Stout v. Nehi Bottling Co.

146 So. 720, 1933 La. App. LEXIS 1453
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 7, 1933
DocketNo. 1128.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 146 So. 720 (Stout v. Nehi Bottling Co.) 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
Stout v. Nehi Bottling Co., 146 So. 720, 1933 La. App. LEXIS 1453 (La. Ct. App. 1933).

Opinion

MOUTON, Judge.

A collision occurred June 26, 1931, about three miles west of the village of Iowa, Cal-casieu parish, on the “Old Spanish Trail” between a De Soto sedan automobile E. Breaux was driving in an easterly direction and a Ford truck which was being driven by Charles Hooper, going. westward, at the time, and therefore in the opposite direction.

Elsie Marie Stout, a child aged six, and her sister, Frances Ruth, three years older, were riding in the sedan car as the guests of E. Breaux; so was Miss May Stout, a niece of Mr. Breaux. Elsie Marie was severely injured as a result of the collision, and her sister, Frances Ruth, was killed. Miss May Stout, the niece, also suffered an injury, but is not a litigant in this suit which is brought against defendant company by Mr. and Mrs. David Stout, the parents'" of Elsie and Frances Ruth Stout.

*721 Mr. David Stout and his wife are claiming damages in the sum of $20,000; Mr. David Stout for the benefit of Elsie Marie, his minor daughter, $10,000; and for David Stout $1,380.88, making a total of $40,380.88, with legal interest.

The district judge, on the first trial, rendered judgment for a smaller amount than claimed, thereafter granted a new trial, reversed his original judgment, and rejected the demands.

Plaintiffs appeal.

New Trial.

An application for a new trial was first made on the ground that the judgment rendered was contrary to the law and the evidence.

A second application for a new trial was filed by defendant company in which, among other averments, it was alleged that Breaux, as appeared in his affidavit annexed to the application, had stated that the driver of the truck for defendant company was so close when he turned to his left on the highway that he “had no chance of avoiding hitting him”; that he saw the truck too late to avoid the accident, which could not be attributed to the fault of the driver of that truck.

In its original opinion, the court had said that the testimony of Breaux, which had not been taken on the first trial, but which had been referred to in argument, could probably have no effect on the outcome of the case.

In the opinion on the second application, the court said it might-have been in error in so expressing itself in its original opinion, and took occasion to remark that it was its duty to use all reasonable means to obtain all the evidence in the case.

The general recognized rule is that motions for new trials are addressed to the sound legal discretion of the court, and should never be granted, “unless the application discloses matter sufficient to render it probable that justice has not been done and that a reexamination would vary the result.” This rule has been recognized in our earliest decisions. See Roberts v. Rodes, 3 Mart. (N. S.) 100; and has since been adhered to in many decisions which we find unnecessary to cite.

Counsel for plaintiffs say that defendant’s counsel had in their'possession the affidavit of Breaux annexed to their second application prior to the original trial of the case, and could not claim that it was newly discovered evidence to entitle their client to a new trial.

It will be observed that the first application for the new trial was grounded on the averment that the judgment was contrary to the law and the evidence.

It will be noted also in connection therewith that the court in its opinion granting the new trial, after stating that the evidence of Breaux should be obtained, said: “In any event, it is thought proper that a re-consideration of the case is desirable.” This expression of the court indicates that it entertained serious doubt as to the correctness of its original judgment, independently of the testimony Breaux might give. It is also true that in ordering the new trial the court said it was granted for the sole purpose of obtaining the testimony of Breaux, and that if his evidence could not be obtained (quoting), “then the case is to be considered as re-opened for re-hearing only.” This last-quoted expression of the court shows again that the court was in doubt about justice being rendered in the original judgment, and desired to have the case reopened for a second hearing on the original evidence. In addition thereto, there can be no doubt that the statements of Breaux in his affidavit which was annexed to the second application for ’the rehearing disclosed matters sufficient to render it probable that justice had not been done and “that a re-examination of the case would vary the result.”

The rule is also well established that the granting of a new trial is within the sound legal discretion of the trial court, and that appellate courts never interfere in such cases, unless there is manifest error or an abuse of discretion. Instead of so finding, we are of the opinion that the discretion vested below was properly exercised.

Merits.

Mr. Breaux appeared in the new trial and ■testified as a witness. The original judgment was reversed, and the demands of the plaintiffs were rejected, as is hereinabove stated.

At the outset it may be proper to state that no negligence of which Breaux might have been guilty could be imputed to the two little girls, victims of the accident.

The accident occurred on the Spanish Trail, which has a pavement of 18 feet and is 24 feet wide, including the shoulders of the highway. It is shown that Breaux, while following a Ford car which was also traveling eastward, suddenly darted his sedan across the roadway, northward, ran against the guard rail along the road on that side, in front of the on-coming truck which was going westward, and which ran into the sedan auto. Hence it is clear, and not disputed, that Breaux was at fault, and the sole question presented for determination is as to whether or not Charles Hooper, driver of the truck, was also guilty of contributory negligence.

Miss Bosie May Stout was riding on the front seat with Mr. Breaux in the sedan auto, while the two little girls, Elsie and Frances Ruth, who lost her life, were in the rear of the car. They were going at a speed *722 of about 35 miles an hour, and were running behind a Ford car going eastward in the same direction, which Mr. Desjardin was driving, at the rate of about 20 miles an hour. Mrs. Desjardin was sitting with him on the front seat, and Mr. Deshotel was also riding in the Ford.

Breaux was going at 35 or 40 miles an hour, and, before he caught up with the Ford, a Dodge car passed ahead and got between his sedan and the Ford, kept on going, and went around the Ford. As to the facts above stated showing the relative positions of these cars and that the Dodge drove around the Ford, there is no conflict in the testimony.

Breaux testifies that, as he intended to go around the Ford, he followed the Dodge car, and that when he pulled in the road saw the truck coming “way out,” which he estimated was then 350 or 400 feet from him. He had then, according to his testimony, gotten on the side of the Ford, was “even” with it, and that the Dodge car, which was going at about the same speed Breaux was traveling, was about 30 or 40 feet ahead of Breaux.

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146 So. 720, 1933 La. App. LEXIS 1453, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stout-v-nehi-bottling-co-lactapp-1933.