Smith-Kelly Supply Co. v. Bryant

235 So. 2d 848, 285 Ala. 712, 1970 Ala. LEXIS 1104
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedMay 28, 1970
Docket1 Div. 524
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 235 So. 2d 848 (Smith-Kelly Supply Co. v. Bryant) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith-Kelly Supply Co. v. Bryant, 235 So. 2d 848, 285 Ala. 712, 1970 Ala. LEXIS 1104 (Ala. 1970).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

This is an appeal by defendant from a jury verdict and judgment awarding plaintiff $27,000 for personal, injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

On December 3, 1965, shortly after 9:00 AM.',' plaintiff Caesar L. Bryant, was driving his Volkswagen panel truck along First Avenue at a speed of 12 to 15 miles per hout proceeding towards -plighway 45, City of Mobile, when his' velíiéle Was -hit from the realf’-'ír^--a Sriilth-Kelly • cement ttuc’k, driveii’by Leonzá’King; an,fémpfoye'é of defendant then'- returning- f’roiír "a-delivery of concrete for his employer. The weather was clear. Plaintiff sustained a scalp injury requiring seven stitches and other injuries. He was thereafter taken to Mobile General Hospital for treatment.

After receiving first aid, plaintiff was per-? mitted to return home. Several days later he entered Providence Hospital.

The complaint, charging negligence was in two counts, Count One seeking a recovery for personal injuries and Count Two seeking a recovery for property damage in the sum of $550.00. Defendant filed pleas of the general issue and contributory negligence.

Following the verdict and judgment, defendant filed. a motion for a new trial which was overruled.

Appellant here makes twenty-two. assignments of error but groups them, in argument, under five classifications.

There were nine witnesses who testified, including four doctors. They were Dr. Zieman, plaintiff’s family physician and Dr. Neely, an orthopedist, called into the case by Dr. Zieman and who later operated on plaintiff. Dr. Robert Mudd, a neuro-surgeon, examined plaintiff, at the request of Dr. Zieman, shortly after the accident. Dr. Devane saw plaintiff in April of 1966, and later in June of 1966, but did not treat him.

The lay witnesses were the drivers of the two vehicles, a passenger in the plaintiff’s car, a driver of a vehicle meeting and passing plaintiff’s car, but-who'did not witness the accident.--. -The witness, L. M. Bullock, a claims specialist who--did not see the accident, testified regarding plaintiff’s activity some six "weeks’ after the-accident. - •• ■ '

•While the. -.- -liability--, was - contested, most of the evidence appears- íto- be- .directed to the nature and extent of p.ny. disability suffered or sustained by the plaintiff as a 'result of'the accident. -’■’Fhotdgr'aphs-'of the scene show a straight "center ,1'ItHpé'”:brt a [715]*715paved roadway. The driver of defendant’s truck admitted seeing plaintiff’s vehicle “a block and a half, or two blocks away.” He also contended that plaintiff’s vehicle made a sudden and unknown stop, and “didn’t give no signal.”

Plaintiff, age 43, worked as a stevedore. He is married and has seven children. His earnings for eleven months work in 1965 were approximately $5,500.00.

Hospital records show four separate admissions from December 9, 1965, up to date of trial in January, 1968. He was confined in the hospital approximately fifty-three days. He was treated at home or on office visits to Dr. Zieman on other occasions. There was evidence that plaintiff needed further surgery in connection with a disc condition. His doctor stated he has a substantial permanent disability and at the time of the trial he was not able to do any work.

Assignment of Error No. 6

The witness, Dr. Zieman, was asked the following question on direct examination:

“Q. Yes Sir, was his condition such when you first saw him after this accident, in your opinion, that he would be able to work ?”

An objection by defendant was overruled and the witness answered.

“A. I think he was having a lot of pain and discomfort, and I believe going back to work would have caused him to have more pain and more discomfort at that time.”

We note that the witness did not answer the question, but - gave an answer dealing with possible physical effects to the plaintiff, if he worked-.' “There cannot be reversal of judgment because improper questions are propounded to witnesses unless :it is shown that in response to them improper evidence is elicited and admitted.” We conclude no error here. Butler v. Hughes, 264 Ala. 532, 88 So.2d 195.

Assignment of Error No. 1 and No. 4

Appellant requested the general charge, contending there was a failure of proof that the accident occurred on First Avenue, in the City of Mobile, Alabama, as alleged in the complaint. Without agreeing with this contention, we note there was no compliance with Circuit Court Rule 34, Code 1940, Title 7, appendix. At most, this constituted a variance and required notice to the Court under this rule, before the Court could be put in error in refusing the general charge. Jordan v. Henderson, 258 Ala. 419, 63 So.2d 379.

Moreover, we feel the evidence was fully sufficient to permit the jury to find the locale of the accident was as alleged in the complaint.' The photographs of the scene of the accident showed paved streets. Homes on each side of the street appear in normal alignment. Utility poles carrying numerous wires with street lighting indicated. Also street traffic signs, one a school crossing, were shown. Plaintiff’s first witness stated the photograph (Exhib-. it #1) “substantially represented First Av-. enue, as soon as you come out of Kayti Street, looking toward Highway 45.” In addition, all of the streets were identified by the use of-a blackboard.

We hold there was no error in failing to give the affirmative charge or in refusing to grant the motion for a new trial for this reason. Aplin v. Dean, 231 Ala. 320, 164 So. 737.

Assignments of Error 8 through 19, inclusive

These assignments all relate to proof offered and accepted relating to medical and hospital bills received by the plaintiff, and claimed as part of his damages. They are all related and are so treated in argument.

The bills were first identified as having been received, the charges being noted along with the amounts.' Photostats of the bills are in the record and generally show they are made out to the plaintiff giving [716]*716his correct residential address. Further the day or date of services rendered was indicated in most cases.

These hills were offered in evidence and received over the objection of the appellant. One of the statements for services entirely disconnected with the accident was withdrawn. There was a limited ruling by the Court who stated: “I am going to admit them into evidence, as tendered, subject to a motion to exclude if reasonableness is not shown.”

Later Drs. Neely and Zieman testified that the charges made in all of these bills were reasonable.

We hold under the circumstances the items were received into evidence without error, for the consideration of the jury.

There was no motion to exclude any of the bills nor were any affirmative instructions requested against allowing a recovery on any of the items. Birmingham Amusement Co. v. Norris, 216 Ala. 138, 112 So. 633; Aplin v. Dean, 231 Ala. 320, 164 So. 737; Foodtown Stores, Inc. v. Patterson, 282 Ala. 477, 213 So.2d 211.

Assignment of Error #21

This assignment is based on the following ruling of the trial Court during the redirect examination of appellee’s witness, Dr. Neely:

“Q.

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Bluebook (online)
235 So. 2d 848, 285 Ala. 712, 1970 Ala. LEXIS 1104, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-kelly-supply-co-v-bryant-ala-1970.