Case Name: Ernest Leon HIGGINBOTHAM, Sr., Individually, and on Behalf of his minor children, Ernest Leon Higginbotham, Jr., and James Edward Higginbotham, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. H. E. FRAZIER et al., Defendants-Appellees
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1957-01-02
Citations: 92 So. 2d 89
Docket Number: No. 4310
Parties: Ernest Leon HIGGINBOTHAM, Sr., Individually, and on Behalf of his minor children, Ernest Leon Higginbotham, Jr., and James Edward Higginbotham, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. H. E. FRAZIER et al., Defendants-Appellees.
Judges: Rehearing denied; ELLIS, J., dissenting.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 92
Pages: 89–98

Head Matter:
Ernest Leon HIGGINBOTHAM, Sr., Individually, and on Behalf of his minor children, Ernest Leon Higginbotham, Jr., and James Edward Higginbotham, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. H. E. FRAZIER et al., Defendants-Appellees.
No. 4310.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana. First Circuit.
Jan. 2, 1957.
Rehearing Denied Feb. 4, 1957.
Writ of Certiorari Denied April 1, 1957.
Huckabay & Wall, Baton Rouge, for appellant.
Wm. T. Bennett, Clinton, for appellee.

Opinion:
TATE, Judge.
Plaintiff filed this suit individually and on behalf of his two little boys to recover damages for them and medical expenses sustained as the result of injuries suffered by them in an auto-truck collision. Defendant Frazier and his liability insurer appeal from the award of substantial damages.
On a previous appearance in this court the case was remanded on the ground that plaintiff had not proved his legal capacity as father (in a still-existing valid marriage) to institute suit on behalf of these minors, Higginbotham v. Inland Empire Ins. Co., 88 So.2d 711. On the remand, after additional evidence, it was stipulated that plaintiff was indeed the proper party to institute suit on behalf of his sons for their personal injuries. The matter is now before us for decision on the merits.
The unfortunate accident giving rise to this suit occurred at about 7:30 a. m. on July 31, 1955, 2}/z miles east of Clinton, La. It was drizzling. The two Higginbotham boys, aged 5 and 6, were riding in the 1955 Chevrolet of James Overton, their uncle, who was driving eastward on Louisiana Highway 10 at a speed of about 40 mph. This highway is black-topped and 18 feet in width. The road surface was slick and slippery.
Immediately before the accident, defendant Frazier's 2 ton Dodge truck-van, loaded with 9,000 lbs. of milk, turned right (westward) onto the main highway from a private driveway on the north side of the highway. Perceiving the entrance of the big truck onto the highway, Overton applied the brakes of his car, which went into a skid and crashed into Frazier's truck, destroying Overton's automobile and causing serious personal injuries to his young passengers.
Able counsel for defendant has succinctly and correctly stated in his brief the factual issue as follows: "The sole question, from the standpoint of liability, is whether Frazier, in making a right turn out of the Rollins' driveway [onto the highway], kept to his own right lane or drove partially over into the lane for opposing traffic" (upon which latter lane Overton's car was approaching.)
Whether or not the actual impact occurred on the north (or Frazier's, i. e., defendants') lane, or on the south (or Overton's, i. e., plaintiff's) lane — if defendant Frazier's slow-moving truck was crossing over into and obstructing Over-ton's lane immediately in the path of his car, even though only momentarily, the District Court could properly find that this action of Frazier negligently created a sudden emergency and is a proximate cause of this accident; Overton's improvident action in applying the brakes in response to this emergency suddenly created by defendant is then deemed to be a consequence of defendant's initial negligence. Lofton v. Cottingham, La.App. 2 Cir., 172 So. 377. See also LSA-R.S. 32:237, subd. E; McMorris v. Webb, La.App. 1 Cir., 67 So.2d 146; Dickinson v. Long Springs Lumber Company, La.App. 2 Cir., 32 So.2d 407. (Whether Overton's speed or lookout contributed to the accident is immaterial to this inquiry, since his negligence — if any— is not imputed to these children passengers).
If, on the other hand, the application of the brakes by plaintiff's driver and the consequent skid and loss of control resulted, not from defendant Frazier suddenly proceeding to obstruct plaintiff's lane, but instead from plaintiff's driver's unreasonably based and unrealized fear that Frazier's truck might obstruct his passage, then defendant Frazier's actions created no sudden emergency, as plaintiff's driver's path was unobstructed "other than by his naked anticipation of a possible collision," Commercial Standard Insurance Company v. Johnson, 228 La. 273, 82 So.2d 8, at page 9. See Nicolle v. Gayden, La.App. 1 Cir., 83 So.2d 680. The duty of a driver intending to enter the main highway from a private driveway does not require him to desist from making his entry so long as any traffic is in sight; his duty is only not to make the entry so as to obstruct the passage of highway traffic approaching from either side.
The District Court found that a proximate cause of the accident was Frazier's entry upon the highway from his private driveway so as to cause a sudden emergency, and further found that the actual impact had occurred on Overton's side of the highway onto which the body of the truck had projected. Considering plaintiff's driver's testimony (accepted by the trial court) that the big milk truck pulled out to cross the center of the highway when plaintiff's car (proceeding at a speed of 40 mph or 58.4 feet per second) had passed the "40 mph" sign 300' west of the Rollins' driveway, we think the District Court correctly found that plaintiff's driver was faced with an emergency of defendant's creation, since the huge truck slowly moving was blocking or about to block a portion of plaintiff's lane of the highway when plaintiff's car was just five seconds distant therefrom.
The crux of the District Court's factual finding is its oral comment at conclusion of the evidence, Tr-143, "I believe that it is an impossibility to drive a two-ton truck loaded with 9,000 lbs. into that highway, without going over the yellow line I furthermore don't see how it would be possible for the driver of this truck, Mr. Frazier, to drive a big truck of this nature, out into the driveway [highway] and park it 12 or 15 feet [from the driveway], however the distance may have been, without having gone out into that highway."
We do not believe this finding to be manifestly erroneous. The driveway was very steep with a 20° grade, and it was not possible to get a good view of oncoming traffic until the milk truck came up to the very lip of the highway; the body of the milk truck was 7 ft. 10" in width, whereas the highway 18 feet wide, with 4' shoulders on both sides bounded by a deep ditch.
While defendant claims with some justification that the District Court should not have taken into consideration his personal knowledge of the steep incline and of the impossibility of a heavily loaded truck of making the turn without encroaching onto plaintiff's lane, we believe that the District Court's finding is as it stated sufficiently supported by the evidence in the record.
The substance of this testimony is that it would be most difficult to accomplish such a turn from this particular driveway without going across the center of the highway. R. J. Rollins, called by defendant, frankly stated that as to making a sharp turn to the highway, while it was not impossible, "chances are with a load on it, you just wouldn't try on it." (Tr-140). (See also testimony of Hogge, Tr-51, et seq.; testimony of Frazier, e. g. Tr-102.)
Defendant Frazier himself indicated the difficulty of this maneuver in his explanation that to accomplish same he would "pull over east [left] as far as I can and then turned back this way (indicating) so I won't have to get over the center of the road", Tr-92, which maneuver of turning to the left and then turning back to the right is not corroborated by the testimony of any other individual. While Mr. Frazier testified positively that he never came closer than 3 feet to the center of the road, he also testified "I drove up slow, come up maybe at 5 miles an hour. I figured I could come out on the road good, you could see good there, and you could always pass me on the other side, even if I went over the line,'3 Tr-101.
Considering that the back portion or van of the truck projected beyond the cab, the District Court may have thought unlikely either that the defendant Frazier driving the truck, or his 16-year old employee sit ting on the right (or far) side of the cab, actually knew whether or not the rear portion of the truck has projected over the center portion of the highway, despite their testimony that it had not done so. In any case, we do not believe erroneous the District Court's disregard of such testimony, and the acceptance of the contrary testimony of Overton.
The most impressive support of defendants' contention is the testimony of Mrs. Rollins that she' saw the red clay tracks of the Frazier truck immediately following the accident, and noted that they had not crossed the center of the highway. The District Court, paying tribute to the good character of Mrs. Rollins, commented that it was inclined to believe that in the excitement over the serious injuries sustained by the two little boys, Mrs. Rollins had not correctly noted the location of such tracks. (For instance, her husband failed in the excitement to note such location.) Also, the sole effect of this testimony is that the wheels of the truck did not project over the center line, not that the projecting truck body did not do so.
As noted by the District Court, the location of Overton's car immediately after the accident nearly in the south ditch directly across the highway from the Frazier truck, rather than further down the road in the direction it had been skidding before the impact, tends to corroborate Overton's version of the accident rather than Frazier's.
Defendant argues very seriously that defendant Frazier could have made his turn going on the highway from wings or flanges on both sides of the driveway, by cutting right across the wings. While Frazier on direct examination indicated that he turned left, and then right to make the turn, (Tr-92), on cross-examination he somewhat shifted his position and indicated that "if you make a swing out to your right, then you don't have to get out in the middle of the road at all," Tr-102.
In view of the preponderate testimony that such a sharp turn would not ordinarily be attempted on this steep driveway and the District Court's acceptance of Overton's, testimony that the defendant's truck did actually cross over the center of the line, we are unable to find manifestly erroneous the District Court's determination that the accident was caused through the creation of a sudden emergency by Frazier's negligently turning from a private driveway to encroach and actually encroaching over into the highway lane reserved for opposing traffic such as Overton's car.
Quantum.
Alternatively to its plea for reversal of the judgment below, defendant urges that the amounts awarded by the District Court of $8,500 to James Edward Higginbotham, and $6,500 to Ernest Leon Higginbotham, Jr., are excessive. (Both parties stipulated as correct the amount of $409 awarded Ernest Leon Higginbotham, Sr., father of these two young colored boys, individually for medical expenses incurred on their behalf.)
James Edward Higginbotham, 6 years old, suffered generalized contusions and abrasions with a deep laceration of the right cheek and the upper lip completely into the mouth, and a fractured right collarbone. The latter has healed with a slight non-disabling and non-painful malalignment. Three baby teeth were knocked out, and there is a possibility that the bud of one of James' permanent teeth was injured so as to cause its loss. There is a slight and insignificant scar behind the right knee. James was stunned and shocked by the accident, was hospitalized for 5 days for his injuries, then received outpatient treatment. The most serious element of his damages are the rather extensive scars he received on the right side of his face about the nose and lip, one long healed laceration running from the corner of the lip across the cheek, with a slight swelling on the right side of the face. Due to the forma tion of keloids (lumpy scars, which if excised return in larger form in an estimated 90% of the cases), the medical expert testifying felt it was inadvisable to undertake cosmetic plastic surgery to correct this disfigurement.
Leon Higginbotham, Jr., 5 years of age, suffered severe lacerations about the head; a fractured collar-bone and right rib, both of which are healing satisfactorily without residual; minor abrasions; and a small non-painful particle remains in the tissue under the skin of his left arm. He was hospitalized for S days, for his injuries, then received outpatient treatment. The most serious element of his damages is severe and permanent scarring on both sides of his forehead. Due to possible formation of keloids, the physician testifying believed it inadvisable to attempt cosmetic surgery.
As is usual, defendant cites cases which tend to indicate the amounts awarded are excessive, and plaintiff cites several cases which he argues support the award. The award of damages for personal injuries is of necessity somewhat arbitrary and varies greatly with the facts and circumstances of each case; it is largely left to the discretion of the trial court, the award by which should ordinarily not be disturbed; LSA-Civil Code, Article 1934(3); Franklin v. Arkansas Fuel Oil Company, 218 La. 987, 51 So.2d 600; McGee v. Yazoo & M. V. R. Co., 206 La. 121, 19 So.2d 21.
However, this is somewhat qualified by a doctrine generally announced similarly to the statement found in Thomas v. Great American Indemnity Company, La.App. 2 Cir., 83 So.2d 485, at page 487 as: "Each case is to be determined upon its own facts, with the desire, however, for the attainment of some degree of uniformity in cases-involving similar injuries and disabilities."'
Counsel for plaintiff cites Gillespie v. Louisiana Long Leaf Lumber Company, La.App. 2 Cir., 1938, 185 So. 116 (awarding $2,000 to a young woman for one-inch scar), Sharp v. Kahn, La.App. 1 Cir. 1932, 143 So. 514 ($1,500 for fractured clavicle and other personal injuries), and Kelly v. Neff, La.App. 2 Cir. 1943, 14 So.2d 657 ($2,750 for painful subluxation of left shoulder, which necessitated one surgical operation, which being unsuccessful indicated a second was necessary).
On the other hand, defendant cites Wilson v. Yellow Cab Company, La.App. 2 Cir. 1953, 64 So.2d 463, and various other cases, which upheld awards in the area of $1,500 for keloid facial scars or for injuries which are alleged to be comparable.
The cases for defendant can in general be distinguished on the ground that the injuries are not proven to be as serious or as-disfiguring as those in the present case, or on the ground that the award in question was made at a time when the purchasing power of the dollar was greater. However,, a majority of the Court felt that the authorities cited by plaintiff did not sustain the amount of the lower court's award herein, even taking into consideration the greatly decreased purchasing power of the dollar since those earlier decisions and the individual variations between those cases- and the present.
A majority has determined that the-lower court's awards should be reduced to-$4,500 for James Edward Higginbotham,, and to $3,500 for Ernest Leon Higgin-botham, Jr., in order to be somewhat uniform with awards made in somewhat similar cases, taking into consideration the- various variables involved. See Thomas v. Quatre Parish Company, Inc., La.App. 1 Cir., 38 So.2d 520 (syllabus 4); Maheu v. Employers Liability Assurance Corporation, Ltd., La.App., Orleans, 25 So.2d 363; Hardy v. National Mutual Casualty Company, La.App. 2 Cir., 9 So.2d 346, 347; Pendola v. State, La.App. 1 Cir., 4 So.2d 28 (syllabus 7). See also Burley v. Chase, La.App. 2 Cir., 76 So.2d 593; Bergeron v. Highway Insurance Underwriters, La.App. 1 Cir., 44 So.2d 140, 141; Wiggins v. American Surety Company, La.App. 2 Cir., 41 So.2d 245; Blanchard v. New Orleans Public Service, Inc., La.App., Orleans, 25 So.2d 741; Millet v. Rizzo, La.App. 1 Cir., 2 So.2d 244.
For the above and foregoing reasons, the judgment of the District Court is amended to reduce the award of plaintiff as administrator of the estate of his minor son James Edward Higginbotham to $4,500 and to reduce the award to him as administrator of the estate of his minor son, Ernest Leon Higginbotham, Jr., to $3,500, legal interest to be paid upon these amounts from date of judicial demand until paid; and as thus amended, the lower court judgment herein is affirmed in all other respects.
Amended and affirmed.
. The Wilson ease is defendant's strongest. It sustained an award to a 21 year old Negro of $1,500 for facial scars'with a keloid; growth. However the case specifically commented, "As is so often the case, we find that the record is not sufficiently clear to give us a properly detailed description of the scar and the consequent degree of disfigurement." 64 So.2d 467. The Second Circuit also awarded an additional $300 for plastic surgery to remove the scar, indicating that the. scar was not as permanently disfiguring as are the present scars