Court Opinion

ID: 9402234
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-06-15 16:11:05.959234+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:19:58.574243
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

                  COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

BRITANY          LUCAS       AND         KIM                                                         NO.        2023    CW         0290
RICHARDSON,              SURVIVING                 HEIRS
OF    BRETT       LUCAS,        DECEASED

VERSUS

PROGRESSIVE              COUNTY           MUTUAL
INSURANCE           COMPANY,              LEROY

EAGLIN       AND        COUNTRY           BOY
                                                                                                            JUNE       15,        2023

TRUCKING,           LLC

In    Re:           Leroy        Eaglin              and       Country           Boy     Trucking,              LLC,         applying
                    for        supervisory                   writs,          19th      Judicial             District               Court,

                    Parish           of       East       Baton        Rouge,       No.    711094.

BEFORE:             THERIOT,              CHUTZ,          AND       HESTER,        JJ.

        WRIT            GRANTED.                The        district              court'     s        February                7,         2023
judgment,           which        denied              the       motion        for
                                                                               summary judgment                              filed by
defendants,               Leroy               Eaglin           and     Country   Boy Trucking,                               LLC,            is
reversed.               Motorists                  are     not        the        insurers            of     a     pedestrian'                 s

safety.           Pottinger                   v.      Price,           2019- 0183 (             La.         App.        1st             Cir.

10/ 23/ 19),            289     So. 3d             1047,          1055.      A    pedestrian               has     a     statutory

duty        to    yield        to         traffic              in     the   roadway             in     the       absence                of    a

marked           crosswalk.               La.        R. S.          32: 213( A).  A         pedestrian                  must            also

exercise           reasonable                 care        to      avoid      leaving        a    curb        or    other            place
of     safety           beside           the        roadway           and        walking        into         the       path             of    a

vehicle.           La.       R. S.        32: 212( B).               The      fact       that        an     accident               occurs

does        not    create            a    presumption                 of     negligence              in     favor       of         either

the    pedestrian               or        the       motorist.              Although         a    motorist              commands               a

greater           instrumentality of harm,  a                                     pedestrian               still        bears            the

burden           of proving that the motorist                                    was      negligent before he can
recover           damages.           Saucedo              v.      Safeco         Insurance     Company of Oregon,
2020- 0599 (             La.       App.             1st        Cir.        3/ 11/ 21),          2021         WL     925820, *                 3
 unpublished).

        Here,           we     find           the        defendant/ driver,                Leroy            Eaglin,               did    not

breach           his     duty            of    care          to      the     pedestrian,               Brett           Lucas.            The

evidence           establishes                     the    driver           was     traveling               below       the         posted

speed        limit,          with             functioning              headlights,              and        entirely               in     his
lane    of        travel.       Additionally,                        the     accident       area           was dark and                  the
pedestrian,              who was not walking on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk,
was wearing dark clothing.                                     Moreover,          the     driver           had    no     knowledge
of     the       pedestrian'              s    presence              until        impact.        See        Aetna        Cas.            and

Sur.    Co.        v.    Nero,           425       So. 2d       730,        732- 33 (     La.        1983).        Accordingly,
the     motion            for            summary           judgment              filed      by        defendants,         Leroy
Eaglin            and        Country                 Boy          Trucking,              LLC,         is        granted,                 and

plaintiffs'              claims               against          defendants,               Leroy       Eaglin        and            Country
Boy ' Trucking,              LLC,         are       dismissed.

                                                                     MRT

                                                                     WRC
                                                                      CHH

CO          OF    APPEAL,            FIRST          CIRCUIT

             11UY       CLERK        OF       COURT
                  OR     THE    COURT