Opinion ID: 1610222
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether it was error to grant a directed verdict in favor of singletary on the issue of negligent entrustment.

Text: ¶ 15. Negligent entrustment is a theory of liability which may be summarized as follows: One who supplies directly or through a third person a chattel for use of another whom the supplier knows or has reason to know to be likely because of his youth, inexperience, or otherwise, to use it in a manner involving unreasonable risk of physical harm to himself and others whom the supplier should expect to share in or be endangered by its use, is subject to liability for physical harm resulting to them. Sligh v. First Nat. Bank of Holmes County, 735 So.2d 963, 968-69 (Miss.1999). ¶ 16. Powe was twenty-five years old at the time of the accident. Although he had not previously driven Singletary's boat, he testified that he had prior experience driving power boats, sailboats and john-boats. Evidence supporting the circuit court's denial of the instruction was the fact that Powe had prior boating experience. Furthermore, no evidence was submitted which showed that Singletary had knowledge that Powe's knee could buckle under. Clearly the foreseeability element is not met. Thus, Singletary cannot be held accountable under a theory of negligent entrustment. We affirm the circuit court's decision to direct a verdict in favor of Singletary on negligent entrustment.