York v. Brummett

412 S.W.2d 617, 242 Ark. 115, 1967 Ark. LEXIS 1211
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedMarch 13, 1967
Docket5-4145
StatusPublished

This text of 412 S.W.2d 617 (York v. Brummett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
York v. Brummett, 412 S.W.2d 617, 242 Ark. 115, 1967 Ark. LEXIS 1211 (Ark. 1967).

Opinion

CarletoN Harris, Chief Justice.

On October 9, 1964, appellant, Bichard York, was involved in an automobile accident with John H. Brummett and wife in Pulaski County, Arkansas. Subsequently, suit was instituted in the Pulaski County Circuit Court (Second Division) by the Brummetts against York and his father, C. J. York, the complaint alleging that, at the time of the mishap, Richard York was operating a vehicle owned by C. J. York, aud that the former was the agent, servant, and employee of C. J. York, and acting within the scope of such employment. The Brummetts asserted personal injuries which they alleged were caused by the negligence of Richard York, and they sought judgment for damages. On trial, the jury returned a verdict for John H. Brummett in the amount of $700.00, and returned a verdict for his wife, Alma, Brummett, in the sum of $6,-000.00. From the judgment so entered, the appellants bring this, appeal. Though Richard York is an appellant, he sets out no points for reversal, nor is any reason given why the judgment against him should he reversed. Two points, for reversal are set out by appellant, C. J. York, but they really are to the same effect, vis., that this appellant was entitled to a directed verdict, because appellees failed to sustain the burden of showing that Richard York was the agent and servant of C. J. York at the time of the collision.

The evidence reflected that five young men, ranging in age from 17 to 22, left the home premises of C. J. York in Mayflower-early on the morning of October 9, 1964, in a truck owned by C. J. York for the purpose of traveling to the site of a job, which C. J. York had in North Little Rock. The five boys, three of whom were sons of York, were employees of this appellant. The five testified that they did not receive pay during travel time, but rather, in accordance with the number of hours they actually worked, the pay commencing when they started work on the job that was to be done. Richard York testified that no one told him how to get to and from work, what route to take, or what vehicle to use. According to Raymond York, “Well, if we had to take all of our tools, paint buckets, and stuff, we carried the panel, the old truck. If we didn’t, we used Dad’s other truck or sometimes we drove our own car.” Most of the young men stated that there was no particular time for them to be at work, though one testified that he was. supposed to he there around 7:00.

C. J. York admitted that he owned the truck, and that the boys were on their way to work in it when the collision occurred. From his evidence:

“Q. And you were furnishing a truck in order to furnish their transportation to work, is. that correct?
A. They could use the truck if they wanted; yes, sir. ’ ’

He then stated that he never knew what vehicle the workers were going to use, since they would leave before he arose in the morning. It is earnestly contended that the evidence was insufficient to make a jury case against Mr. York.

Apparently, these young men had followed the same procedure of getting to the job site for some period of time. Jimmy Booker, one of the young men, and brother-in-law of C. J. York, stated that he made $1.75 an hour; that C. J. York kept the number of hours., and that the workers would tell him when “we came in of an evening how much time’we put in.” When asked if York ever told him what route to take, or when' to leave, he answered, “Very seldom.” While whatever transpired on other occasions would have no actual bearing on the events of October 9, it does seem that a pattern of using C. J. York’s vehicles for transportation to. and from work had been established.

Eddie York, also a son of appellant, testified that they were supposed to be at work around 7:00 A.M., and he stated that there was only one seat in the truck, so they were sitting on mats (in the bed of the truck).

From his testimony:

“Q. Was there anything else in the truck?
A. Buckets and our tools; yes, sir.
Q. Would this he tools for painting, and buckets for painting?
A. They weren’t buckets of paint. They were empty buckets.
Q. And what sort of tools were m the truck?
A. Tools we have on the job, to work with.
Q. What would you call them, would you name one or two of them?
A. Well, draw knife...
Q. * * * these are tools used in construction type work?
A. Work we did; yes, sir.
Q. Did you know what sort of work you were going to do that day?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was that?
A. Painting and coating.”

In Carter Truck Line v. Gibson, 195 Ark. 994, 115 S. W. 2d 270, quoting an earlier case, we said:

“The act of the servant for which the master is liable must pertain to something that is incident to the employment for which he is hired, and which it is his duty to perform, or be for the benefit of his master.”

In Helena Wholesale Grocery Company v. Bell, 195 Ark. 435, 112 S. W. 2d 416, an employee of the Helena Wholesale Grocery Company, while driving his employer’s truck, was involved in an automobile collision. The company contended that there was no evidence in the record tending to show that at the time of the collision, the driver was engaged in the furtherance of its business, but rather the evidence showed that the employee was using the truck on a mission of his own, and that he had been permitted to take the truck home on a number of occasions as a matter of convenience in getting back to work. It was also pointed out that there was no merchandise in the truck. From a judgment against the company, there was an appeal. We said:

“Appellant contends that the testimony of the driver does not show that appellant permitted the driver of his truck to keep said truck at his home at night for the convenience of the defendant company and, failing to so show, the driver was not engaged in the prosecution of the business of appellant while driving said truck to his home. We think the evidence tends to show that it was for the benefit of appellant for the driver to take the truck to his home and keep it overnight. ***The evidence did not constitute an occasional lending of the truck to go home for a meal or for some other independent purpose of his own. We think the jury were warranted, and reasonably so, in drawing the inference from the evidence that appellant’s permission to take the truck to the driver’s home every night was for the convenience and benefit of said appellant, and that on account of this convenience and benefit the driver was engaged in the prosecution of the business of appellant while driving said truck to his home.

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Related

Carter Truck Line v. Gibson
115 S.W.2d 270 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1938)
Ball v. Hail
118 S.W.2d 668 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1938)
Helena Wholesale Grocery Co. v. Bell
112 S.W.2d 416 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1938)

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Bluebook (online)
412 S.W.2d 617, 242 Ark. 115, 1967 Ark. LEXIS 1211, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/york-v-brummett-ark-1967.