Opinion ID: 1856297
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: location of the parish maintenance yard

Text: The location of the parish maintenance yard partially within the clear zone of the highway, and the maintenance yard's encroachment on the DOTD's 90 foot right of way for the highway in violation of AASHTO standards does not mandate liability unless it was a cause in fact of the accident. See, e.g., Mart v. Hill, 505 So.2d 1120 (La.1987). We initially note that the Scheeler vehicle struck only the left rear corner of the dump truck, and it did not strike any portion of the maintenance yard. There is no evidence in the record that the distance between the maintenance yard and the highway had any effect on this accident. We find no support in the record for a conclusion that the location of the maintenance yard further back from the highway would have prevented the accident. Such a conclusion would be speculative and unreasonably stretches causation. This is especially true since the record shows that Couture could have pulled the dump truck further from the road, but that he chose to park on the shoulder. Accordingly, we hold that the Parish and the DOTD are not liable for the placement of the parish maintenance yard within the highway right of way.