Court Opinion

ID: 9854906
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:16:23.390857+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:35.850808
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
dissenting.
When this case was first before this court, I concurred in the judgment only. Upon motion for rehearing, I am voting for said motion and I am dissenting from the majority opinion.
The question involved here is whether the 4-year limitation or 2-year limitation applies to certain items sued for including medical expenses, etc. and lost wages.
I had overlooked a full-bench decision holding that such items are controlled, not by the 2-year limitation, but by the 4-year limitation. See Pinkerton &c. Agency v. Stevens, 108 Ga. App. 159 (132 SE2d 119). In the cited case all nine judges voted for the decision and for the opinion. It is older than any of the cases relied on by the majority opinion, and must be followed under the rule of stare decisis, until it is overruled by a full bench of nine judges. See Code Ann. § 24-3501; Basil v. State, 22 Ga. App. 765 (1b) (97 SE 259); Humthlett v. Reeves, 211 Ga. 210, at 216 (85 SE2d 25).
I do not overlook the wild and woolly decision of the Supreme Court in Hall v. Hopper, 234 Ga. 625, 631 (216 SE2d 839), wherein stare decisis and "oldest full-bench decision” are given rough treatment, and it is held that "the justice of the case” must control. If we apply Hall v. Hopper to this case (Heaven forbid!), then the "justice of this case” would still demand that the 4-year statute of limitation be applied in this case.
Therefore, I vote to reverse the lower court, and *770respectfully dissent from the majority opinion.