Title: Brown v. CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG BOARD OF ED.

State: north-carolina

Issuer: North Carolina Supreme Court

Document:

149 S.E.2d 10 (1966) 267 N.C. 740 Jennifer J. BROWN, by her Legal Guardian, Next Friend, Robert F. Brown v. CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG BOARD OF EDUCATION. No. 277. Supreme Court of North Carolina. July 6, 1966. *11 Welling, Welling & Meek, by Charles M. Welling, Charlotte, for plaintiff appellant. Brock Barkley, Charlotte, for defendant appellee. PARKER, Chief Justice. At the hearing before Gene C. Smith, deputy commissioner, claimant and respondent offered evidence. At this hearing the parties entered into the following stipulations: The hearing deputy commissioner found these material and crucial facts: (We omit the detailed findings of fact as to claimant's injuries, her admission into Charlotte Memorial Hospital on 5 February 1963, her being placed in and remaining in skeletal traction for three weeks after which she was placed in a plaster cast, her dismissal from the hospital on 5 March 1963, etc.) *12 Based on his findings of fact the hearing deputy commissioner made these conclusions of law: Based on his findings of fact and conclusions of law the hearing deputy commissioner ordered that respondent pay to the duly appointed guardian and next friend of claimant the sum of $7,500. Respondent appealed to the Full Commission for a review of the award made by the hearing deputy commissioner, alleging in its application for a review that the evidence was insufficient to justify a finding of fact or conclusion of law that it was negligent; that he found as a fact and concluded as a matter of law that claimant was not contributorily negligent when her evidence established she was contributorily negligent; and that the amount awarded as damages was excessive. The Full Commission held there is ample evidence to support the hearing deputy commissioner's findings of fact, that his conclusions of law based thereon are correct, and the award should be affirmed. Therefore, the Full Commission adopted as its own the hearing deputy commissioner's findings of fact, conclusions of law, and award, and affirmed the order of the hearing deputy commissioner, Chairman Bean dissented as to the amount of damages awarded, being of the opinion they were excessive. Respondent appealed to the superior court, which was of the opinion that the facts found by the hearing deputy commissioner, and adopted as its own by the Full Commission, do not constitute actionable negligence on the part of the driver of the school bus, and ordered that Jennifer J. Brown recover nothing from respondent, and dismissed the case at the cost of plaintiff. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education "unless it has duly waived immunity from tort liability, as authorized in G.S. § 115-53, is not liable in a tort action or proceeding involving a tort except such liability as may be established under our Tort Claims Act. G.S. §§ 143-291 through 143-300.1." Fields v. Durham City Board of Education, 251 N.C. 699, 111 S.E.2d 910. In Huff v. Northampton County Board of Education, 259 N.C. 75, 130 S.E.2d 26, the Supreme Court speaking by Denny, C. J., said: G.S. § 143-300.1 reads in pertinent part: The parties stipulated at the hearing before hearing deputy commissioner Smith "that the vehicle owned by the Mecklenburg County Board of Education was being driven by Michael Chambers Porter, an employee of the Mecklenburg County Board of Education, and that said employee was acting at the time within the scope of his employment." There is nothing in the stipulations entered into by the parties, or in the findings of fact, or in the record, to show that Michael Chambers Porter's salary as a school bus driver was paid from the State Nine Months School Fund. The Full Commission has not found all essential facts necessary to support its award, or for us to decide correctly the appeal. The judgment of the court below is vacated, and the proceeding is remanded to the court below, which is directed to vacate the judgment of the court below and to remand the proceeding to the Full Commission with a direction that it make a finding of fact as to whether or not Michael Chambers Porter's salary as a school bus driver was paid from the State Nine Months School Fund. See Stanley v. Hyman-Michaels Co., 222 N.C. 257, 266, 22 S.E.2d 570, 576. Judgment vacated and remanded. MOORE, J., not sitting. PLESS, J., took no part in the consideration and decision of this case. RODMAN, Emergency Justice, who was sitting on the Bench when this case was argued in place of MOORE, J., who was *14 sick, was relieved of duty at his request before the case was decided. DENNY, Emergency Justice, who is now sitting as a member of the Court in place of Judge MOORE, who is still sick, took no part in the consideration and decision of this case.