ÿWPC† …# VUFa %§ 0@­4í n­ w@½ ý  0J 0TU 0^© 0h 0ro 0|á 0†] 0ã 1us U,è 0dU,xU6¤B)ÚDC BF AMcU*°CÚv~ D3›vÓÎ 0@¡ AOáÆ0 0Dö D/: Bi˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 <¾½Q 9Z ‹.Courier New RegularX(ù$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ  Óà~| ¡Ó 3|xº«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXXxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@ ¦§¨E©ª«D¬­D®¯Ó€H2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d####7Border 1dd d€-$Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial 9Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€'ÔÔ€'ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€'XÔÌÌò òApril€26,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€'ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@%%%%'ÿÿdxdStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA:Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA:Op Monaco Ò("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€!!X„d&ÓÑ#€!!Xd#ÑÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑ ¸ ÑÑ Ü ÑÓ ` Ü‹XÝ"€%ŽX ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€‰¯XXdÖXXdÖ7ÑÙ€€ÙßL€&($;+'h|` Å `€€Lß›à@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ` è` ˜XÓLILLIAN€H.€EDWARDS,€€€€€€€€€€€)à àBRADLEYÏCIRCUITÌÓ ` Ü‹XÝ"€%ŽX Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9512„CV„00457Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellant€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€EARLE€G.€MURPHYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌJASON€ALAN€MILLER,€€€€€€€€€€€€)€à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€)ÌÌÌÌÌJAMES€S.€THOMPSON,€Logan,€Thompson,€Miller,€œBilbo›,€Thompson€&ÏFisher,€P.C.,€Cleveland,€for€the€Appellant.ÌÌÌPAUL€H.€DIETRICH,€Dietrich,€Dietrich€&€Powers,€Cleveland,€for€theÏAppellee.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌà€ àMcMurray,€J.ÌÌà àThis€case€arose€out€of€an€automobile€accident.€€The€plain…tiff,€a€pedestrian,€was€struck€by€a€car€being€driven€by€the€defen…dant.€€At€the€close€of€the€plaintiff's€proof,€the€court€directed€aÏverdict€in€favor€of€the€defendant€thereby€giving€rise€to€thisÏappeal.€€We€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àThe€facts,€as€demonstrated€by€the€evidence€in€this€case,€areÏthat€all€the€parties€had€attended€a€baccalaureate€ceremony€andÏreception€at€Lee€College.€€At€the€time€of€the€accident,€it€wasÏraining€and€dark€or€"dusky"€dark.€€The€defendant€was€driving€aÏ1988€model€Ford€Escort€automobile€on€the€right€side€of€the€streetÏwhere€the€accident€occurred.€€He€stated€that€he€was€well€withinÏhis€side€of€the€road€and€never€left€the€roadway.€€€His€speed€wasÏestimated€to€be€between€five€and€ten€miles€per€hour.€€He€had€theÏheadlights€of€his€car€on.ÌÌà àThe€plaintiff€was€walking€on€the€right€side€of€the€streetÏwhere€the€accident€occurred.€€She€was€walking€along€the€side€ofÏthe€road€facing€oncoming€œtraffic›€and€wearing€a€"cream„colored"Ïrain€coat.€€She€was€struck€by€the€vehicle€being€driven€by€theÏdefendant.€€There€were€no€witnesses€who€actually€saw€the€accidentÏhappen.€The€plaintiff€has€no€memory€of€how€the€accident€occurred.ÌÌà àThe€defendant€testified€that€he€was€traveling€up€the€streetÏpreparing€to€turn€left€into€the€"dorm."€€There€had€been€a€car€inÏfront€of€him€"who€had€already€turned€in€up€the€road€and€one€thatÏhad€just€come€in€the€other€direction€that€had€just€passed€me.€€AndÏas€I€was€about€to€turn,€just€in€a€flash,€I€see€a€shadow€and€hear€aÏnoise.€€And€I€slammed€on€my€brakes€and€stopped€dead€in€the€road."ÌÌà àThe€plaintiff,€Ms.€Edwards,€was€found€lying€on€her€back€withÏher€head€on€the€road€and€her€feet€in€the€ditch€located€along€theÏside€of€the€road.€€Ms.€Edwards€suffered€a€broken€leg€as€a€resultÏof€the€accident.€€The€bone€was€broken€about€three€inches€below€theÏknee.€€The€plaintiff's€daughter,€Judith€Duncan,€testified€that€sheÏhad€measured€the€distance€from€the€ground€to€the€plaintiff'sÍkneecap€with€the€plaintiff€wearing€the€same€shoes€that€she€wasÏwearing€at€the€time€of€the€accident.€€The€measurement€was€nineteenÏand€one„half€inches.€€It€was€further€shown€that€from€the€ground€toÏthe€right€front€bumper€of€a€1988€Ford€Escort€four„door€sedan€wasÏmeasured€to€be€sixteen€to€twenty„two€inches.ÌÌà àFrom€these€facts,€the€plaintiff€seeks€to€have€the€court€inferÏthat€the€defendant€was€not€keeping€a€proper€lookout€ahead€and€thatÏthe€measurements€of€the€distance€from€the€ground€to€the€plain…tiff's€€kneecap€and€the€distance€between€the€ground€and€the€frontÏbumper€of€€a€Ford€Escort€automobile,€being€consistent€with€theÏbreak€in€the€plaintiff's€leg,€gives€rise€to€a€conclusion€that€theÏbumper€struck€the€plaintiff.ÌÌà àThe€plaintiff€tenders€the€following€issues€for€our€review:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà0 àà à1.à àDid€the€court€err€in€granting€the€defendant'sÏmotion€for€a€directed€verdict,€at€the€close€of€theÏplaintiff's€proof?ÌÌà8 àà0 àà à2.à àDid€the€court€err€in€refusing€to€allow€an€investiƒgator,€employed€by€the€plaintiff's€law€firm,€toÏtestify€to€matters€believed€to€be€uncontested€andÏundisputed?ÌÌÓÓÌà àThe€standards€governing€trial€courts€in€ruling€on€motions€forÏdirected€verdicts€in€negligence€cases€are€well€established.€InÏruling€on€the€motion,€the€court€must€take€the€strongest€legitimateÏview€of€the€evidence€in€favor€of€the€non„moving€party.€In€otherÏwords,€the€court€must€remove€any€conflict€in€the€evidence€byÏconstruing€it€in€the€light€most€favorable€to€the€non„movant€andÏdiscarding€all€countervailing€evidence.€The€court€may€grant€theÏmotion€only€if,€after€assessing€the€evidence€according€to€theÏforegoing€standards,€it€determines€that€reasonable€minds€could€notÏdiffer€as€to€the€conclusions€to€be€drawn€from€the€evidence.€òòSaulsÏv.€Evansóó,€635€S.W.2d€377€(Tenn.€1982);€òòHolmes€v.€Wilsonóó,€551ÏS.W.2d€682€(Tenn.€1977).€If€there€is€any€doubt€as€to€the€properÏconclusions€to€be€drawn€from€the€evidence,€the€motion€must€beÏdenied.€€òòœCrosslin›€v.€œAlsup›óó,€594€S.W.2d€379€(Tenn.€1980).€€òòEaton€v.ÏœMcLain›óó,€891€S.W.2d€587,€590€(Tenn.€1994).ÌÌà àIn€viewing€the€entire€evidence€presented€in€this€case€asÏrequired€by€the€above€rule,€we€conclude€that€reasonable€mindsÏcould€not€determine,€absent€pure€speculation,€how€the€accidentÍhappened€or€who,€if€anyone,€was€guilty€of€actionable€neligence.€ÏThe€facts€viewed€in€the€light€most€favorable€to€the€plaintiff€doÏnot€rise€to€the€level€that€the€inferences€sought€to€be€drawn€byÏthe€plaintiff€€can€œreasonably›€be€œdone.Ì›œÌÓÓ›œà8 àà àVerdicts›€cannot€rest€on€conjecture€or€surmise.€ÏWith€no€evidence€to€the€contrary€as€to€the€locus€of€theÏ[injured€party]€immediately€prior€to€[the]€injury,€andÏunder€the€applicable€rule€of€law,€we€hold€that€plaintiffÏhas€failed€to€sustain€the€pleaded€negligence€*€*€*.€...ÏFinally,€it€is€well€to€recall€the€rule€that€negligenceÏcannot€be€inferred€from€the€mere€fact€of€the€occurrenceÏof€the€injury€alone.€€In€òòœNichols›€v.€Smithóó,€21€Tenn.€App.Ï478,€111€S.W.2d€œ911€(1937),€an›€admission€by€the€driverÏof€a€motor€vehicle€that€he€did€not€see€the€deceasedÏuntil€the€latter€was€on€the€hood€of€the€vehicle€was€notÏevidence€that€he€was€not€maintaining€a€proper€lookout,Ïin€the€absence€of€any€evidence€that€the€deceased€ap…peared€in€front€of€the€truck€at€a€distance€and€in€such€aÏposition€that€he€could€have€been€seen€by€the€œdriver.›œÌ›œÌ›€€òòWilliams€v.€Jordanóó,€346€S.W.2d€583€(Tenn.€œ1961).Ì›œÌÓÓ›œÌ›€€Further,€it€is€well„settled€that€the€mere€fact€that€an€accidentÏresulted€in€an€injury€to€a€plaintiff€does€not€raise€a€presumptionÏthat€a€defendant€was€guilty€of€negligence€for€the€reason€thatÏnegligence€is€never€presumed€from€the€mere€happening€of€an€acci…dent.€òòCity€of€œKnoxville,›€Tennessee€v.€Baileyóó,€222€F.2d€520€(œ6th›ÍCir.€œ1955).›œ€€"Negligence›€cannot€be€inferred€merely€from€the€factÏof€[an€accident]...€.€€The€burden€is€on€the€plaintiff€to€estab…lish,€by€proof,€that€negligence€did€exist."€òòSouthern€œRy›.€Co.€v.ÏœDerr›óó,€240€F.€73,€74€(œ6th›€Cir.€1917).€"The€happening€of€an€accidentÏwhich€results€in€injury€to€a€person€does€not€of€itself€constituteÏactionable€negligence."€òòCombs€v.€Rogersóó,€60€Tenn.€App.€689,€450ÏS.W.2d€605€(1969).ÌÌà àWe€concur€with€the€trial€court€that€the€plaintiff€did€notÏestablish€a€prima€facie€case.€€Accordingly,€a€directed€verdict€wasÏappropriate.ÌÌà àAs€to€the€second€issue,€we€are€somewhat€at€a€loss€to€explainÏthe€necessity€of€eliciting€testimony€on€any€issue€that€is€unƒcontested€or€undisputed.€€In€any€event,€we€will€examine€the€pro…priety€of€the€trial€court's€action€in€excluding€the€testimony€ofÏan€investigator€employed€by€the€plaintiff's€law€firm.€€The€recordÏdiscloses€the€following€colloquy€between€counsel€and€the€court:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àMR.€DIETRICH:à àYour€Honor,€at€this€time€I'm€goingÏto€have€to€impose€an€objection.€€I€know€that€Mr.€BottsÍworks€for€Mr.€Thompson.€€He€said€that€in€his€openingÏstatement,€I€think.ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€COURT:€Yes.ÌÌà8 àà àMR.€DIETRICH:€I€don't€think€he€will€be€qualified€toÏtestify.ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€COURT:€I€think€that's€right€under€the€EthicsÏCommittee€Regulations.€€No€employee€of€an€attorney€canÏtestify€unless€the€attorney€withdraws€from€the€case€andÏð"ð€ÌÌà8 àà àMR.€THOMPSON:€Well,€œhe's›€not€a€factual€witness.ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€COURT:€Well,€it€doesn't€make€any€difference.€ÏHe's€not€qualified.€€Even€your€secretary€wouldn't€beÏqualified€to€testify€if€she€had€knowledge€of€something.ÌÌÓÓÌà àOstensibly,€the€court€was€relying€on€Formal€Ethics€OpinionÏ81„F„10,€interpreting€Disciplinary€Rule€5„101.€€In€that€opinionÏthe€Board€of€Professional€Responsibility€determined€that€an€attor…ney€could€not€accept€employment€in€a€case€where€both€he€and€hisÏsecretary€had€determined€that€a€client€was€mentally€incompetent€toÏmake€a€will€and€the€attorney,€in€fact,€refused€to€make€a€will.€ÏThe€client€went€to€another€attorney€and€a€will€was€prepared€andÏexecuted.€€A€son€sought€to€challenge€the€will€based€on€mentalÏincompetency€and€sought€to€employ€the€attorney€who€had€declined€toÏmake€the€will.€€Clearly,€both€the€attorney€and€his€secretary€hadÍformed€their€opinions€that€the€testatrix€was€incompetent€to€make€aÏwill€in€an€attorney„client€relationship.ÌÌà àWe€agree€with€the€conclusion€reached€by€the€Board.€"Ob‚vious…ly,€both€the€attorney€and€his€secretary€will€be€material€witnessesÏin€the€will€contest€case€in€which€the€issue€of€mental€competenceÏand€testamentary€capacity€of€the€former€client€will€be€of€primeÏimportance."€The€board€was,€therefore,€of€the€opinion€that€theÏattorney€should€decline€the€representation€if€it€was€contemplatedÏthat€either€the€attorney€or€his€secretary€would€appear€as€a€wit…ness.ÌÌà àWe€perceive€this€case€of€being€of€a€different€kind,€however,Ïbecause€under€the€facts€in€the€above€case,€both€the€attorney€andÏhis€secretary€had€prior€knowledge€concerning€the€case€and€thatÏknowledge€came€to€them€as€a€result€of€the€attorney's€professionalÏcontact€with€a€person€who€had€consulted€with€him.€In€the€case€atÏhand,€the€investigator€had€no€prior€knowledge,€but€was€employedÏfor€the€specific€purpose€of€gathering€evidence,€post€accident,€toÏassist€in€the€preparation€and€trial€of€the€case.€€To€interpretÍFormal€Ethics€Opinion€81„F„10€as€the€defendant€urges€would€be€toÏplace€an€attorney€in€the€position€of€being€unable€to€employ€anÏinvestigator€to€assist€him€in€the€investigation€and€preparation€ofÏa€case€œif€the€investigator€would€be€expected€to›€testify€concerningÏfacts€œdiscovered€during›€his€œinvestigation.€‚›€We€do€not€perceive€ÏRule€5„101€as€interpreted€by€Formal€Ethics€Opinion€œ81„F„10›€asÏbeing€so€inclusive.€Ô% € Ô€Were€it€so€construed,€expert€wit‚nesses€em…ployed€by€an€attorney€could€be€œexcluded€on€the€same€premise.›ÌÌà àWe€are€of€the€opinion€that€possession€of€prior€knowledge€ofÏfacts€which€may€be€material€to€the€litigation€under€considerationÏplaces€an€attorney€on€notice€that€he€and/or€his€employees€may€beÏcalled€to€testi‚fy€as€a€material€witness.€€"The€purpose€...€is€notÏto€protect€adversaries€from€the€opposing€party's€attorney€but€isÏto€protect€the€attorney's€client€in€the€event€his€attorney'sÏtestimony€is€needed€at€trial."€€òòœCoakley›€v.€Danielsóó,€840€S.W.2d€367Ï(Tenn.€App.€1992).€€We€do€not€perceive€that€allowing€the€testimonyÏof€the€plaintiff's€investigator€œwould›€be€a€violation€of€this€rule.ÌÌà àAn€order€was€entered€whereby€the€parties€agreed€that€if€theÏplaintiff's€investigator,€Mr.€Arnold€Botts,€had€been€called€as€aÏwitness,€he€would€testify€to€the€facts€set€forth€in€his€affidavitÏwhich€the€trial€court€allowed€to€be€filed€and€made€a€part€of€theÏrecord.ÌÌà àWe€have€carefully€examined€the€affidavit€œof›€Mr.€Botts€and€areÏof€the€opinion€that€his€affidavit€contains€nothing€œwhich,€inÏconjunction€with€testimony€presented,›€œwould›€have€constituted€aÏprima€facie€case€of€negligence€on€the€part€of€the€defendant.€ÏAccordingly,€we€find€that€any€error€in€refusing€to€allow€Mr.€BottsÏto€testify€was€harmless.ÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€Costs€are€taxedÏto€the€appellant€and€this€cause€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€forÏthe€collection€thereof.ÌÌÓÓ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€_______________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€J.ÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌ___________________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌ___________________________________ÌÓ` ܸ ™XÓCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.ÌÇÌÑ  ÑÑ7€;XXd×XXd×7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ` è` ˜XÓLILLIAN€H.€EDWARDS,€€€€€€€€€€€)à àBRADLEY€CIRCUITÌÓ` ܸ ™XÓ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9512„CV„00457Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellant€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€EARLE€G.€MURPHYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌJASON€ALAN€MILLER,€€€€€€€€€€€€)€à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€)ÌÌÌ€Ìà@ àò òòòORDERóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Bradley€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÏUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€the€opinion€thatÏthere€was€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€Costs€are€taxedÏto€the€appellant€and€this€cause€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€forÏthe€collection€thereof.ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€PER€CURIAMÌ