ÿWPCœ …# VUNa %¯ 0(µbÝw.å4 ' 6 0J> 0Tˆ 0^Ü 0h: 0r¢ 0| 0† 0 1u¦ 0d AM U>Ì B) DC3 AMvU*Ãí Bþv~vÓ™ D3l 0XŸ AO÷ÆF 0D  D/P B˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡- ù-{|}~€Ó€ŠDÒ 3|xŠ2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌNovember€27,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó dPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  inion Geneva ÒÒ  inion Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd(0"ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒÒ  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€EXXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñò ò›Þ ÞÌTRACY€HAWKS€and€DALE€HAWKS,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiffs/Appellees,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àSumner€County€CircuitÏCourtÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€13518„CÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01A01„9606„CV„00270ÌœßR€$ A1-j|^Š` ç `€€@ÿRß›CITY€OF€WESTMORELAND,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€FOR€SUMNER€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€GALLATIN,€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àHONORABLE€THOMAS€GOODALL,€JUDGEÌó óÌÌÌBruce€N.€Oldham,€BPR€#10273ÌOLDHAM€&€DUNNINGÌ109€Public€SquareÌGallatin,€TN€€37066ÌATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFF/APPELLANTÌÌÌChristina€U.€Douglas,€BPR€#16064ÌFARRAR€&€BATESÌP.O.€Box€80838ÌNashville,€TN€37208ÌATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANTS/APPELLEESÌÌÌò òÓ  ÓÔ€¼ÔAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED.ó óÔ€XÔÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òTRACY€HAWKS€and€DALE€HAWKS,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiffs/Appellees,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àSumner€County€CircuitÏCourtÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€13518„CÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01A01„9606„CV„00270ÌCITY€OF€WESTMORELAND,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à)ÌÌÌÓÓÔ€¼Ôà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÔ€XÔÌÓÓÌÓÓÓ  Óà àThe€defendant,€City€of€œWestmoreland,›€has€appealed€from€a€non„jury€judgment€awarding€the€plaintiffs€$50,000€damages€forÏenlargement€of€fire€damage€to€plaintiffððs€home€as€a€result€of€theÏinability€of€fire€fighters€to€obtain€water€from€fire€hydrants€near€theÏhome.ÌÌà àDefendant€presents€the€following€issues€for€review:ÌÓÓà àà àI.€€Whether€€the€€trial€€court€erred€in€finding€that€theÏdangerous/Ìà àà àdefective€€condition€€at€€issue€€was€€a€€patent€€defect€asÏopposedÌà àà àto€a€€latent€defect€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€29„20„204(b).ÌÌà àà àII.€€Whether€€the€€trial€€court€€erred€€in€€finding€€that€ÏDefendantÌà àà àCity€had€constructive€notice€of€a€dangerous/defectiveÏconditionÌà àà àpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€29„20„204(b).ÌÌà àà àIII.€€Whether€€the€€judgment€€of€€the€€trial€court€is€supportedÏbyÌà àà àthe€evidence€or€is€based€on€a€conjecture€and€speculation.Ìà àà àA.€€€€Proximate€Cause;€andÌà àà àB.€€€€Damages.ÌÌà àà àIV.€€Whether€€the€trial€court€erred€in€failing€to€grantÏDefendantÌà àà àCityððs€€motion€€for€€dismissal€made€at€the€close€of€theÏPlaintiffsðð€Ìà àà àproof€pursuant€to€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€41.02(2)ÌÓÓà àà àÌà àThe€fourth€issue€need€not€be€discussed€because,€after€the€TrialÏCourt€overruled€defendantððs€motion€to€dismiss€at€the€conclusion€ofÏplaintiffsðð€evidence,€defendant€proceeded€to€offer€evidence,€so€that€theÏissue€ultimately€decided€by€the€Trial€Judge€and€the€issue€before€thisÏCourt€is€whether,€under€òòallóó€of€the€evidence,€plaintiff€should€recover.€ÏSee€òòSadler€v.€Draperóó,€46€Tenn.€App.€1,€326€S.W.2d€148€(1959)€andÏauthorities€cited€therein.€€In€the€present,€non„jury€appeal,€this€CourtÏmust€review€all€of€the€findings€of€fact€with€a€presumption€of€theÏcorrectness€œof›€the€Trial€œCourtððs€findings,›€unless€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€otherwise.€€œT.R.A.P.€13(d).›ÌÌThe€remaining€three€issues€depend€upon€the€evidence€which€was€inÏsubstance€as€follows:ÌÌà àOn€October€23,€1993,€when€plaintiffs€were€out€of€town,€a€fire€ofÏunknown€origin€occurred€in€their€home.€€At€approximately€3:45€a.m.Ïfirefighters€arrived€at€the€scene€and€ð ðcontainedðð€the€fire€within€15„30Ïminutes€by€use€of€water€from€tanks€on€the€fire€equipment.€€When€thisÏsource€of€water€was€exhausted,€the€firefighters€attempted€withoutÏsuccess€to€obtain€water€from€the€two€fire€hydrants€(fire€plugs)€nearestÏthe€home,€and€the€home€was€almost€totally€destroyed€before€water€wasÏobtained€to€extinguish€the€fire.ÌÌà àThe€two€fire€hydrants€produced€no€water€when€ð ðturned€onððÏbecause€an€underground€valve€in€the€feeder€pipe€for€each€was€closed.€ÏAlthough€the€firefighters€carried€tools€to€open€the€valve€in€theÏhydrants,€they€had€no€tools€to€operate€the€underground€valves.€€SuchÏtools€were€kept€and€used€only€by€maintenance€employees€of€the€cityÏwater€system.€€Underground€valves€are€normally€open€and€should€notÏhave€been€closed€on€this€occasion.ÌÌà àThe€hydrants€in€question€were€installed€by€the€city€in€May,€1991.€ÏThe€city€had€no€actual€notice€that€the€underground€valves€were€closed.€€ÌÌà àThe€amended€complaint€asserts:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€The€€Defendant,€€City€€of€€Westmoreland,€€is€€liable€unto€Ìà àà àthe€€Plaintiffs€€pursuant€to€the€provisions€of€€the€Tennessee€Ìà àà àGovernmental€Tort€Liability€Act,€TCA€Section€29„20„101,Ìà àà àet€seq,€based€upon€negligent€acts€and€omissions€committed€Ìà àà àby€an€employee€or€employees€of€the€City€of€WestmorelandÌà àà àwithin€€the€€course€€and€€scope€€of€€his€€or€€her€employment.€€Ìà àà àSpecifically,€€an€€employee€€or€€employees€€of€€the€€City€€of€Ìà àà àWestmoreland€€committed€the€following€negligent€acts€and€Ìà àà àomissions:ÌÌà àà àà à(a)€€Cut€€off€the€water€supply€to€the€fire€hydrants€inÌà àà àPlaintiffððs€€subdivision€and€failed€to€turn€the€water€back€on.ÌÌà àà àà à(b)€€œ€Failed›€€€to€€€œinspect€€€said›€œ€›€fire€€œ€hydrants›€œ€›€for€Ìà àà àapproximately€€two€€years€€prior€to€the€fire€on€October€23,Ìà àà à1993;ÌÌà àà àà à(c)€€€Allowed€€€the€€€fire€€hydrants€€to€€remain€€in€€a€Ìà àà àdangerous€€and€€defective€€condition,€€with€€notice€of€such€Ìà àà àcondition,€€for€€approximately€€two€€years€€prior€to€the€fire€Ìà àà àon€October€23,€1993;€andÌÌà àà àà à(d)€€€Failed€€to€€warn€€€the€€€Plaintiffs€€that€€the€€fire€Ìà àà àhydrants€near€their€home€was€inoperable.ÌÌà àà à€€€€Alternatively,€the€Defendant,€the€City€of€Westmoreland,Ìà àà àis€€liable€€unto€€the€€Plaintiffs€€because€€Plaintiffsðð€Ïdamages€Ìà àà àwere€€caused€€by€€a€€dangerous€€or€defective€condition€of€a€Ìà àà àpublic€€improvement€€owned€and€controlled€by€the€City€ofÌà àà àWestmoreland,€with€the€City€having€actual€or€constructive€ÌÓÓà àà ànotice€of€such€condition.à àÌÌà àThe€Tennessee€Governmental€Tort€Liability€œAct›€provides€immunityÏfor€governmental€activities€except€as€provided€in€œT.C.A.›€ðð€œ29„20„204.€ÏT.C.A.€€ðð€29„20„204›€œremoves›€immunity€for€injuries€caused€byÏð ðdangerous€or€defective€condition€of€any€public€building,€structure,Ïdam,€reservoir€or€other€public€improvement€owned€or€controlled€by€suchÏgovernmental€entity.ðð€€Immunity€is€not€removed€for€ð ðlatent€defectiveÏconditions,ðð€except€when€ð ðconstructive€or€actual€noticeðð€is€proven.€ÏT.C.A.€ðð€29„20„204(b).ÌÌà àðð29„20„205€removes€immunity€for€ð ðnegligent€acts€or€omissionsÏof€employeesðð€except€ð ðfailure€to€make€an€inspectionðð€or€ð ðinadequate€orÏnegligent€inspection€of€any€property.ððÌÌà àBy€its€first€issue,€appellant€insists€that€the€closed€valves€wereÏð ðlatent€defectsðð€for€which€it€is€not€liable.€€It€is€true€that€the€valvesÏwere€underground€and€not€visible€except€by€removal€of€the€cover€of€theÏchamber€in€which€they€were€situated.€€However,€there€is€evidence€toÏsupport€constructive€notice€to€the€city.€The€hydrants€and€associatedÍpiping€were€installed€by€direction€of€and€contract€with€the€city€whichÏemployed€engineers€and€inspectors€to€see€that€the€system€wasÏinstalled€properly€and€operated€efficiently.€€A€part€of€the€inspection€ofÏa€new€fire€hydrant€system€is€to€see€that€each€hydrant€produces€waterÏwhen€the€valve€in€the€hydrant€is€opened.€€There€is€no€evidence€thatÏthese€hydrants€were€so€tested€and€approved€as€part€of€the€constructionÏprocess.€€The€inspection€and€testing€just€mentioned€is€not€theÏð ðinspection€of€propertyðð€immunized€by€T.C.A.€ðð29„20„205,€above,€whichÏrefers€to€inspection€of€private€premises€for€safety€and€not€inspectionÏof€new€emergency€facilities€acquired€or€constructed€by€the€city.ÌÌà àThere€is€no€evidence€that€any€attempt€was€made€to€procure€waterÏfrom€these€hydrants€at€any€time€from€their€installation€until€theÏemergency€in€the€present€case.€€The€most€probable€cause€of€theirÏfailure€in€this€emergency€was€the€failure€to€test€their€operation€at€theÏtime€of€installation€and€acceptance€by€the€city.ÌÌà àThere€is€also€evidence€that€reasonable€care€in€the€maintenance€ofÏa€water€system€includes€the€opening€of€the€valve€in€each€hydrant€atÍleast€once€per€year€to€keep€the€hydrant€valve€operable€and€flushÏsediment€out€of€the€water€line€and€hydrant.€€There€is€no€evidence€thatÏthese€hydrants€were€so€maintained.€€If€they€had€been€so€maintained€theÏclosed€underground€valves€would€have€been€discovered€and€opened.€€ThisÏis€another€probable€cause€of€plaintiffsðð€loss.ÌÌà àIn€civil€cases€based€upon€circumstantial€evidence,€it€is€sufficientÏfor€the€plaintiff€to€show€the€more€probable€cause€of€his€injury€and€it€isÏnot€required€to€exclude€every€other€reasonable€conclusion.òò€€Law€v.ÏLouisville€&€N.R.€Co.óó,€179€Tenn.€687,€170€S.W.2d€360€(1943).òò€€Bryan€v.ÏAetna€Life€Insurance€Coóó.,€174€Tenn.€602,€130€S.W.€2d€85Ï(1939).à àòòBenson€v.€H.G.€Hill€Stores,€Inc.óó,€Tenn.€App.€1983,€699€S.W.2dÏ560.ÌÌà àThe€above€stated€probabilities€are€not€mere€speculation€butÏreasonable€deductions€from€the€facts€shown€by€the€evidence.ÌÌà àAppellant€insists€that€proximate€cause€was€not€shown€by€aÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence.€It€is€argued€that€the€firemen€erred€inÍgoing€some€distance€to€a€known€source€of€water€instead€of€€searchingÏthe€surrounding€countryside€for€a€hydrant€that€was€operative.€€In€theÏemergency,€the€decision€to€go€to€a€dependable€source€was€a€reasonableÏchoice€and€not€negligent.ÌÌà àAppellant€finally€argues€that€the€plaintiffs€failed€to€prove€withÏparticularily€and€exactitude€the€amount€of€fire€damage€sustained€as€aÏresult€of€the€inoperative€fire€hydrants.ÌÌà àIt€is€true€that€substantial€damage€resulted€from€the€initial€blazeÏbefore€it€was€ððcontainedðð€by€the€firefighters.€€It€is€also€true€that€thereÏwas€no€detailed€inspection€and€appraisal€of€such€damage€was€madeÏbefore€the€second€outbreak€of€fire.€€Plaintiffs€cannot€be€penalized€forÏthe€circumstances€which€rendered€impossible€the€exact€measurementÏof€their€damages€from€the€second€phase€of€the€fire.€€Exact€computationÏof€damages€is€not€required.òò€€Provident€Life€&€Accident€Ins.€Co.€v.€GlobeÏIndemnity€Co.óó,€156€Tenn.€5,€3€S.W.2d€1057€(1928).Ìà àà àà àÌà àUncertain€and€speculative€damages€are€prohibited€only€whenÏexistence€of€damage€is€uncertain,€not€when€the€amount€is€uncertain.€ÏòòRedbud€Co„op.€Corp.€v.€Claytonóó,€Tenn.€App.€1985,€700€S.W.2d€551.ÌÌà àMere€uncertainty€as€to€the€amount€of€damages€will€not€prevent€aÏrecovery€if€the€evidence€is€of€such€certainty€as€the€nature€of€the€caseÏpermits€and€such€as€to€lay€a€foundation€to€enable€the€trier€of€fact€toÏmake€a€fair€and€reasonable€assessment€of€the€damages.òò€€Wilson€v.ÏFarmers€Chemical€Assoc.€Inc.óó,€60€Tenn.€App.€102,€444€S.W.2d€185Ï(1969).ÌÌà àThe€overall€loss€from€the€entire€fire€was€shown€with€certainty.€ÏBefore€the€fire,€the€home€was€appraised€as€$66,000.€€Its€value€after€theÏfire€was€shown€to€be€$6,000.€€Value€of€personal€property€destroyed€wasÏshown€to€be€$15,000.ÌÌà àThe€firefighters€testified€that,€when€they€arrived€on€the€scene,Ïsome€flames€were€coming€through€the€roof,€but€the€fire,€was€confinedÏto€a€bath€and€the€center€of€the€house€and€was€brought€under€controlÍwithin€10€to€15€minutes,€and€there€would€have€been€no€additionalÏdamage€if€water€had€been€available.ÌÌà àThe€Trial€Judge€found€that€the€home€was€worth€$60,000€beforeÏthe€fire€and€$6,500€after€the€fire,€and€that€the€fire€damage€to€the€homeÏwas€$53,500.€€He€also€found€that€the€damages€to€the€house€in€the€firstÏfire€was€$5,000,€leaving€$48,500€recoverable€damage€to€the€house€fromÏthe€resurgent€fire.ÌÌà àThe€Trial€Judge€found€$15,000€personal€property€loss,€of€whichÏ$5,000€was€attributed€to€the€first€fire€and€$10,000€to€the€second€fire.ÌÌà àThe€combined€damages€to€house€and€personalty€from€both€firesÏwas€therefore€found€to€be€$53,500€plus€$15,000,€or€$68,500€.€€TheÏcombined€damages€to€house€and€personalty€from€the€second€fire€wasÏfound€to€be€$48,500€plus€$10,000,€or€$58,500.€€However,€judgment€wasÏrendered€for€only€$50,000€the€statutory€maximum€under€theÏGovernmental€Tort€Liability€Act..ÌÌà àIn€summary,€of€the€total€damage€of€$68,500€to€house€andÏcontents,€plaintiff€received€judgment€for€$50,000,€or€$73%€toÏcompensate€for€damage€sustained€in€the€second€fire.ÌÌà àThe€amount€of€damages€attributable€to€the€water€shortage€wasÏproven€with€such€certainty€as€the€nature€of€the€circumstancesÏpermitted.€€The€evidence€furnished€a€foundation€from€which€anÏapproximation€of€the€recoverable€damages€might€reasonably€be€made.€ÏThe€findings€by€the€Trial€Judge€and€the€resulting€judgment€wereÏreasonably€within€the€parameters€of€the€proof.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appealÏare€assessed€against€the€€defendant.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€TrialÏCourt€for€any€necessary€proceedings.ÌÌò òÓ  ÓÔ€¼ÔAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDà àÔ€XÔ€€€€ó óÌÓÓÓ  ÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà à_______________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌ_____________________________________ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌÌ_____________________________________ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGE