was stopped behind another vehicle in compliance with an unfavorable signal. For the same reason, another vehicle driven by E. J. Williams was stopped facing these cars at the intersection and occupying the inner northbound traffic lane on Line Avenue. . Upon a change of signals, the forward vehicle in plaintiff’s lane proceeded across the intersection. E. J. Williams signaled his intention to make a left turn and proceed westerly on 70th Street. Plaintiff’s driver likewise indicated, by an appropriate signal, his intention to make a left turn and proceed easterly on 70th Street. When plaintiff’s car had reached the outer northbound traffic lane in the course of the left-hand turn, it was struck on its right side by the Lyons vehicle which was proceeding in a northerly direction on Line Avenue.

With respect to the question of liability, the primary issue for consideration is, By whose fault did the collision occur? Resolution of this issue must be determined from the facts established in the record, gauged by applicable legal principles. The statutory rule is that:

“The driver of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn to the left shall yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are within the intersection or so close thereto as to constitute an immediate hazard.” LSA-R.S. 32:122.

This court, in Estes v. Hartford Accident & Indemnity Company, 187 So.2d 149, 151 (La.App. 1966 — writs refused), had occasion to point out that this statute:

“ * * * requires the driver of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn to the left to yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are within the intersection or so close thereto so as to constitute an immediate hazard. This statute and our related jurisprudence imposes the responsibility upon the motorist desiring to make a left turn to ascertain before attempting to do so that such a maneuver can be made safely and without danger or undue delay to overtaking or oncoming traffic. He must refrain from making a left turn unless the way is dear and, if a collision occurs while he is attempting such a maneuver, the burden rests heavily on him to show that he was free from negligence.”

See, also: Washington Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. Firemen’s Ins. Co., 232 La. 379, 94 So.2d 295 (1957); Desormeaux v. Continental Insurance Company (La.App.) 153 So.2d 128 (3d Cir. 1963); Doerle v. State (La.App.) 147 So.2d 776 (3d Cir. 1962); Howard v. Fidelity & Casualty Company of New York (La.App.) 179 So.2d 522 (3d Cir. 1965); Fernandez v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Company (La.App.) 180 So.2d 828 (4th Cir.1965).

After reviewing the appropriate jurisprudence in an article entitled “Liability In Left Turn Collisions,” it was observed in 22 La.L.Rev. 474 that:

“The Louisiana courts, viewing the left turn as a highly dangerous maneuver, have placed a high degree of responsibility upon a motorist turning left to ‘see to it’ that his turn is safely made. So onerous is this standard of care that involvement in a collision while turning left gives rise to a presumption of fault. In absence of a showing that the conduct of the non-turning motorist bordered on ‘wilful and wanton’ indifference to the safety of others, the courts tend to minimize negligence on the part of the non-turning driver except where he was attempting to overtake at an intersection. Even then, the doctrine of last clear chance may be available to him.”

[478]*478• While conceding the correctness of these legal principles, plaintiff takes the position that they are inapplicable to the facts of this case. He contends that the Lyons vehicle, proceeding northerly on Line Avenue in the inner northbound traffic lane, suddenly moved to the outside, or curb, lane of traffic, swerving sharply around the stopped automobile of E. J. Williams, before proceeding into the intersection and striking plaintiff’s vehicle.

In resolving this matter, it appears important to first determine which of the northbound traffic lanes the Lyons vehicle initially occupied and at what point, if . any, the car moved from.that lane. J. C. Williams, the driver, was accompanied by Arthur Lee Williams and Leddell Lattier, all occupying the front seat. The driver’s version of the. accident is that while he was driving north on Line Avenue in the outer, curb, lane at a speed of 25-30 m. p. h., the traffic signal at the 70th Street-Line Avenue intersection turned green before he arrived in the- immediate vicinity of the intersection; that, as he arrived - there, plaintiff’s vehicle executed a • left turn in front of him-; and that, although he applied' his brakes, he could not prevent .the accident. Williams’ companions corroborated his testimony. All three, of -the occupants testified they had continuously occupied the' outer lane for northbound traffic on Line Avenue since entering it at Eden Gardens a considerable distance south of the scene of the accident.

Robert C.

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Bluebook (online)
198 So. 2d 475, 1967 La. App. LEXIS 5364, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/small-v-lyons-lactapp-1967.