Opinion ID: 1839315
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: the trial court erred in granting instruction p-13.

Text: The entire case was tried upon the sole issue of identification of the truck from whence the tire and rim were charged to have come. There was no evidence as to where the tire was secured or whether or not it was loose without any lashings. There is no evidence of the manner in which the truck driver was negligent. Appellee borders upon the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, which was not developed. The appellees must prove by competent evidence the negligent act or acts which contributed to or caused the tort. J.C. Penney Co. v. Sumrall, 318 So.2d 829 (Miss. 1975); Callender v. Cockrell, 217 So.2d 643 (Miss. 1969). Instruction P-13 follows: The Court instructs the jury that if you find from a preponderance of the evidence that: 1. On the morning of July 28, 1982, a truck owned, maintained and/or driven by the Defendants James Rucker, Udell Stubbs Trucking Company, and Magna Corporation (formerly Mississippi Steel Company) was carrying a spare tire which was not properly tied down and/or secured to the truck, and as a proximate result of the negligent actions or inactions, if any, of said Defendants, the tire bounced freely off the truck and collided into the car in which Charles Edward Hopkins was a passenger; and/or 2. Any such acts or failure to act were the sole and proximate cause or contributing cause of the death of Charles Edward Hopkins; Then and in that event, the Defendants were guilty of negligence and it is your sworn duty so to find and the verdict shall be for the Plaintiff, Brenda Faye Hopkins, widow of Charles Edward Hopkins, deceased. As discussed above, it is questionable whether this instruction followed the evidence. There was no evidence as to how the tire was secured, or whether it was, except for the testimony of Harry Hopkins, who said that the tire was on top of the steel and fell off onto the automobile (this testimony was contradicted). On retrial, proper instructions following the evidence may be granted.