Thomas v. Natural Gas Producing Co.

121 So. 649, 9 La. App. 680, 1928 La. App. LEXIS 385
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 19, 1928
DocketNo. 3441
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 121 So. 649 (Thomas v. Natural Gas Producing 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
Thomas v. Natural Gas Producing Co., 121 So. 649, 9 La. App. 680, 1928 La. App. LEXIS 385 (La. Ct. App. 1928).

Opinion

REYNOLDS, J.

Plaintiffs, Mrs. Edith Thomas and her husband, Robert L. Thomas, seek by this action to recover judgment against defendant, Natural Gas Produce Company of Louisiana, • she in the sum of $30,000.00 for the benefit of her separate property, and he in the sum of $10,000.00 for the use of the community existing between him and her.

She alleges that while she was carefully in the act of crossing a public street of the City of Bastrop, Louisiana, a motor truck belonging to defendant and operated by one of its servants struck and knocked her down and thereby permanently seriously injured her and caused her much pain and suffering. He alleges that he has expended $1500.00 and will be compelled to expend $8500.00 more for medical and surgical attention to his wife in the effort to cure her injuries and alleviate her suffering.

They allege that the accident was the result solely of the negligent and careless manner in which the motor truck was being operated and that she was free from negligence or carelessness.

Defendant denied that its servant was careless or negligent or that the motor truck was being operated carelessly or negligently and alleged that the accident was caused solely by plaintiff Mrs. Thomas’ own carelessness, negligence and want of care.

On these issues the case was tried and there was judgment rejecting plaintiffs’ demands and dismissing their suit and they have appealed.

OPINION

The only question presented for our determination is one of fact, namely: was plaintiff Mrs. Thomas negligent, and if so did her negligence cause or contribute to cause the accident.

It is plaintiffs’ contention that at the time Mrs. Thomas was struck by the motor truck she had gotten across the street she had undertaken to cross and had arrived on the neutral ground or space between the pavement on the sidewalk and the curb separating the sidewalk from the street when she was struck and before she discovered that she was in danger of being struck. Her counsel, in brief, say: 4

“Mrs. Thomas was not guilty of any contributory negligence. She had a right to cross the street there and she actually got clear across and upon the curb before any danger appeared.”

Defendant contends that Mrs. Thomas was in the street when struck.

Whether she was on the neutral ground or space between the paved part of the sidewalk and the curb separating the street from the sidewalk or was in the street is an important fact in the case.

J. S. Nimo, a witness for plaintiff, testified:

“Q. Now, when you saw the truck com-I ing, about how far was that truck from [682]*682Mrs. Thomas? Where was Mrs. Thomas?
“A. The last time I saw Mrs. Thomas she had one foot upon the curb.
* #
“Q. Did you help pick her up?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Where was she, with reference to the place where you saw her stepping her foot upon the curb?
“A. She was seven or eight feet out in the street.
Hi :]: ‡ $ $ $
“Q. About how far from the place where you picked Mrs. Thomas up was the truck stopped?
“A. Well, I suppose 45 or 50 feet; in ■ there, somewhere.
“Q. Was the truck at that time entirely in the street, or was it partly in the street and partly on the curb?
“A. It was in the street.
“Q. Could you see where she was at the moment she was hit?
"A. Well, I can’t tell just how far she was from the corner.
“Q. How far was she from the curbing of the street?
“A. She had one foot up on the curb.
❖ s¡; * * * *
“Q. Could you say which wheel it was that made that mark in the parkway, whether the right wheel or the left wheel?
“A. It was the right wheel.
“Q. The right wheel of the truck?
“A. Yes, sir.
❖ * * * * *
“Q. About how far were those steps, where Mrs. Thomas went down in the street from Mrs. Davis’ home, to the corner?
“A. Where she came out on the sidewalk?
“Q. Yes, sir.
“A. Well, I can’t tell you.
“Q. Well, estimate it as nearly as you can.
“A. Well, maybe twenty or twenty-five feet.
‡ ‡ ‡
“Q. She was not crossing the street at the regular crossing of the block?
“A. No, sir.
“Q. Mrs. Thomas, as I understand it, came out of Mrs. Davis’ gate to go across the street to her own home?
“A. Yes.
“Q. What did she have in her hand?
“A. A broom.
“Q. Was she looking directly across the street, or was she talking to Mrs. Davis ?
“A. She was talking back to Mrs. Davis before she w.ent around my car.
“Q. Your car was parked next to the curb, next to Mrs. Davis’ home, as I understand it?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Had Mrs. Thomas gotten across the street before she was struck?
“A. Yes, sir; she had one foot on the curb.
“Q. Did she go straight across the street, or diagonally?
“A. She went sort of angling across the street.
“Q. Angling across the street?
“A. Yes, sir.
* * ;Ji * * #
“Q. I understand you to say she was coming out of Mrs. Davis’ gate on that sidewalk when you first heard this rattling of the truck?
“A. She came on in front of my car, and started across the street. I never seen the truck hit her, but I heard it, and I turned around and looked back. I had one leg hanging out of my right hand door.
“Q. You do not seem to get me. I want to know where Mrs. Thomas was actually standing or being at the time you first heard this truck rattling.
“A. Oh! When I first heard the truck, she had done passed in front of my car and 'Started across the street.
!¡S * & * * *
“Q. Your car was parked on the opposite side of the street from where Mrs. Thomas was hit?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. She had gone around your car when you first heard this rattling noise?
“A. Yes, sir; she came around in front of my car.
“Q.

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121 So. 649, 9 La. App. 680, 1928 La. App. LEXIS 385, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-v-natural-gas-producing-co-lactapp-1928.