Court Opinion

ID: 9578315
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:43:59.731623+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:25:30.991705
License: Public Domain

Stolz, Judge,
dissenting. The movant’s affidavits affirmatively show: (1) that the truck was to be used only upon service and emergency calls in accordance with Randall Brothers, Inc.’s company policy; (2) that this policy was made known to the employee; and (3) that the employee had not requested, and did not have, the employer’s permission to drive the truck to DeKalb General Hospital at the time in question. In what particular manner the company policy was communicated to the employee, is irrelevant, since there is no countershowing that he had no notice of such policy. Conceding that a major deviation from the permissive use granted was necessary to avoid coverage, as the majority holds, I believe that such major deviation is shown as a matter of law not only by the movant’s affidavits, but by the fact that the hospital is on the eastern side of metropolitan Atlanta, whereas both the place of employment and the Smyrna home of the employee are on the opposite, or western, side of the city— about as far out of the way as it was possible to go! Speculation as to whether the employee had implied permission to go home by a somewhat longer route to make incidental stops, is unnecessary in view of the fact, appearing without contradiction, that the accident occurred while the truck was being operated in a direction approximately 180 degrees and clear across town from the route from his place of employment to his home.
*866There was no conflict in the evidence and all reasonable deductions and inferences therefrom and, in my opinion, the appellant movant carried the burden of proof that the use of the vehicle was a major deviation from the permissive use granted. I respectfully dissent from the affirmance of the overruling of the insurer’s motion for summary judgment.
I am authorized to state that Chief Judge Bell and Judges Quillian and Clark concur in this dissent.