Spencer v. Crain

53 So. 2d 416, 1951 La. App. LEXIS 783
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 29, 1951
DocketNo. 3412
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 53 So. 2d 416 (Spencer v. Crain) 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
Spencer v. Crain, 53 So. 2d 416, 1951 La. App. LEXIS 783 (La. Ct. App. 1951).

Opinions

LOTTINGER, Judge.

This suit arises out of an intersectional collision which occurred in the City of Baton Rouge on December IS, 1949, between the car owned and operated by the plaintiff and a dump truck owned by the defendant Aldon Crain, and insured by the Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, the other defendant herein. The scene of the collision was the intersection of North Boulevard and Edison Street. North Boulevard runs east and west and Edison Street runs north and south. Edison Street enters North Boulevard from the south, but does not cross it, and thus there is a “T” junction at the meeting of the streets.

The plaintiff alleges that at about 11:30 A. M. of the morning of the accident, she was proceeding north on Edison Street at about 10 miles per hour and that upon reaching the intersection at North Boulevard, stopped, looked in both directions, and deeming it safe to proceed, turned into the intersection to her left. She alleges that as soon as she had straightened out her car and was proceeding west, she saw the defendant’s truck coming in her direction at a rapid rate of speed. Fearing that the truck would strike her, she turned to her right and brought her car to a stop almost completely off the north side of North Boulevard. She avers further that the driver of the truck, Aldon Crain, suddenly applied his brakes, and that the truck skidded over to its left and collided with her car (which had come to a stop) with such force as to knock it a distance of twenty-five feet, doing considerable damage to the car and seriously injuring her. She prays for the sum of $235 for damages to her automobile and for the sum of $25,-000 for her injuries, pain and mental anguish.

The defendants deny all charges of negligence on the part of Crain and allege that he was unable to see the plaintiff as she approached the intersection because of some telephone company equipment which was located on the west side of Edison Street, just south of North Boulevard. It is further alleged that he was driving at a lawful rate of speed on the street having the right of way and that the accident was caused by plaintiff’s emerging from behind the telephone equipment and into North Boulevard ¡before ascertaining that she could proceed safely. In the alternative defendants plead contributory negligence on the part of the plaintiff as a bar to her recovery. There is no dispute as to the liability coverage of the defendant insurance company.

The trial judge in a written opinion found for the plaintiff and allowed her damages in the sum of $219.75, for her automobile and $1750 for her pain, suffering and disability. The case comes to us as a suspensive appeal taken by the defendant, which the plaintiff has answered seeking damages in the amount previously prayed for.

The record supports the trial judge’s finding that due to tall weeds and the telephone equipment, which included a tent some seven feet high on Edison Street, just south of North Boulevard, the intersection was a blind one necessitating that Mrs. Spencer proceed almost to the south side of North Boulevard before being able to get a clear view of approaching traffic. Likewise, due to the aforementioned obstructions, Crain’s view of the plaintiff was equally obstructed. Officer Caldwell of the Baton Rouge police force arrived on the scene of the accident a few minutes thereafter and according to his report the collision occurred six feet north of the north edge of the concrete portion of North Boulevard and three feet west of the west parallel of Edison Street, in front of the residence designated as 4109 North Boulevard. Further, according to this officer’s report, the plaintiff’s car was pushed some twelve feet east as a result of the impact. Skidmarks fifty-seven feet in length were left by the truck.

[418]*418The defendant Crain, admitted a speed of from twenty to twenty-five miles per hour. Taking into consideration the fifty-seven feet' of skidmarks and the distance the plaintiff’s car was pushed the trial judge concluded, and we think correctly so, that he was going much faster. His speed coupled with the fact that he struck the automobile at a time when it was almost completely off the north side of North Boulevard and to his extreme left, we feel amounts to negligence on his part and we agree with the trial judge in so holding.

The more difficult question concerns the contributory negligence, if any, on the part of the plaintiff. The trial judge observed that she made a poor witness and contradicted herself on several occasions. Further, her testimony at the trial conflicted in some respects with a signed statement she gave an insurance adjuster on January 26, 1950. In spite of this, however, the trial judge concluded that she misstated no facts purposely and due to her age, (almost 60), her nervousness and shock as a result of the accident that her errors were honestly made. We agree with the trial judge’s finding in this respect and agree further that plaintiff stopped at the intersection and did not see Crain until she had entered the intersection. When she did see him approaching at a rapid rate, she did not complete her left turn as contemplated, but in an attempt to avoid a collision continued across North Boulevard and onto the shottlder when she was struck.

In his written reasons for judgment the trial-judge went on to hold:

“The first question arises as to who had the right of way at this intersection. Section 28 of the City Ordinances of the City of Baton Rouge provides as follows:
‘A. When two drivers approach or enter an intersection at approximately the same time, the driver approaching from the right shall have the right of way, provided, however, the driver of any vehicle traveling at an unlawful, reckless or dangerous rate of speed shall forfeit any right of way which he might otherwise have hereunder.
“ ‘B. The driver of a vehicle approaching, but not having entered the intersection, shall yield the right of way to a vehicle within such intersection or turning therein to the left across the line of travel of such first mentioned vehicle.’ ”

Since Mrs. Spencer entered the intersection first it would appear that under the above quoted section of Traffic Ordinances of the City of Baton Rouge that she had the right of way and that the truck driver should have allowed her to proceed and continue to make her turn. The question then arises whether even having the right of way she should have seen the truck approaching and waited for it to pass before proceeding out into the intersection. The law of this state requires one approaching an intersection where his view is obstructed to use special caution and to have his car under such control without regard to the question of the authority of right of way as to ibe able to stop quickly and to keep a vigilant outlook. See Cyclopedia of Automobile Law and Practice, Blashfield, Section 1041. Furthermore, the driver of an automobile is charged with the responsibility of seeing what should have been seen and his failure to see constitutes negligence. See Hirsch v. Kendrick, La.App., 43 So.2d 692. Therefore, in the present case, Mrs. Spencer is charged with the responsibility of having seen the truck approaching from her left and it matters not whether she actually saw it.

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Bluebook (online)
53 So. 2d 416, 1951 La. App. LEXIS 783, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/spencer-v-crain-lactapp-1951.