Case Name: Douglas P. STEVENS v. LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY et al.
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1960-12-19
Citations: 133 So. 2d 1
Docket Number: No. 5133
Parties: Douglas P. STEVENS v. LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY et al.
Judges: Before ELLIS, LOTTINGER, JONES, HERGET and LANDRY, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 133
Pages: 1–13

Head Matter:
Douglas P. STEVENS v. LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY et al.
No. 5133.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana. First Circuit.
Dec. 19, 1960.
On Rehearing June 30, 1961.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 25, 1961.
Certiorari Granted Nov. 6, 1961.
William P. Macmurdo, Percy & Mac-murdo, Taylor, Porter, Brooks, Fuller & Phillips, Robt. J. Vandaworker, Chas. W. Franklin of Seale, Hayes, Smith, Keogh & Franklin, Baton Rouge, for appellant.
Maurice J. Wilson, of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, Baton Rouge, Robert J. Vanda-worker, of Taylor, Porter, Brooks, Fuller & Phillips, Baton Rouge, for appellee.
Before ELLIS, LOTTINGER, JONES, HERGET and LANDRY, JJ.

Opinion:
LOTTINGER, Judge.
This is a suit for damages for persona! injuries resulting from an intersectional collision. Petitioner is Douglas P. Stevens who was a guest passenger in a car being driven by defendant, Dominic A. Regan. Regan's vehicle was insured by defendant, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Also made defendants were Eugene A. Nolan, who was driving the other vehicle, which other vehicle was insured by defendant, Royal Indemnity Company, and American Automobile Insurance Company, the insurer of the personal automobile of defendant Nolan, which was not involved in the collision. The Lower Court awarded judgment in favor of petitioner and against defendants in the total amount of $27,011.44. All defendants have appealed, and the petitioner has answered the appeal seeking an increase in quantum.
The accident occurred at approximately 11:00 o'clock a. m. on May 28, 1958 at the intersection of Convention Street and North 16th Street in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The weather was clear and the conditions were dry. Convention Street is a favored thoroughfare running east and west. It is of brick surface and 28 feet in width. North 16th Street runs northerly and southerly, is 22 feet in width and of concrete surface. There is a stop sign situated at the northwest corner of the intersection facing traffic moving south on North 16th Street. The legal speed limit at the place of the accident is 30 miles per hour.
Immediately prior to the accident in question, defendant Dominic A. Regan was driving his 1955 Oldsmobile automobile in a southerly direction on North 16th Street, approaching the intersection with Convention Street. Riding in the automobile with Regan was petitioner, Douglas P. Stevens, who was a guest passenger therein, which fact has not been disputed in this suit. Upon approaching the intersection of Convention Street, Regan stopped in obedience to the stop sign, and testified that he saw the vehicle driven by Nolan approaching easterly on Convention Street at a distance of some 320 feet west of the intersection. At the time he first noticed the Nolan vehicle, it was crossing railroad tracks which are situated approximately 320 feet from the said intersection. Assuming that he had plenty of time to safely cross the intersection, Regan attempted to continue his journey, and was struck before clearing the intersection. The Regan vehicle was insured by Liberty Mutual Insurance Com pany, the policy limits, for the purposes of the facts presented in this suit, being $25,000.
Prior to the accident defendant, Eugene A. Nolan, was driving a 1956 Oldsmobile which was owned by Mrs. Fred Hannie. The said vehicle had been loaned to him for this day due to certain repairs which were required to his own vehicle. The liability insurer of Mrs. Fred Hannie is Royal Indemnity Company, with limits of $10,000 for the factual situation presented. Defendant Nolan's personal automobile was insured by American Automobile Insurance Company which would be liable secondarily in the sum of $25,000. Nolan testified that he was driving easterly on Convention Street at a speed of approximately 30 miles per hour immediately prior to the accident. He further testified that he had stopped at the railroad tracks because a red light was flashing, however, upon noticing the train stopped near the intersection, he crossed and proceeded on his journey. He testified that immediately upon seeing the Regan car crossing the intersection, he applied his brakes and turned slightly to the left, however, he was unable to avoid the impact.
The factual evidence discloses that the point of impact was 10 feet north of the south line of Convention Street and four feet east of the west line of North 16th Street. The front portion of the vehicle driven by Nolan struck the right rear portion of the Regan vehicle at approximately the right rear wheel. The Nolan vehicle left skid marks of 22 feet prior to the impact. After the impact, the Nolan car skidded, or slid, an additional 22 feet, and came to rest against the southern curb of Convention Street, with its front wheels resting on the curb. It was facing in a southerly direction and was some eight or ten feet east of the eastern boundary of North 16th Street. The Regan vehicle, on the other hand, was turned around in excess of 180 degrees, and came to rest facing in a generally northeasterly direction with approximately half of the car on North 16th Street, and the other half on the curb, at a location of approximately 18 feet south of the southern line of Convention Street. It rested on the western side of North 16th Street. Petitioner filed this suit seeking damages in the amount of $54,381.44 representing physical injuries as well as loss of wages sustained as a result of the accident. The Lower Court awarded judgment in the amount of $27,011.44, noting therein the various policy limits of the defendant insurance companies, and further noting that Royal Indemnity Company's liability is primary to that of American Automobile Insurance Company. All defendants have appealed, and petitioner has answered the appeal seeking an increase in quantum.
We are favored with the testimony of two experts relative to the details of the accident in question. Mr. Alvin Doyle, Jr., an expert accident analyst, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, testified on behalf of petitioner and its insurer, the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. He testified that he examined the scene of the accident on November 4, 1958, and secured the details of the accident from the investigating officers. He ran speed and braking tests at the scene of the accident, and testified that the minimum speed a vehicle would have had to be traveling to come to a complete stop within 22 feet skid marks, was 27 miles per hour. Mr. Doyle testified that at a speed of 30 miles per hour the normal person would take 33 feet of reaction time, and 27 feet of actual stopping distance, making a total of 60 feet. This is based upon the normal reaction time of three-quarter second, which is the interval between the time at which the person notices the emergency and the application of the brakes. Considering the 22 feet of skid marks prior to the impact, together with the force of the impact and the 22 feet of skid or slide marks subsequent thereto, Mr. Doyle estimated that, at a bare minimum, defendant Nolan was traveling 42j4 miles per hour at the time he applied his brakes. He further concluded that, at the moment of the impact, the Nolan vehicle was traveling 33 miles per hour. He found that the Nolan car was approximately 69 feet away from the point of the impact when he first noticed the impending emergency.
Dr. Lloyd W. Morris, a Professor of Physics of Louisiana State University, testified on behalf of the defendants. He stated that he tested the braking distances in the vicinity of the accident at three different speeds, 30, 35 and 40' miles per hour. However, upon checking his speedometer, he found that there were certain inaccuracies in its readings, and that the actual speeds at which these tests were made were 28, 32, and 37 miles per hour. Dr. Morris further indicated a discrepancy in his tests inasmuch as the braking reaction on his left rear wheel was a little tardy. Correcting for this tardiness, his vehicle left 30 feet of skid marks at 28 miles per hour, 44 feet of skid marks at 34 miles per hour. Dr. Morris testified that with all four brakes locked a vehicle proceeding at 40 miles per hour on the street in question would leave skid marks at 49 feet.
The Lower Court, based upon the expert testimony of Mr. Doyle, concluded that a period of three seconds elapsed between the time that the Regan automobile started from its stopped position beside the stop sign until it reached the point of impact. Under Mr. Doyle's conclusions that the Nolan vehicle was traveling 42i/£ miles per hour, this would place the Nolan vehicle 170 feet from the point of impact at the time the Regan vehicle left its stopped position. Now assuming that Nolan was only traveling 30 miles per hour, at which speed he would cover 44 feet per second, during the start of this three second period he would have been somewhat less than 132 feet from the point of impact, because, according to Mr. Doyle's sketch, which has been filed into evidence, the actual braking time of the Nolan vehicle consumed .65 seconds, and covered 22 feet, and during the other 2.35 seconds, Nolan traveling at 30 miles per hour, or 44 feet per second, would cover a distance of 103.4 feet, which, when added to'the 22 feet of braking time, would indicate that Nolan was at a distance of 125.4 feet from the point of impact when Regan commenced to cross the intersection. Even if this were so, and still assuming a 30 mile per hour speed by Nolan, there would have been ample opportunity for the defendant Nolan to bring his vehicle to a complete stop within this three second interval, as Mr. Doyle testified that the total stopping distance at 30 miles per hour would be 60 feet, and Dr. Morris testified that at 28 miles per hour, a car would skid 30 feet, and adding thereto 33 more feet of reaction time computed at three quarters of a second, would bring the total stopping distance, under Dr. Morris' testimony, to approximately 63 feet. We, therefore, conclude that the Nolan vehicle was proceeding at a rate of speed greatly in excess of 30 miles per hour, and it seems apparent that he was going a minimum of 42*/£ miles per hour, which speed was determined by the exhaustive research of Mr. Doyle.
Although the Lower Court held that defendant Regan did stop in obedience to the stop sign prior to entering the intersection, it held him guilty of concurrent negligence in failing to keep a proper lookout, and in his failure to see and heed what he could have seen. His testimony as well as that of petitioner is conclusive to the effect that Regan did stop prior to entering the intersection. Regan testified that he looked in the direction from which Nolan was approaching and saw the Nolan vehicle some 320 feet away, at which time Nolan was crossing the railroad tracks. Believing that he had ample time in which to clear the intersection, he proceeded on his journey. Considering the expert testimony which we have before us, as well as the uncontra-dicted testimony of defendant Regan, it appears to us that he acted reasonably in believing that he had opportunity to clear the intersection. The evidence discloses that, at the moment, Regan was reasonable in concluding that he had ample time to safely clear the intersection. Mr. Regan, of course, had a right to conclude that the Nolan vehicle was being driven within the speed limit of 30 miles per hour, see Wilson v. Williams, La.App., 82 So.2d 71, and we feel that he was only exercising his rights in assuming that Mr. Nolan was obeying the law. Had Mr. Nolan been traveling within the speed law, the physical facts indicate that this accident would not have happened.
We, therefore, feel that the Lower Court erred in holding defendant Regan concurrently negligent herein, and it is our opinion that the record reflects that the sole and proximate cause of this collision was the excessive speed of the Nolan vehicle. The judgment of the Lower Court will be corrected accordingly.
As a result of the collision, petitioner was thrown from the Regan car and suffered injuries to his left knee, left shoulder, left chest, elbows, hands, and numerous abrasions to other portions of his body. His most severe injury was the commuted fracture of the left patella which required surgery resulting in the removal of the upper one-third thereof and the placing of the left leg in a long leg cast. He was hospitalized for a period of fifteen days after which he was permitted to return to his home. During the period of hospitalization, petitioner was under constant sedation. The cast extended from the tip of his toes to his groin. The cast was removed on July 10th, 1958, a period of approximately one and one-half months subsequent to the accident, and a posterior splint, together with ace bandages were then applied. The medical testimony discloses that petitioner has a twenty per cent permanent disability of his left leg.
Prior to the accident, petitioner had developed thrombophlebitis in his left leg for which he was under the care of a doctor. The doctor testified that he had progressed nicely up to the time of the accident, however, the accident had aggravated the condition.
The Lower Court awarded the sum of $12,500 for pain and suffering, as well as permanent disability to petitioner. We have been cited cases both by petitioner and defendants seeking an increase and decrease in this award. Although we have read all cases cited, we have found none directly in point, and those cited by petitioner appeared to be of more serious injuries than those sustained by petitioner, while those cited by defendants tend to be of a less serious nature. Of course, it has often been stated that in awarding damages for physical injuries, each case must be determined by its own particular facts and we find no error in the award granted by the Lower Court. Petitioner was a man of some 52 years at the time of the accident. The medical testimony reflects that his injuries were very painful and he suffered a great deal. The award by the Lower Court of $12,500 is neither excessive nor inadequate under the circumstances presented. As to the award for loss of wages, the Lower Court was favored with the testimony of Forrest G. Ray, an actuary expert. The records reflect that prior to the accident, petitioner was a salesman traveling the State of Louisiana, as well as the southern portion of Mississippi and Alabama. He was employed at a salary of $500 per month. Shortly prior to the accident, he and his employer had entered into an agreement effective January 1, 1959 under which petitioner's earnings would be increased. He was also offered other employment which would result in increased earnings, however, at the time of the accident, his monthly earnings were $500. The other agreement with his then employer, and the offer of others, were correctly held by the Lower Court to be in the realm of pure speculation. Approximately three months after the accident petitioner went to work with a different employer at a salary of $400 per month. He was unable to return to his prior employment because of the travel requirements. He continued in this work until shortly prior to the trial of this matter when he resigned because he was apparently no longer able to do this work, which required short trips and some walk ing and standing. At the time of the trial, however, he contemplated work with another concern on a commission basis of some $50 to $100 per week. The Lower Court held that as a result of the accident, petitioner has suffered loss of wages at the rate of $100 per month. Mr. Ray, the expert, testified that a man of petitioner's age, i. e. 51 years, nine months, at the time of the accident has a work life expectancy of 12.03 years. Computed on the basis of $100 per month, would result in a loss of $14,400. Discounted at a figure of would give such loss a present day value of $12,000. The defendants have raised issue with the discount rate allowed by the Lower Court, inasmuch as safe investments may be made at the present time at a minimum of 5 to 6%. This same amount, according to testimony of Mr. Ray, discounted at 5% would equal a present day value of $10,500, and we believe that this reduction should be made in the award of the Lower Court as their 2\/2% discount seems low to us. The award for loss of wages will therefore be reduced to the sum of $10,500.
The sum of $1,011.44 awarded by the Lower Court for medical expenses has been stipulated by the attorneys for all parties. The total award, therefore, will be reduced to the sum of $24,011.44.
For the reasons hereinabove assigned, the judgment of the Lower Court will be amended so as to dismiss this action insofar as defendants, Dominic A. Regan and his insurer, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, are concerned, and will be amended so as to reduce the award granted petitioner, Douglas P. Stevens, to the sum of $24,OIL-44, it being understood that the primary limits of defendant, Royal Indemnity Company, is in the sum of $10,000, and the secondary limit of American Automobile Insurance Company is in the sum of $25,000, and, so amended, the judgment of the Lower Court will be affirmed.
Judgment amended and affirmed.