Young v. Mader

14 N.E.2d 329, 105 Ind. App. 532, 1938 Ind. App. LEXIS 130
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 19, 1938
DocketNo. 15,704.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 14 N.E.2d 329 (Young v. Mader) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Young v. Mader, 14 N.E.2d 329, 105 Ind. App. 532, 1938 Ind. App. LEXIS 130 (Ind. Ct. App. 1938).

Opinion

Curtis, J.

— This was an action brought by Dorothy Mader, the appellee, against the appellant, Irving D. Young, to recover damages for personal injuries which she claims to have sustained by reason of a collision with an automobile belonging to and driven by the appellant while she was riding as a passenger with her husband on his motorcycle, said collision occurring August 26, 1934, at the intersection of U. S. Highway No. 20 and the County Line Road which separates the counties of LaPorte and Porter, in the State of Indiana.

The complaint is in four paragraphs, the first of which alleges, in substance, that on August 26, 1934,. *534 the appellee was riding as a passenger on a certain motorcycle being operated in a westerly direction along and upon the said U. S. Highway No. 20, towards, up to and over its intersection with the said County Line Road, and that the operator of the said motorcycle was not the agent or the servant of the appellee, nor subject to her control; that at said time and place the appellant operated his said automobile in an easterly direction along and upon the said U. S. Highway No. 20 and to the left into the said County Line Road in a reckless or dangerous manner and so as to endanger the life or limb or injure the property of any person on said intersection, contrary to and in violation of the statute of the State of Indiana, and thereby caused said automobile to come into violent contact and collision with the said motorcycle on which appellee was riding, and that by reason of such negligence and negligent acts on the part of appellant, the appellee received the injuries complained of.

The second paragraph of the complaint proceeds upon the theory that the appellant at said time and place where the collision occurred carelessly and negligently operated his said automobile without keeping a reasonable and careful lookout ahead and in the direction in which said automobile was moving for vehicles approaching the said intersection along and upon the said U. S. Highway No. 20 from the east, and thereby caused his said automobile to come into violent contact and collision with the said motorcycle on which the appellee was riding, and that by reason of such negligent acts on the part of the appellant, the appellee received the said injuries.

The third paragraph proceeds upon the theory that at the time and place of the collision the appellant operated the said automobile along and upon the said U. S. Highway No. 20 and to the left into said County *535 Line Road at a speed greater than was reasonable and prudent having regard to the density of the traffic or the use of the highway or so as to endanger the life or limb or injure the property of any person on said intersection, contrary to and in violation of the Statute of the State of Indiana, and thereby caused said automobile to come into violent contact and collision with the said motorcycle on which the appellee was riding, and as a result of such negligent acts on the part of said appellant the appellee was injured in the manner in which she complains.

The fourth paragraph proceeds upon the theory that at the time and place of the collision the appellant carelessly and negligently operated his said automobile eastward on said U. S. Highway No. 20 up to, towards and over its intersection with the said County Line Road, aforesaid, and drove and turned the same to the left at said intersection so as to turn northwardly and across the north side of said U. S. Highway No. 20 while the motor vehicle on which the appellee was riding was then and there being driven in a westerly direction along, and upon, the north side of said U. S. Highway No. 20 and while said motor vehicle on which the appellee was riding was being operated with ordinary care up to and towards and over said intersection, and that the said appellant then and there carelessly and negligently failed and neglected to give the right of way to the motor vehicle upon which the appellee was riding, as aforesaid, and which was then and there approaching the point of intersection of said highways from the east, contrary to and in violation of the statutes of the State of Indiana, and that as a result of said careless and negligent acts of said appellant the appellee received the said injuries.

To each of the four paragraphs of complaint the appellant filed an answer in general denial.

*536 Trial was had before a jury resulting in a verdict in favor of the appellee in the sum of $7,000.00, upon which the court rendered judgment.

The appellant seasonably filed a motion for a new trial which was overruled and this appeal prayed and perfected. The causes or grounds of the said motion for a new trial that are presented for review are that the verdict of the jury is not sustained by sufficient evidence; is contrary to law; alleged error in the giving of each of certain instructions; alleged error in the refusal to give each of certain other instructions tendered by the appellant, and alleged error in certain rulings as to the admission of evidence.

The evidence most favorable to the appellee shows that she was a passenger on a motorcycle being driven by her husband along U. S. Highway Number 20, in a westerly direction, towards Chicago. The accident occurred at the intersection of that highway with a road known as County Line Road, running north and south, and separating Porter County, on the west, from La Porte County, on the east. U. S. 20 is a 40-foot concrete road, containing four traffic lines; County Line Road is about twenty feet wide, paved with asphalt.

On the northeast corner of the intersection of the two roads mentioned is a filling station, lunchroom and garage. There are three driveways from this establishment to the roads on each side, two extending in a “U” shape to U. S. 20, and the third running in a direction a little north of west to the County Line Road.

The appellee and her husband, who had been visiting relatives in Michigan and were on their way home, arrived at the filling station about seven-thirty on the evening of August 26, 1934. Appellee’s husband parked the motorcycle at the side of the gas station, and they entered the restaurant and ate a lunch, remaining about twenty or twenty-five minutes. When they came out it *537 was eight o’clock. It was just dusk. Most of the vehicles had their lights on and the lights in the gas station were lighted.

A side-car, or “box” was sometimes attached to the motorcycle, but was not in use at the time of the accident. Instead, appellee was using the rear portion of the saddle, and her husband, who was operating the motorcycle, sat on the fore part of the seat. When they left the lunchroom they went out to the motorcycle, appellee’s husband started the motor, turned on the lights, and appellee got on the seat behind him.

They headed out toward U. S. 20 to resume their journey to Chicago. In order to reach this highway from the point where the motocycle was parked, just west of the lunchroom, they made use of the driveway leading out from the station in a southwesterly direction, and followed this driveway to a point a few feet north of U. S. 20, where they stopped. They were traveling over the east portion of the driveway to reach the main road.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Fleet Supply, Inc. v. State Board of Tax Commissioners
747 N.E.2d 645 (Indiana Tax Court, 2001)
Apple v. Apple
274 N.E.2d 402 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1971)
New York Central Railroad v. Sholl
146 N.E.2d 565 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1957)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
14 N.E.2d 329, 105 Ind. App. 532, 1938 Ind. App. LEXIS 130, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/young-v-mader-indctapp-1938.