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Anthony W. Nance and Brandon Nance v. Christopher H. Strunk
I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE
EASTERN SECTI ON FILED June 6, 1997
Cecil Crowson, Jr. Appellate C ourt Clerk
ANTHONY W NANCE, . ) C/ A NO. 03A01- 9701- CV- 00037 a n d BRANDON NANCE, ) ) CAMPBELL CI RCUI T Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l a nt s , ) ) HON. CONRAD E. TROUTMAN, J R. , v. ) J UDGE ) CHRI STOPHER H. STRUNK, ) AFFI RMED I N PART, ) REVERSED I N PART, De f e nda nt - Appe l l e e . ) AND REM ANDED
VI C PRYOR, BASI STA, PRYOR & BALLOFF, J a c ks bor o, f or Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l a nt s .
DANI EL M GASS, O’ NEI L, PARKER & W LLI AM . I SON, Knoxvi l l e , f or De f e nd a nt - Appe l l e e .
DENNI S L. BABB a nd VONDA M LAUGHLI N, BUTLER, VI NES & BABB, . Kn o x v i l l e , f or De f e nda nt - Appe l l e e , Gua r a nt y Na t i ona l I ns ur a n c e Co mp a n y.
O P I N I O N
Fr a nks . J .
I n t hi s a c t i on a r i s i ng f r om a mot or ve hi c l e a c c i d e nt , t he de f e nda nt s we r e gr a nt e d s umma r y j udgme nt a nd p l a i n t i f f s h a ve a ppe a l e d.
An a c c i de nt o c c ur r e d be t we e n a mot or ve hi c l e dr i ve n b y p l a i nt i f f Na nc e a nd a t r uc k dr i ve n by de f e nda nt St r unk. Ta k i n g t he e vi de nc e mos t f a vor a bl e t o pl a i nt i f f s , bot h *2 v e h i c l e s we r e t r a ve l i ng nor t h on I nt e r s t a t e 75, t hr ough t he J el l i co Mount a i ns . Pl a i nt i f f wa s dr i vi ng hi s e mpt y f l a t be d t r a c t or t r a i l e r i n t he l e f t l a ne a t a r a t e of a ppr oxi ma t e l y 60 mp h , whe n a gr e y s t a t i on wa gon s udde nl y s we r ve d i n f r ont of h i m, c a us i ng hi m t o move i nt o t he r i ght l a ne t o a voi d t ha t ve hi c l e . De f e nda nt St r unk’ s t r uc k wa s t r a ve l i ng i n t he r i g h t l a n e a t a ppr oxi ma t e l y 10 t o 15 mi l e s pe r hour , a nd pl a i nt i f f ’ s v e h i c l e c ol l i de d wi t h t he r e a r of St r unk’ s t r uc k.
St r unk s t a t e s t ha t he wa s t r a ve l i ng 40 t o 45 mi l e s p e r h o ur a nd ne ve r s a w t he gr e y s t a t i on wa gon i n t he vi c i ni t y , a n d t ha t pl a i nt i f f ’ s ve hi c l e s i mpl y c a me ba r r e l i ng up t he r i g h t l a ne a nd r e a r - e nde d hi m. The dr i ve r of t he gr e y ve hi c l e h a s n e ve r be e n i de nt i f i e d or f ound.
I n p l a i nt i f f ’ s s ui t a ga i ns t De f e nda nt , p l a i nt i f f a l l e g e d t ha t de f e nda nt wa s t r a ve l i ng a t s uc h a n unr e a s ona bl y l o w r a t e of s pe e d s o a s t o i mpe de t r a f f i c on t he hi ghwa y i n v i o l a t i on of T. C. A. §55- 8- 154 a nd hi s ne gl i ge nc e wa s a p r o x i ma t e c a us e of t he a c c i de nt . Re s pondi ng t o de f e nda nt ’ s mo t i o n f or s umma r y j udgme nt , t he Tr i a l Cour t gr a nt e d s umma r y j u d g me nt on t he ba s i s t ha t t he pr oxi ma t e c a us e of t he a c c i d e n t wa s t h e ne gl i ge nt ope r a t i on of t he gr e y mot or ve hi c l e .
Summa r y j udgme nt i s r e vi e we d wi t hout a t t a c hi ng a ny
p r e s u mpt i on of c or r e c t ne s s t o t he j udgme nt . M Cal l v . W l de r , c i
9 1 3 S. W 2d 150, 153 ( Te nn. 1995) . . Summa r y j udgme nt i s
a p p r o p r i a t e whe n, vi e wi ng a l l e vi de nc e a nd i nf e r e nc e s i n t h e l i g h t mos t f a vor a bl e t o t he non- movi ng pa r t y, t he r e a r e no d i s p u t e d i s s ue s of ma t e r i a l f a c t a nd t he movi ng pa r t y i s e n t i t l e d t o j udgme nt a s a ma t t e r of l a w. By r d v . Hal l , 847
S. W 2 d 208 ( Te nn. 1993) . .
The s t a t ut e pl e d i n t hi s c a s e r e a ds i n pe r t i ne nt pa r t :
M ni m i um s pe e d r e gul at i on - Tur nout s - Pas s i ng bay s - Pe nal t i e s . - ( a ) No pe r s on s ha l l dr i ve a mot or ve hi c l e a t s uc h a s l ow s pe e d a s t o i mpe de t he nor ma l a nd r e a s ona bl e move me nt of t r a f f i c , e xc e pt whe n r e duc e d s pe e d i s ne c e s s a r y f or s a f e ope r a t i on or i n c ompl i a nc e wi t h t he l a w. . . .
T. C. A. § 55- 8- 154( a ) .
Thi s s t a t ut e i s c i t e d i n onl y t wo Te nne s s e e c a s e s , n e i t h e r of whi c h ma de a ny e xpl i c i t de t e r mi na t i on of wha t
c o n s t i t ut e s a v i ol a t i on of t he s t a t ut e . 1. W t s v . W l k e r s on at i
u p h e l d a j ur y ve r di c t f i ndi ng t he s l ow dr i ve r 40% a t f a ul t f o r a n a c c i de nt . Thi s f i ndi ng of l i a bi l i t y i s c ons i s t e nt wi t h c a s e s i nvol vi ng s i mi l a r s t a t ut e s i n ot he r s t a t e s , whi c h ha v e h e l d a que s t i on of whe t he r s uc h a s t a t ut e ha s be e n vi ol a t e d a n d whe t he r s uc h vi ol a t i on c ons t i t ut e s t he ne gl i ge nt pr oxi ma t e c a u s i n g or c ont r i but i ng t o a n a c c i de nt i s f or t he j ur y. 66 A. L. R. 2d 1194; e . g . , Gr i f f i n v . I l l i noi s Be l l Te l e phone Co . , 1 8 0 N. E. 2d 228, 230 ( I l l . Ct . App. 1962) ; Fonv i l l e v . Di x on,
1 9 3 S. E. 2d 406 ( N. C. Ct . App. 1972) ; Le o v . Adams , 208 N. W 2 d .
7 0 6 ( S. D. 1973) ; M na v . Boi s e Cas c ade Cor p. , 681 P. 2d 880 , i
8 8 4 ( W s h. Ct . App. 1984) . a The s e c a s e s a c knowl e dge t ha t
?d a wd l e r s , a s we l l a s s pe e de r s , c a n be c ome a me na c e t o t he
s a f e t y o f t he i r f e l l ow mot or i s t s . ? Che e k v . W i s s , 615 S. W 2 d e .
1 S e e Ca r r v . Oz b u r n - He s s e y S t o r a g e Co . , 1 9 9 6 W 3 8 3 2 9 5 ( Te n n . Ap p . L 1996) . I n Ca r r , p l a i n t i f f r e a r - e n d e d d e f e n d a n t , wh o h a d j u s t t u r n e d o n t o t h e h i g h wa y f r o m a n i n t e r s e c t i o n . Th e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s s p e e d , wh i c h wa s n o t d i s p u t e d - 2 0 mp h - wa s n o t d i r e c t l y a d d r e s s e d b y t h e Co u r t . Al t h o u g h t h e Co u r t ma y h a v e ma d e a n i mp l i c i t j u d g me n t t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t wa s n o t d r i v i n g i n v i o l a t i o n o f t h e s t a t u t e , t h e b a s i s u p o n wh i c h t h e s u mma r y j u d g me n t wa s u p h e l d wa s t h a t a n e x a mi n a t i o n o f t h e c i r c u ms t a n c e s s u r r o u n d i n g t h e a c c i d e n t s u p p o r t e d f i n d i n g p l a i n t i f f mo r e t h a n 5 0 % a t f a u l t i n t h e a c c i d e n t .
Th e o t h e r c a s e i s Wa t t s v . Wi l k e r s o n , 1 9 9 4 W 8 5 9 5 1 ( Te n n . Ap p . L 1994) .
4 5 3 , 458 ( M Ct . App. 198 1) , quot i ng Laf f e r t y v . W t l e , 349 o. at
S. W 2 d 519, 528 ( M Ct . App. 1961) . . o.
The s pe e d of t he de f e nda nt ’ s ve hi c l e i s a n i s s ue o f d i s p u t e d ma t e r i a l f a c t , a s i t be a r s on whe t he r t he s t a t ut e wa s v i o l a t e d a nd whe t he r s uc h vi ol a t i on, i f a ny, c ont r i but e d t o t h e pr oxi ma t e c a us e of t he a c c i de nt . Pr oxi ma t e c a us a t i on i s t o b e de t e r mi ne d by t he t r i e r of f a c t , unl e s s a l l r e a s ona bl e
p e r s o n s woul d a gr e e on t he pr ope r out c ome . Se e M Cl e nahan v . c
Co o l e y , 806 S. W 2d 767 ( Te nn. 1991) . . Ac c or di ngl y, we va c a t e
s u mma r y j udgme nt on be ha l f of t he s e de f e nda nt s a nd r e ma nd f o r f u r t h e r pr oc e e di ngs c ons i s t e nt wi t h t hi s opi ni on.
Pl a i nt i f f a l s o f i l e d t hi s a c t i on a ga i ns t hi s i ns u r e r u n d e r t he uni ns ur e d a nd unde r i ns ur e d mot or ve hi c l e c ove r a ge
s t a t ut e . W n t he owne r or ope r a t or of a ve hi c l e whi c h c a u s e s he
b o d i l y i nj ur y or pr ope r t y da ma ge i s unknown, t he i ns ur e d c a n o n l y r e c ove r i f :
( A) Ac t ua l p hy s i c a l c ont a c t s ha l l ha ve oc c ur r e d be t we e n t he mot or ve hi c l e owne d or ope r a t e d by s u c h unknown pe r s on a nd t he pe r s on or pr ope r t y of t he i ns ur e d; or ( B) The e xi s t e nc e of s uc h unknown mot or i s t i s e s t a bl i s he d by c l e a r a nd c onvi nc i ng e vi de nc e , ot he r t ha n a ny e vi de nc e pr ovi de d by oc c upa nt s i n t he i ns ur e d ve hi c l e .
T. C. A. §56- 7- 1201( e ) ( 1) . The onl y e vi de nc e i n t he r e c or d a s t o t h e e xi s t e nc e of t he gr e y ve hi c l e c ome s f r om t he t wo o c c u p a nt s of pl a i nt i f f s ’ ve hi c l e . The c ondi t i ons r e qui r e d b y t h e s t a t ut e ha ve not be e n e s t a bl i s he d i n t hi s c a s e a nd s umma r y j u d g me nt wa s a ppr opr i a t e on t he i s s ue of uni ns ur e d mot or i s t
c ov e r a ge . Car di n v . Ca mpbe l l , 920 S. W 2d 222 ( Te nn. App. .
1995) . Howe ve r , t he c l a i m a ga i ns t t he i ns ur a nc e c a r r i e r r e l a t i ng t o t he unde r i n s ur e d pr ovi s i on of pl a i nt i f f s ’ pol i c y wi l l b e r e i ns t a t e d b e c a us e t he a c t i on ha s be e n r e i ns t a t e d a s *5 t o t h e r e ma i ni ng de f e nda nt s .
The c os t o f t h e a ppe a l i s a s s e s s e d t o de f e nda nt a nd t h e c a us e r e ma nde d.
________________________ He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J .
CONCUR:
_ _ _ _ _ ______________________ Ho u s t o n M Godda r d, P. J . .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _____________________ Do n T. M M r a y, J . c ur
I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE
EASTERN SECTI ON FILED June 6, 1997
Cecil Crowson, Jr. Appellate C ourt Clerk
ANTHONY W NANCE, . ) C/ A NO. 03A01- 9701- CV- 00037 a n d BRANDON NANCE, ) ) CAM PBELL CI RCUI T Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l a nt s , ) ) v. ) ) CHRI STOPHER H. STRUNK, ) ) De f e nda nt - Appe l l e e . )
O R D E R
Thi s c a us e wa s r e gul a r l y he a r d a nd c ons i de r e d by t h e c our t . I T I S NOW ORDERED t ha t t he j udgme nt of t he Tr i a l Co u r t i s a f f i r me d i n p a r t , r e ve r s e d i n pa r t , a nd t he c a us e r e ma nd e d. Th e c o s t s of a ppe a l a r e a dj udge d t o de f e nda nt , f or whi c h e xe c ut i on ma y i s s ue i f ne c e s s a r y.