Title: Vick v. Cochran

State: mississippi

Issuer: Mississippi Supreme Court

Document:

316 So. 2d 242 (1975) W.T. VICK et al. v. John Daniel COCHRAN. No. 48047. Supreme Court of Mississippi. July 7, 1975. Rehearing Denied August 18, 1975. *243 Mitchell, McNutt, Bush, Lagrone & Sams, Tupelo, for appellants. *244 Smith, Downs, Coleman & Ross, Corinth, for appellee. Before PATTERSON, SMITH and BROOM, JJ. SMITH, Justice: W.T. Vick and Alfred Vick, doing business as W.T. Vick Lumber Company, and A.C. George, Jr., appeal from a judgment in the amount of $40,000 entered against them in a suit for damages for personal injuries brought in the Circuit Court of Tishomingo County by appellee, John Daniel Cochran. Cochran alleged that he had been injured when a Vick Lumber Company truck, being driven by its employee, George, overturned in Tishomingo County. All of the parties to the litigation, plaintiff and defendants, and nine of the ten witnesses who testified, resided at Hamilton, Alabama. The tenth witness was a doctor who saw Cochran shortly after the accident. The suit did not involve the interests or rights of any resident of Mississippi. In his declaration, Cochran charged Vick with negligence in (1) overloading the truck, (2) using chains of insufficient strength to secure the load, and (3) furnishing weak and defective chains to secure the load. It was also alleged that Vick was liable as principal or master for the negligence of its employee, George, in the operation of the truck. Cochran charged in his declaration that George had been negligent in the operation of the truck in that he, George, (1) drove it in excess of the speed limit of 50 miles per hour, (2) failed to decrease speed while negotiating a curve, (3) drove too fast under the circumstances, (4) failed to keep a proper lookout and (5) failed to keep his vehicle under control. The trial court, however, submitted the case to the jury upon the questions of the alleged negligence of George in failing to decrease speed at the curve, driving too fast under the circumstances and failing to keep the vehicle under control. As to Vick, the court sent the case to the jury only upon the charges that Vick had overloaded the truck and that Vick was liable for any negligence on the part of its employee, George, under the doctrine of respondeat superior. At the outset, an objection was interposed to the jurisdiction of the trial court to entertain the suit under the circumstances. It was contended by defendants-appellants that the Mississippi nonresident motorist statute is limited in its application to those cases involving residents of Mississippi. In support of this position certain language of this Court is quoted from the opinion in Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. v. Tillman, 249 Miss. 141, 161 So. 2d 604 (Miss. 1964). In that case this Court said: Appellants also quote from Tanksley v. Dodge, 181 F.2d 925 (5th Cir.1950) wherein the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals stated: However, in neither of these cases was the issue presented to the Court for decision or actually decided. Nor has the doctrine of forum non conveniens been adopted in Mississippi, although a persuasive argument can be made that the Mississippi nonresident motorist statute should not be used as a vehicle for bringing in a Mississippi court a case when the circumstances are such as those in the present case. Here, all of the parties and nine of ten witnesses reside in the neighbor state of Alabama. But the result would be the same if all of the parties lived in California or Alaska and the injury had occurred in Mississippi. It may be that further legislation in this area is indicated but, in its present form, the jurisdiction of the court is not restricted by the statute to suits by Mississippi residents. It appears from an abstract of record filed by appellants, which is unchallenged by appellee, that on the occasion in question, Vick had dispatched a shipment of lumber by truck from its place of business at Hamilton, Alabama, to a destination in Missouri. George, an experienced interstate truck driver, and an employee of Vick, drove the truck. After the truck had been loaded at Hamilton, George drove to his uncle's home where he invited plaintiff, Cochran, his brother-in-law, to ride along with him on the trip "for company," telling him that he, George, would pay him for any lost wages and for his meals. He also told Cochran that he might help him, George, with anything that came up on the trip. The Vicks had no knowledge of any of this. George proceeded from Hamilton with his brother-in-law, Cochran, as a passenger, and was passing through a corner of Tishomingo County, Mississippi, when the truck overturned and Cochran sustained the injury complained of. George testified that he himself received a blow on his head and that he remembers nothing whatsoever about the occurrence. George knew that it was the rule of Vick Lumber Company that no riders were to be permitted to ride on its trucks. He also knew that the rules of the Interstate Commerce Commission forbade allowing persons to ride in trucks engaged in interstate hauling. As stated, the Vicks were totally unaware that Cochran was being taken along on the trip by his brother-in-law, George. It is the contention of Vick Lumber Company that Cochran's choice of a Mississippi forum was the result of "forum shopping" and was for the purpose of avoiding the Alabama statute of limitations, under which Cochran's claim is barred, and to escape the effect of the Alabama "guest statute" which also would have precluded recovery. It is further contended that, notwithstanding the choice of a Mississippi forum, Alabama law, including the Alabama "guest statute," should be applied. It is pointed out that the declaration does not charge, nor does the proof show, that either George or Vick was guilty of willful or wanton conduct which resulted in the injury of Cochran, but both allegations and proof relate to charges of simple negligence. In Mitchell v. Craft, 211 So. 2d 509 (Miss. 1968), this Court expressly abandoned the old rule of the rigid application of the lex loci delicti and adopted a more flexible formula which comports more nearly with traditional notions of fair play and substantial practice. In Mitchell the Court dealt with a situation somewhat analogous to that reflected by the present record. The case involved choice of law *246 and conflict of laws problems in an action for damages for wrongful death which had resulted from an automobile collision in the State of Louisiana. All of the parties to the collision were residents and citizens of Mississippi. Under Mississippi law, the comparative negligence statute would permit recovery, but under Louisiana law, where the old common law rule law obtained, contributory negligence was a bar. In applying the Mississippi comparative negligence statute, this Court stated: The Court observed: And further: In the case now before the Court, the "center of gravity or of most substantial relationships" unquestionably is in Alabama, since the place of the accident was purely fortuitous and Mississippi's sole relation to the occurrence was, as was said in Mitchell, "purely adventitious." Not only do all of the parties, plaintiffs and defendant, and nine of the ten witnesses, reside at Hamilton, Alabama, but their status, and their relationships each with the other, were established under agreements, express or implied, arrived at in the State of Alabama. The interstate trip on which they were engaged began and was to end in the State of Alabama. The loading, securing and weighing of the shipment took place at Hamilton. We have concluded that Alabama law, including the Alabama "guest statute," should govern as to all aspects of the case excepting that (1) Mississippi rules of the road should apply to questions of alleged negligence in the actual driving of the truck and (2) the period of limitations, by ancient precedent, is governed by the law of the forum. Mississippi Code Annotated section 15-1-65 (1972), provides that a cause of action arising in a foreign state or country, and which is barred by the laws of such state or country, shall be barred in Mississippi. Obviously, this statute does not apply to the present case. Although the claim here adventitiously "arose" in Mississippi, the claimant and the defendants all resided in the same Alabama community at the time of injury and have so resided since. Claimant might have brought his suit in the Alabama court at any time within the period of limitations allowed by Alabama law. It would seem that to require him to have done so would have been fairer, less expensive and disruptive and more convenient, and would not have imposed upon the time of the Mississippi court or upon the taxpayers of Tishomingo County. The Alabama case of Brown v. Standard Casket Manufacturing Co., 234 Ala. 512, 175 So. 358 (1937) involved a suit for damages for personal injuries alleged to have been sustained in an automobile collision. At the time of his alleged injury, the *247 plaintiff had been riding in a vehicle belonging to Standard Casket Manufacturing Co. which was being operated by its servant or agent who had permitted her to ride with him. In approving the action of the trial court in granting the affirmative charge in favor of Standard Casket, the Alabama court stated. Nor is the effect of the above decision weakened or altered by the fact that a new trial was ordered on the grounds of newly discovered evidence, which was set forth in affidavit made by the Vice President of Standard Casket, and consisted of his sworn statement that its driver had been granted express permission by Standard Casket to transport the passenger. Likewise in Harper v. Griffin Lumber Co., 250 Ala. 339, 34 So. 2d 148 (1948), the Alabama court said: Here it is undisputed that George knew that it was the policy of Vick not to permit riders. He was also aware of the provisions of section 392.60 of Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR § 192.60) of *248 the Interstate Commerce Commission regulations which provides: The transportation of Cochran as a personal invitee of George, was against Vick's policy or rule and was contrary to specific regulations of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Cochran, therefore, as far as Vick was concerned, was a trespasser, and the duty owed him by Vick extended no further than to refrain from injuring him willfully or wantonly. No willful or wanton conduct contributing to Cochran's injury was alleged or proved. Under Alabama law, Cochran was not entitled to recover as against Vick. Although Mississippi has no guest statute similar to that of Alabama, this Court arrived at a similar result in Mitchell v. Eagle Motor Lines, Inc., 228 Miss. 214, 87 So. 2d 466 (1956). In that case, it appears that deceased, at the time of the collision which caused his death, was riding as a passenger in a truck belonging to Eagle Motor Lines and being operated by its driver. Eagle had no knowledge of this and had not consented thereto. It was Eagle's policy not to allow the transportation of riders. This Court, referring to the Interstate Commerce Commission regulation, quoted above, held that the rider was a trespasser as to Eagle, and the duty owed him extended no further than to refrain from willfully or wantonly injuring him. The Court said: We hold, therefore, that the trial court should have granted the request of the Vicks for a peremptory instruction in their favor. The case as between Cochran and A.C. George, Jr. is substantially different. George had invited his brother-in-law, Cochran, to accompany him for reasons personal to himself and had promised that he, George, would make certain reimbursements *249 to Cochran and Cochran would help him with anything that might "come up" on the trip. In this situation, as to George, Cochran was not a trespasser and proof of simple negligence on the part of George, which proximately contributed to Cochran's injury, was enough to require that the issue be submitted to the jury as to George. George, because of what he said was a complete loss of memory, was unable to give an account of the accident. Cochran's version, although self-contradictory in some respects, was sufficient to take the case to the jury as to George on the question of his negligence in the operation of the truck. The case, nevertheless, must be reversed and remanded as to George on the question of damages alone. Three doctors testified as to Cochran's injury. The two who first examined Cochran and who had the advantage of X-rays in making their examinations, concluded that Cochran's injury, consisting of a compression fracture of a vertebra, was slight or minor and that complete recovery could be expected. The third doctor, a Dr. Frederick, a general practitioner, took no X-rays. His sole treatment of Cochran consisted of giving him injections for pain. Dr. Frederick testified, contrary to the conclusions of the other two, that Cochran had been seventy percent permanently disabled. Although Dr. Frederick had taken no X-rays, he testified, in his deposition, that he had examined some X-rays, not made by him or under his supervision. These X-rays were not produced, were never identified or proven or established in any permissible manner, and were neither in evidence nor offered in evidence. The trial court properly excluded from consideration by the jury that part of Dr. Frederick's deposition which dealt specifically with what he said these X-rays had reflected. It is clear, however, from Dr. Frederick's whole deposition, that these unidentified and unproven X-rays, not in evidence, formed, in substantial part, a basis for his opinion as to Cochran's injury. This is particularly significant in that Dr. Frederick's conclusions were materially at variance with the conclusions reached by the other two doctors. Under such circumstances it was error to permit Dr. Frederick's opinion to be placed before the jury. In Wild v. Bass, 252 Miss. 615, 173 So. 2d 647 (1965), this Court dealt with a somewhat similar question. The Court said: Moreover, the trial court unduly restricted the cross-examination of Dr. Frederick. In qualifying Dr. Frederick, he was examined by plaintiff's counsel in considerable detail as to his credentials as a doctor. In answer to questions of plaintiff's counsel, Dr. Frederick testified, on direct examination, that he had practiced medicine continuously for forty years. On cross-examination, the trial court correctly permitted it to be developed that, as a matter of fact, Dr. Frederick had been indicted and had pled guilty in 1943 to a charge of "unlawfully, unknowingly and voluntarily and feloniously selling, and giving away and distributing a large quantity of morphine not made in pursuance of a written order on a form issued in blank by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue" and for not having paid the "special tax required of dealers in narcotic drugs." However, the trial court declined to permit it to be shown to the jury on cross-examination that, contrary to specific testimony given by Dr. Frederick on direct examination that he had practiced continuously for forty years, the fact was that he had been confined for nearly two of those years in the Federal Penitentiary in Lexington, Kentucky, and that again in 1939 and in 1942 he had been confined for alcoholism. The trial court further refused to allow cross-examination to show that Dr. Frederick's certificate of qualification to practice medicine in the State of Alabama had been revoked in 1952 for a period of one year. Plaintiff's counsel elicited from Dr. Frederick, by specific questions on direct examination, a statement from the doctor that he had not had any further trouble with alcoholism or narcotics since 1953, and had not been arrested or charged with any use of narcotics or alcohol since 1953. Plaintiff's counsel put the matter in issue on direct examination of Dr. Frederick as follows: The doctor's answer was unequivocal but less than frank. The trial court refused to allow the jury to hear cross-examination of Dr. Frederick to show the untruthfulness of his statements by showing Dr. Frederick in fact and contrary to his sworn answer, had been indicted by the grand jury upon a narcotics charge, the doctor having said of the particular charge "we beat that case." In addition to the general rule of liberality allowed on cross-examination, sanction has never been accorded to a rule that would allow a witness to make false statements on direct examination secure in the knowledge that they could not be called in question on cross-examination. Where a false statement is given on direct examination which is relevant and material to the inquiry, the falsity of the statement may be shown on cross-examination. In this case the answers were given in the course of establishing the professional character and experience of the witness. The issue was deliberately injected by plaintiff as to whether, since his earlier conviction of dealing in narcotics, he had ever been "charged" again. He should not, *251 with impunity, be permitted to answer falsely "no." The general rule in Mississippi is that the general credibility of a witness may be impeached on cross-examination by showing that he has been convicted of a crime and this is without regard to whether it can be shown that the witness testified falsely as to any fact. Under this rule, the general credibility of a witness may not be impeached by a mere showing that the witness has been charged with, but not convicted, of an offense. But the rule relating to the impeachment of the general credibility of a witness by showing his conviction of a crime, is not to be confused with the rule that a witness may be contradicted by showing, on cross-examination, that he has sworn falsely on direct examination to specific facts which are relevant and material to the inquiry. In the case here, Dr. Frederick, a general practitioner, was examined at length by plaintiff's counsel for the purpose of establishing his character and credentials so as to enhance the likelihood that his testimony would be believed. It was error to permit plaintiff to build up Dr. Frederick in the presence of the jury on direct examination and allow the latter's false assertions to stand uncontradicted and their falsity unrevealed to the jury by proper cross-examination. In Walder v. United States, 347 U.S. 62, 74 S. Ct. 354, 98 L. Ed. 503 (1954), the United States Supreme Court considered a case in which an accused, on his direct examination, had testified that he had never had in his possession or sold any narcotics to anyone in his life. On cross-examination, in reference to that testimony, he again asserted that he had never purchased, sold or possessed any narcotics, and denied that Federal agents had seized narcotics from his home prior to the trial. The Government in putting on its case, put on evidence that narcotics had, in fact, been seized from the home of the accused, contradicting the testimony of the accused. On appeal, complaint was made that the seizure of the narcotics by the narcotics agents had been unlawful and any reference to it was inadmissible under the doctrine of Weeks v. United States, 232 U.S. 383, 34 S. Ct. 341, 58 L. Ed. 652 (1914). Justice Frankfurter, speaking for the Court, said: See also United States v. Colletti, 245 F.2d 781 (2nd Cir.1957). Dr. Frederick's deposition as to his opinion of the extent, character and duration of Cochran's injury should not have been admitted, having been based in substantial *252 part on X-rays not identified or in evidence. Moreover, the cross-examination of this witness was unduly restricted so that revelation to the jury of the falsity of his statements was prevented. For the reasons stated, the case will be reversed and judgment entered here for W.T. Vick and Alfred Vick, individually and as partners, trading as W.T. Vick Lumber Company. As to A.C. George, Jr., only, the judgment will be affirmed as to liability and the case will be reversed and remanded for a new trial upon the question of damages alone. Reversed and judgment entered here for W.T. Vick and Alfred Vick, individually and as partners trading as W.T. Vick Lumber Company. As to A.C. George Jr., only, judgment is affirmed as to liability and case is reversed and remanded for a new trial upon question of damages alone. GILLESPIE, C.J., RODGERS, P.J., and INZER, ROBERTSON, SUGG and WALKER, JJ., concur.