Case Name: Raiford BALLARD et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. NATIONAL INDEMNITY COMPANY OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA et al., Defendants-Appellants
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1964-01-15
Citations: 159 So. 2d 763
Docket Number: No. 1002
Parties: Raiford BALLARD et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. NATIONAL INDEMNITY COMPANY OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA et al., Defendants-Appellants.
Judges: Tate, J., dissents and assigns written reasons.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 159
Pages: 763–770

Head Matter:
Raiford BALLARD et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. NATIONAL INDEMNITY COMPANY OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA et al., Defendants-Appellants.
No. 1002.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana. Third Circuit.
Jan. 15, 1964.
Rehearing Denied Feb. 6, 1964.
Writ Granted March 11, 1964.
Love & Hodges, by Lloyd F. Love, Fer-riday, for defendants-appellants.
Falkenheiner & Calhoun, by W. C. Falk-enheiner, Vidalia, for plaintiffs-appellees.

Opinion:
SAVOY, Judge.
This is a personal injury suit. The trial court rendered judgment in favor of the plaintiffs. Defendants have appealed, attempting to reduce alleged excessive awards. Hence, the sole question before us is quantum.
Consolidated with this suit is a suit arising out of the same accident, Craft v. National Indemnity Co. et al., 159 So.2d 770. Since the questions involved in both appeals are similar, we will review both awards in the present opinion, although we will render a separate decree in the companion suit.
On the afternoon of December 9, 1961, plaintiff, Adrienne Craft Ballard, was driving her automobile on U. S. Highway 84 between Vidalia and Ferriday, Louisiana. Her mother, plaintiff, Florence K. Craft, was a passenger in the automobile. As Mrs. Ballard slowed down to make a right-hand turn, defendant, Lois Gentsch, struck the Ballard automobile from the rear. Both Mrs. Ballard and Mrs. Craft sustained whiplash injuries. Suit was brought by Adrienne Ballard and her husband, and by Florence Craft, against defendant, Lois Gentsch, and her insurer, National Indemnity Company of Omaha, Nebraska. The trial court rendered a judgment in favor of Mr. Ballard in the amount of $161.40, $147.90 for damage to the Ballard automobile, and $13.50 for medical expenses, for his wife. Mrs. Ballard was awarded $1,500.00 for pain, suffering and shock. Mrs. Craft was awarded $4,935.90, $4,500.00 for pain, suffering and shock, and $435.90 for medical expenses.
Defendants contend that the awards to both Mrs. Ballard and Mrs. Craft for pain, suffering and shock were excessive. Defendants further contend that the award to Mr. Ballard for repair of the automobile should be reduced to $140.97.
Since the only matter'before this Court is that of quantum, we will discuss the injuries received by Mrs. Florence K. Craft and Mrs. Adrienne Craft Ballard, respectively.
MRS. FLORENCE K. CRAFT
Mrs. Craft was treated by her family physician, Dr. L. P. Coleman, and examined by Dr. Jack H. Phillips, a specialist in the field of orthopedic surgery. Immediately after the accident Mrs. Craft was hospitalized for two weeks and was treated by Dr. Coleman. He prescribed drugs for pain, muscle relaxants and traction. She was last seen by Dr. Coleman about three weeks after she left the hospital.
At the trial of the case, Dr. Coleman stated he was of the opinion that her preexisting arthritis (she is a lady in her late fifties) would get worse, but he did not know whether this disease would progress faster because of the whiplash injury.
Dr. Phillips' testimony was taken by deposition. He testified that he examined Mrs. Craft about 3J4 months after the accident, at the request of the defendant insurer. He stated he found no muscle spasm, but that he did find a little flattening of the curve in the spine which indicated to him that she had had a strain of the neck muscles, instead of a sprain. Dr. Phillips explained that a strain would not involve tearing of the muscles whereas a sprain would. He classified this whiplash as moderate and his prognosis was that she would recover in about three months after he saw her, which would mean that she would recover within seven months after the accident.
As stated before, the trial judge awarded Mrs. Craft the sum of $4,500.00 for pain and suffering. This Court is of the opinion that the award made by the trial judge is all out of proportion with previous awards made for somewhat similar injuries, and is hereby reduced to the sum of $2,500.00. Gaspard v. LeMaire, La., 158 So.2d 149.
MRS. ADRIENNE CRAFT BALLARD
On the day of the accident Mrs. Ballard was seen by Dr. L. P. Coleman, of Ferriday. She complained of soreness in her neck. Dr. Coleman prescribed muscle relaxants.
According to Mrs. Ballard's own testimony, this soreness in her neck lasted only four or five days. Her husband testified he could not remember exactly, but he thought the soreness could have lasted a week or two.
Thus, according to plaintiff's own testimony, and that of her husband, she suffered soreness of the neck for only a week or two. There is no evidence that she even took medication for pain. Certainly her injuries were very minor.
The trial judge awarded Mrs. Ballard the sum of $1,500.00 for pain and suffering. This Court is of the opinion that the award , all out of proportion with previous awards made for somewhat similar injuries, and, accordingly, the award made by the trial court is reduced from the sum of $1,500.00 to the sum of $750.00. Gaspard v. LeMaire, La., 158 So.2d 149.
For the reasons assigned, the judgment of the district court awarding Mrs. Adrienne Craft Ballard the sum of $1,500.00 for pain and suffering, is amended by reducing same to $750.00. In all other respects the judgment is affirmed. Costs of this appeal are assessed against plaintiff.
Amended and affirmed.
Tate, J., dissents and assigns written reasons.
FRUGÉ, J., dissents on quantum and assigns written reasons.
En Banc.