Case Name: Beatrice S. SOILEAU et al., Plaintiffs and Appellees, v. CONTINENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY et al., Defendants and Appellants
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1969-11-25
Citations: 228 So. 2d 522
Docket Number: No. 2898
Parties: Beatrice S. SOILEAU et al., Plaintiffs and Appellees, v. CONTINENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY et al., Defendants and Appellants.
Judges: Before TATE, CULPEPPER and MILLER, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 228
Pages: 522–530

Head Matter:
Beatrice S. SOILEAU et al., Plaintiffs and Appellees, v. CONTINENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY et al., Defendants and Appellants.
No. 2898.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana. Third Circuit.
Nov. 25, 1969.
Rehearing Denied Dec. 18, 1969.
Writ Refused Feb. 6, 1970.
Lewis & Lewis, by Seth Lewis, Jr., Ope-lousas, for defendants-appellants.
Donald-Soileau, Mamou, for plaintiffs-appellees.
Before TATE, CULPEPPER and MILLER, JJ.

Opinion:
CULPEPPER, Judge.
This is a wrongful death action. Plaintiffs are the widow and three major children of Joseph L. Soileau, who died as a result of injuries received when the automobile which he was driving was struck by a large gravel truck driven by the defendant, Charles W. Harrell, and insured by the defendant, Firemen's Insurance Company of Newark, New Jersey. From an adverse judgment, the defendants, Firemen's Insurance Company of Newark, New Jersey, and Charles W. Harrell, have appealed.
The issues are (1) the negligence of the defendant truck driver, (2) the contributory negligence of the deceased driver of the automobile and (3) the quantum of the awards.
The accident occurred at the junction of State Highway 376 with State Highway 13 in the Reddell community about two miles from the City of Mamou. Both are two-lane, two-way, blacktopped thoroughfares. Highway 13 runs generally north and south and Highway 376 east and west, intersecting the west side of Highway 13 and forming a T-intersection. The speed limit on Highway 13 is 45 miles per hour.
Plaintiffs' version of the accident is that the deceased was driving north on Highway 13 intending to turn left onto Highway 376. He turned on his left blinker lights, reduced his speed or stopped, looked to his rear and was unable to see the defendant's truck because of the heavy fog and the excessive speed at which the truck was approaching. Mr. Soileau started his left turn and when the front wheels of his vehicle had cleared the intersection and were on Highway 376, the right front of the truck struck the left rear door of the Soileau automobile.
Defendants' version of the accident is that Harrell was driving north on Highway 13 at a speed of about 45 miles per hour and saw the Soileau automobile approximately one-half mile ahead. Harrell says that although he had previously passed through spots of fog, there was very little fog at the scene of the accident. The defendant driver admits he was very familiar with the intersection, having passed there during recent weeks approximately ten times a day hauling gravel. Despite this knowledge, Harrell initiated a passing maneuver. When he reached a point approximately fifty feet from the intersection, Soileau started his left turn. Harrell was unable to stop his truck and the collision ensued.
The first issue is whether the truck driver was negligent. We have no difficulty concluding that he was. He was passing at an intersection in violation of LSA-R.S. 32:76.
Defendants contend this was not an intersection within the contemplation of the cited statute, since there were no signs or yellow lines and it was difficult to observe. In Fontenot v. Pan American Fire & Casualty Company, La.App., 209 So.2d 105 (3rd Cir.1968) writ of certiorari refused, we reviewed at length the jurisprudence on the question of what constitutes an intersection within the meaning of the statute. Generally, the junction of a hard surfaced state highway with a narrow, unmarked, gravel or dirt road, does not constitute an intersection. However, the intersection of two hard surfaced state highways of about equal width and in a thickly populated community is clearly an intersection. As pointed out in the Fon-tenot case, neither the statute nor the jurisprudence requires that there be signs or markings of the intersection. This one was not only clearly visible but we have the added fact that the truck driver was very familiar with it.
Additionally, the defendant driver was negligent in traveling at an excessive speed in view of the fog-reduced visibility and the presence of the intersection. Harrell admits he was driving about 45 miles per hour, which was the speed limit. We agree with the trial judge that even this was an excessive speed under the circumstances. However, Harrell was probably driving even faster. The facts show that-the impact of the two vehicles was terrific. The automobile was either knocked or rolled north along Highway 13 and thence across a considerable ditch on the east side, finally coming to rest about 480 feet from the point of impact. The truck, after striking the automobile, also proceeded in a northerly direction along Highway 13 and then went off on the east side, striking a concrete culvert, crossing the ditch and coming to rest on an embankment near a residence a distance of about 276 feet from the point of impact.
Harrell testified his truck was empty and that at 45 miles per hour he could stop it within 120 feet. The fact that he was unable to stop it within a distance of approximately 325 feet (including the 50 feet south of the intersection when he said he first realized Mr. Soileau was going to make a left turn) corroborates the contention that the truck was exceeding the legal limit of 45 miles per hour.
A more serious question is whether the deceased was guilty of contributory negligence. In the very similar case of Fonte-not v. Pan American Fire & Casualty Company, supra, we set forth the applicable law as follows:
"When a left turn is being made at a place other than an intersection, as for instance at a private driveway, the jurisprudence requires a very high degree of care. The driver executing such a left turn must not only give a proper signal but must also observe both oncoming and following traffic to ascertain that the turn can be made with safety. McCann v. Mercer, 191 So.2d 150 (La.App.3rd Cir.1966).
"In judging the reasonable care required of a person making a left turn at an intersection, there is the added factor that, under certain circumstances, a motorist can assume that' the following traffic will observe the law and will not pass at the intersection. See Breland v. American Insurance Company, 163 So.2d 583 (La.App.2nd Cir.1964) and the cases cited therein. However, if the motorist about to make the left turn sees or should see that a following vehicle is engaged in a passing maneuver, in close proximity to his own vehicle and at an intersection, he can no longer rely on the presumption that the following vehicle is going to obey the law."
Under the rules quoted above, Soileau had a right to assume that following traffic would observe the law and would not pass him at the intersection, until such time as he saw or should have seen that defendant's truck was in close proximity and engaged in a passing maneuver.
A controversial issue is the extent to which Soileau's visibility was impaired by the fog. State Trooper McGee, who arrived on the scene immediately after the accident, about 6:40 a. m. on November 13, 1967, testified there was a solid blanket of fog reducing visibility of vehicles to about 200 feet. He said the maximum safe driving speed under the circumstances was 30 to 35 miles per hour. Trooper Fontenot, who arrived at the scene at about 7:00 a. m., said the fog was spotty and he did not remember the distance of visibility. Pictures which he took without a filter, because of the foggy condition, show there was fog but visibility of vehicles was more than 200 feet. However, Fontenot testified these pictures were taken at about 7:10 a. m. and the fog had lifted a little by that time. Gilbert J. Guillory and Curtis La-fleur, witnesses for the plaintiff, characterized the fog as "heavy."
On the other hand, the defendant Harrell and two of his witnesses, Tayo Guillo-ry and L. C. Grey, testified there was no fog at the scene' of the accident. In his written opinion the trial judge expressly stated he gave little credence to the testimony of these witnesses.
The trial judge found as a fact that there was a heavy fog and that, in view of the reduced visibility and the excessive speed of defendant's truck, the deceased was not contributorily negligent in failing to see the truck before he initiated his left turn. We find no manifest error in this conclusion.
The final issue is the quantum of the awards. The trial judge awarded the widow $30,000 for loss of love, companionship and support. Each of the three major children was awarded $15,000 for loss of love and companionship. The widow and children were also awarded $7500 for the decedent's pain and suffering, during the 39 hours which he lived after the accident, the sum of $800 for the demolished automobile, $1294 for funeral expense and $639.10 for medical expense.
The facts show that Mr. Soileau was 66 years of age at the time of his death. He had been married to the plaintiff widow for 49 years and their relationship was very close. His earnings were only about $20 per week for doing yard work and odd jobs.
The three major children are married daughters who live near their parents and frequently see and visit each other.
Plaintiff cites the recent case of Richard v. American Oil Company, La.App., 213 So.2d 158 (3rd Cir.1968) where we affirmed a district court award of $20,000 for loss of love, affection and support, to a 58 year old widow of a previously healthy 72 year old decedent, who earned $14 to $21 per week as a farm hand.
Defendants cite Waters v. Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company, La.App., 212 So.2d 487 (3rd Cir. 1969) where we affirmed a district court award of $12,000 for loss of love and affection, plus $15,000 for loss of support, to the widow of a 67 year old husband who had an income of about $174 per month. Defendant also cites Averett v. Travelers Insurance Company, La.App., 174 So.2d 881 (1st Cir.1965) in which the' court awarded the sum of $15,000 for loss of love and affection to the 32 year old widow of the 49 year old decedent.
No case has been cited where the award was near as high as $30,000 to a widow under circumstances similar to those in the present case. Here the loss of support is negligible. The closest case factually is Richard v. American Oil Company, supra, where the award was $20,000. Of course, we are cognizant of Lomenick v. Schoeffler, 250 La. 959, 200 So.2d 127 (1967) and Gaspard v. LeMaire, 245 La. 239, 158 So.2d 149 (1963) which hold generally that the amount of an award for general damages lies largely within the great discretion of the trial court and should not be disturbed on appellate review in the absence of an abuse of discretion. However, we think that in the present case the award to the widow for loss of love, companionship and support must be reduced to the sum of $20,000.
As to the awards to the major children, defendants cite Averett v. Travelers Insurance Company, supra, and Richard v. American Oil Company, supra, in which awards of $7500 to major children were affirmed. Plaintiffs cite no case where such an award has exceeded $7500. We think the awards to each of the three major children in the present case must be reduced to $7500 for loss of love and affection.
We find no abuse of the trial court award of $7500 for the pain and suffering of the decedent during the 39 hours which he lived following the accident. He suffered multiple rib fractures and contusions of the heart and lungs. He remained conscious for the entire time and the doctors testified he suffered severe pain. See Richard v. American Oil Company, supra, where we affirmed an award of $3500 for the decedent's pain and suffering for about two hours.
Defendants point out that the award of $800 for the automobile must be reduced to the sum of $750, since the evidence shows the automobile was valued at $800 and had a salvage value of $50. The awards for funeral and medical expense are not disputed.
Defendants complain that the trial court judgment does not limit the liability of the insurer to its maximum coverage of $50,-000 caused by the death of any one person and $25,000 property damage. The judgment decrees "that the liability of Firemen's Insurance Company of Newark, New Jersey be limited to $50,000 for the death of Joseph Lee Soileau and $25,000 for the property damages sustained, together with interest thereon from date of judicial demand and costs incurred." We construe this language to limit the liability of the insurer in accordance with the above stated terms of the policy. We fail to understand why defendant complains of this portion of the judgment.
For the reasons assigned, the judgment appealed is amended to reduce the award to the widow, Mrs. Beatrice S. Soileau, for loss of love, companionship and support, to the sum of $20,000; also, to reduce the awards to the major children, Anita S. Fontenot, Bercedine S. Shuff and Sybilene S. Aucoin, for loss of love and companionship, to the sum of $7,500 each; and also the award for the loss of the automobile to the sum of $750. As thus amended, the judgment appealed is affirmed. All costs of this appeal are assessed against the defendants appellants.
Affirmed, as amended.
. The suit was originally filed against Ready Mix, Inc., the owner of the truck, Continental Insurance Company, insurer of the vehicle and Charles W. Harrell, the driver. At the conclusion of the trial it was stipulated that the proper defendants are Charles William Harrell, Firemen's Insurance Company of Newark, New Jersey, and Ready Mix, Inc. However, we notice that the judgment in favor of plaintiffs is only against the defendants, Charles Harrell and Firemen's Insurance Company of Newark, New Jersey. There is no judgment read and signed against Ready Mix, Inc.