ÿWPC8 …# VUNa %¯ 0(µbÝw.å4 ' 6 0J> 0Tˆ 0^Ü 0h: 0r¢ 0| 0† 0 1u¦ 0d U> B)½ DCæ AM)U*v v~² B0vÓM D3  0@S AO“Æâ 0D¨ D/ì B˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡- ù- ! 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ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€¶XXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñò òCONNIE€LOU€MILLER,€and€husbandà à)ÌJOHN€G.€MILLER,€JR.,€and€DARRYLà à)ÌMcLEMORE,€a€minor,€by€and€throughà à)Ìhis€parents€and€next€of€friends,€CONNIEà à)ÌLOU€MILLER€and€JOHN€G.€MILLER,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiffs/Appellants,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àStewart€County€CircuitÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€4„170„CV„94ÌVS.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„9604„CV„00160ÌÙ€€ÙßL€!# ;+'h|Å` ç `€€LßCECIL€EDGAR€BREEDEN,€and€theà à)ÌSTEWART€COUNTY€HIGHWAY€€à à)ÌDEPARTMENT€and€STEWARTà àà à)ÌCOUNTY,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellees.à àà à)Ìó óÌò ò›ÌÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OFÏTENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€ÌÓ  ÓOF€STEWART€COUNTY,€TENNESSEE€AT€DOVERÌÓ  ÓÌÌà@ àHONORABLE€œALLEN€W.€WALLACE,›€œJUDGE›Ìó óÌÌÌGREGORY€D.€SMITHÌTN€BPR€#013420ÌOne€Public€Square,€Suite€321ÌClarksville,€Tennessee€37040ÌATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTSÌÌMARK€NOLAN€#015859Ì121€South€Third€StreetÌClarksville,€Tennessee€37041ÌATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLEEÌÌÌÓ  Óò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED.ó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌœÌÌÌò òCONNIE›€LOU€MILLER,€œand€husband›à à)ÌœJOHN€G.€MILLER,€JR.,€and€DARRYLà à)ÌMcLEMORE,€a€minor,€by€and€throughà à)Ìhis€parents€and€next€of€friends,€CONNIEà à)ÌLOU€MILLER€and€JOHN€G.€MILLER,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)›Ìà àPlaintiffs/Appellants,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àStewart€County€CircuitÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€4„170„CV„94ÌVS.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 àœ01A01„9604„CV„00160›ÌCECIL€EDGAR€BREEDEN,€œand€the›à àœ)ÌSTEWART€COUNTY€HIGHWAY€€à à)ÌDEPARTMENT€and€STEWARTà àà à)ÌCOUNTY,à àà àà àà àà à)›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellees.à àà à)Ìó óÌÌÌÔ€„Ôà@ àòòò òO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÔ€XÔÌÌÌÌÓÓà àThe€captioned€Plaintiffs€have€appealed€from€a€non„jury€judgment€dismissing€their€suitÏfor€personal€injuries€and€property€damage€in€a€highway€collision.ÌÌà àThe€judgement€of€the€Trial€Court€states:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€This€automobile€accident€occurred€on€July€13,€1993€on€Ìà àà àWeaks€County€œroad›€in€Stewart€County,€Tennessee.€€WeaksÌà àà àCemetery€Road€is€a€very€narrow€gravel€road,€with€really€twoÌà àà à(2)€tracts€in€the€middle€of€the€road€where€everyone€drives.Ìà àà à(See€Exhibits€1€through€13)€Each€vehicle€approached€a€curve,Ìà àà àwith€the€curve€going€to€the€plaintiffððs€right€and€to€the€defendantððsÌà àà àleft.€€As€the€vehicles€approached€a€blind€curve€and€saw€each€Ìà àà àother,€the€defendant€went€to€œhis›€right,€as€he€would€do€in€such€a€Ìà àà àcurve,€the€plaintiff€attempted€to€go€to€her€right€also.€€However,€Ìà àà àplaintiff€testified€her€vehicle€went€to€the€left€when€she€applied€Ìà àà àthe€brakes.€€Again,€due€to€the€curve€turning€to€her€right,€by€Ìà àà àapplication€of€her€brakes,€she€would€go€straight,€which€in€Ìà àà àeffect€took€her€into€the€other€vehicle€on€his€side€of€the€road.€€Ìà àà àAll€witnesses€essentially€place€the€point€of€the€impact€on€the€Ìà àà àdefendantððs€side€of€the€road.ÌÌà àà à1.à àThe€Court€finds,€in€accordance€with€TCA€ðð€29„20„310,Ìà àà àthat€the€œDefendant,›€employee,€CECIL€EDGAR€BREEDEN,€Ìà àà àwas€not€guilty€of€negligent€acts€at€said€time€and€place€that€was€Ìà àà àThe€proximate€cause€of€the€œPlaintiffððs›€injuries.ÌÌà àà à2.à àThe€proximate€cause€of€this€accident€was€the€applicationÌà àà àof€the€brakes€which€took€the€plaintiff€into€the€opposing€lane€of€Ìà àà àtraffic€thereby€causing€the€accident.€€Therefore,€the€Plaintiffs,Ìà àà àCONNIE€LOU€MILLER€and€JOHN€G.€MILLER,€JR.,€case€is€Ìà àà àdismissed.ÌÌà àà à3.à àPlaintiffððs€minor€son,€DARRYL€MCLEMORE€by€and€Ìà àà àthrough€his€parents€and€next€friends,€CONNIE€LOU€MILLERÌà àà àand€JOHN€G.€MILLER,€also€bring€suit€against€the€defendantÌà àà àand€the€court€finds€that€the€defendants€were€not€guilty€of€Ìà àà ànegligence€which€proximately€caused€the€accident€as€heretoforeÌà àà àstated€and€the€minorððs€case€is€also€dismissed.ÌÌà àà àÌà àPlaintiffs€present€a€single€issue€in€the€following€form:ÌÌà àà à€€€€The€Trial€Court€erred€in€failing€to€analyze€the€proximate€causeÌà àà àissue€in€the€case€at€hand,€a€Governmental€Tort€Liability€Act€Ìà àà àCase,€under€òòMcIntyre€v.€Balentineóó,€833€S.W.2d€52€(Tenn.€1992).ÌÓÓÌà àA€more€appropriate€wording€of€the€issue€would€be:Ìà àWhether€a€trier€of€fact€is€obligated€to€find€and€state€percentages€of€fault€where€theÏdefendants€are€found€to€be€not€at€fault.€€In€McòòIntyre€v.€Balentine,óó€(Tenn.€1992),€833€S.W.2dÏ52,€the€Supreme€Court€said:€ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€In€all€trials€where€the€issue€of€comparative€fault€is€beforeÌà àà àthe€jury,€the€Trial€Court€shall€instruct€the€jury€on€the€effectÌà àà àof€the€juryððs€finding€as€to€the€percentage€of€negligence€as€Ìà àà àbetween€the€Plaintiff€or€Plaintiffs€and€the€Defendant€or€Ìà àà àDefendants.€€833€S.W.2d€57.ÌÓÓÌà àHowever,€the€same€opinion€contains€an€appendix€which€states:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€The€following€instructions€may€be€used€in€cases€whereÌà àà àthe€negligence€of€the€Plaintiff€is€at€issue.ÌÌÓ  Ó„€„€„ÌÌÓ  Óà àà à1.€€€€If€you€find€that€the€defendant€was€not€negligent€or€Ìà àà àthat€the€Defendantððs€negligence€was€not€a€proximate€Ìà àà àcause€of€Plaintiffððs€injuries,€you€will€find€for€the€Defendant.€Ìà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à„€„€„à àÌÌÓ  Óò òSpecial€Verdict€Formó óÌÌÓ  ÓÌà àà à1.€€€€Was€the€Defendant€negligent?Ìà àà àÌà àà àAnswer:€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó€(yes€or€no)Ìà àà à(If€your€answer€is€ð ðNo,ðð€do€not€answer€any€further€Ìà àà àquestions.€„€„€„)ÌÌà àà à2.€€€€Was€the€Defendantððs€negligence€a€proximate€causeÌà àà àof€injury€or€damages€to€the€Plaintiff?Ìà àà àÌà àà àAnswer:€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó€(yes€or€no)Ìà àà à(If€your€answer€is€ð ðNo,ðð€do€not€answer€any€further€Ìà àà àquestions.€„€„€œ„)ÌÓÓ›à àÌà àThe€meaning€of€the€foregoing€in€its€application€to€the€present€case€is€obvious.€€The€TrialÏJudge€sitting€as€a€jury,€has€found€that€the€Defendants€were€not€guilty€of€negligence€whichÏproximately€caused€injury€and€damage€to€the€Plaintiffs.€€Therefore,€there€is€no€occasion€toÏconsider€whether€the€Plaintiffs€or€any€of€them€œwere›€œnegligent€or€to€apportion€fault€among€theÏparties.›€€Even€if€the€Plaintiffs€were€guilty€of€no€negligence,€they€have€no€right€to€recover€fromÏa€Defendant€who€was€likewise€free€of€negligence.ÌÌà àPlaintiffððs€take€issue€with€the€finding€of€the€Trial€Court€that€Defendant€driver€was€notÏguilty€of€negligence€proximately€causing€the€collision.ÌÓÓÌà àPlaintiff,€Connie€Lou€Miller,€testified:ÌÌà àà àQ.à àDid€Mr.€Breeden€make€any€statements€to€you€aboutÌà àà àwhat€had€happened?ÌÌà àà àA.à àYes,€sir.€€He€„„€when€he€come€to€the€car,€he€was€pullingÌà àà àthe€kids€out,€checking€to€see€if€they€were€all€right.€€And€he€wasÌà àà àsaying€Iððm€sorry,€Iððm€sorry,€I€didnððt€mean€to.€€You€know,€are€Ìà àà àyou€hurt?€€I€didnððt€mean€to€hit€you,€you€know,€but€„„ÌÌà àà àQ.à àAs€you€came€around,€you€saw€Mr.€Breeden€in€his€truck.Ìà àà àAs€you€came€around€the€curve,€his€truck€was€sideways,€lookedÌà àà àlike€he€had€lost€control€of€his€vehicle;€is€that€what€youððve€told€us?ÌÌà àà àA.à àIt€was€fishtailing.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àSo€you€think€when€he€saw€you,€he€lost€control€of€his€Ìà àà àtruck;€is€that€what€youððre€telling€us?ÌÌà àà àA.à àYes,€sir.à àà àÌÓÓÌà àPlaintiff,€Darrell€McLemore,€aged€7€years,€testified:€€€€€ÌÓÓà àà àQ.à à(By€Mr.€Hicks)€Now,€when€this€accident€happened,Ìà àà àdid€you€see€the€car€„„€the€truck€come€around€the€curve€or€Ìà àà àdid€you€not,€Darrell?ÌÌà àà àA.à à(Witness€shakes€head€negatively.)€€I€just€looked€up€Ìà àà àwhen€she€said€heððs€going€to€hit€us€and€seen€„„€and€then€I€Ìà àà àreached€back€down€for€my€fish.€€And€the€car€„„€and€thenÌà àà àI€went€up€and€hit€my€mouth.ÌÓÓÌà àThe€Defendant,€Cecil€Edgar€Breeden,€testified:Ìà àà àQ.à àCould€you€describe€the€road€to€us?ÌÓÓà àà àA.à àItððs€just€a€little€dirt€country€road.€€Some€people€œÌà àà àcall›€them€œgravel›€roads.€€Dirt€and€gravel.€€One€that€you€œÌà àà àcan›€slide€on€easy€if€œyou›€hit€on€your€brakes.€€You€can€œÌà àà àslide›€on€any€of€them€if€you€slide€œthem›€hard€enough.ÌÌà àà àQ.à à(By€Mr.€Nolan)€Now,€Mr.€Breeden,€I€need€you€œÌà àà àto›€tell€us€œabout›€the€accident,€and€I€need€for€you€to€tell€it€œÌà àà àin›€your€own€œwords,€okay?›ÌÌà àà àA.à àWell,€I€say€I€got€through€filling€up€the€machinery,€œÌà àà àand›€I€œwas›€going€back€to€the€shop.€€I€was€driving€20,€25€œÌà àà àmaybe.›€€œAnd€I›€got€here€in€this€curve,€and€she€came€in€the€œÌà àà àcurve›€between€35€œand›€40€probably.€€And€when€she€seen€œÌà àà àme,›€she€steered€her€car€œto›€the€inside€of€the€curve€to€miss€œÌà àà àme,›€but€it€cut€her€front€wheels€œsharp,›€and€they€were€sliding€œÌà àà àin›€place€of€rolling.€€It€wasnððt€going€œto›€the€inside€of€the€curve.€€œÌà àà àShe›€was€coming€straight€toward€me€œand›€plowed€me€right€œÌà àà àin›€the€front€end.€€See,€I€was€in€the€outer€œside›€of€the€curve€œÌà àà àand›€when€it€slid,€it€just€went€straight€in€place€œof›€going€to€œÌà àà àthe›€inside.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àNow,€you€said€that€she€cut€her€wheels€to€the€inside€œÌà àà àof€the›€curve.€€Would€she€have€been€cutting€her€wheels€to€œÌà àà àthe›€left€œor›€to€the€right?ÌÌà àà àA.à àTo€the€right.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àWhen€you€first€saw€her€car,€how€was€your€truck€Ìà àà àpositioned€on€the€road?€ÌÌà àà àA.à àWell,€like€I€say,€it€wasnððt€all€the€way€over€as€far€as€œÌà àà àit›€œcould›€go,€but€I€got€it€over€there€before€she€got€to€me.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àWhich€would€have€been€„„€would€that€have€been€to€Ìà àà àyour€right?ÌÌà àà àA.à àYes,€sir.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àNow,€what€did€her€vehicle€do€as€you€saw€it€œÌà àà àapproached›€œyou?›ÌÌà àà àA.à àIt€comes€toward€me€in€place€of€going€away€from€me€œÌà àà àwhen›€œshe›€locked€her€brakes.€€And€it€was€still€sitting€there€œÌà àà àwhen›€the€œtrooper›€got€there.€€It€was€over€on€my€side.€€Had€œÌà àà àabout›€half€the€œfront›€end€of€my€truck.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àNow,€were€you€able€to€take€any€actions€to€try€and€œÌà àà àavoid€the›€collision?ÌÌà àà àA.à àNothing€but€just€get€it€over€there€and€try€to€stop.€€œÌà àà àI›€might€œhave›€slid€a€foot€or€two€getting€stopped€on€this€œÌà àà àgravel.›€€She€had€œslid›€a€pretty€good€ways.ÌÌà àà àA.à àIf€Iððm€looking€at€the€picture€right,€thatððs€supposed€œÌà àà àto›€be€œon›€the€side€where€I€was€driving.€€Like€I€say,€when€œÌà àà àwe›€hit,€we€œboth›€was€on€that€side.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àWhich€side€is€that?ÌÌà àà àA.à àOn€my€right€side€of€the€road,€the€one€I€was€driving€œÌà àà àon.›Ìà àÌà àà àQ.à àDid€you€say€anything€to€Mrs.€Miller€at€that€time?ÌÌà àà àA.à àNo.€€Nothing€except€these€kids€ought€to€be€checked€œÌà àà àto›€œsee›€if€they€was€hurt.€ÌÌà àà àQ.à àDid€you€ever€say€anything€to€her€like€it€was€my€fault€œÌà àà àor›€œanything›€like?ÌÌà àà àA.€à àNo,€sir.ÌÌÌÓÓà àThe€investigating€officer€testified:ÌÓÓà àà àQ.à àAnd€while€you€were€working,€was€there€an€accident€œÌà àà àon›€œJuly›€13,€1993,€you€were€called€to€work?ÌÌà àà àA.à àYes,€sir,€I€did.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àAnd€where€was€that€accident?ÌÌà àà àA.à àIt€was€in€Stewart€County€on€what€they€call€œWeaks›€Ìà àà àCemetery€Road.Ìà àà àÌà àà àQ.à àWhat€kind€of€road€is€that?ÌÌà àà àA.à àAbout€a€cow€path.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àAbout€how€wide€is€it?ÌÌà àà àA.à àItððs€very€narrow.€€It€looks€like€it€runs€around€the€edge€ofÌà àà àa€field.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àAnd€did€you€have€an€opportunity€to€actually€measure€andÌà àà àsee€how€wide€the€road€was?ÌÌà àà àA.à àYes,€sir.€€It€was€fourteen€feet,€ten€inches.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àIs€that€wide€enough€for€two€cars€to€pass€on€it?ÌÌà àà àA.à àYeah,€there€is€„„€two€cars€can€get€by.€€Itððs€narrow,€though.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àHow€would€you€describe€this€roadway?€€What€does€it€consist€Ìà àà àof?ÌÌà àà àA.à àItððs€dirt,€gravel,€grass.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àAnd€what€did€your€investigation€reveal?ÌÌà àà àA.à àWell,€both€„„€both€vehicles€were€„„€came€to€rest€at€the€point€Ìà àà àof€impact,€or€there€was€about€maybe€„„€there€was€a€little€distance€Ìà àà àbetween€them€from€where€they€hit€and€separated€a€little.€€The€debris€Ìà àà àwas€laying€between€the€vehicles€clearly€indicating€that€was€the€point€Ìà àà àof€impact.€€And€it€would€be€„„€the€point€of€impact€was€in€the€Ìà àà ànorthbound€„„€northbound€lane.ÌÌà àà àQ.à àAnd€the€northbound€lane,€which€lane€of€travel€would€thatÌà àà àhave€been€in?ÌÌà àà àA.à àThat€would€have€been€in€Mr.€Breedenððs€lane€of€travel.Ìà àà àÌÌÓÓà àIn€a€case€tried€without€a€jury,€any€conflict€in€testimony€requiring€a€determination€of€theÏcredibility€is€for€the€trial€œjudge›€whose€decision€on€credibility€is€binding€upon€the€reviewingÏCourt€unless€other€real€evidence€compels€a€contrary€conclusion.€€òòState€œof€Tennessee,€ex›€relÏBalsinger€v.€Town€of€Madisonvilleóó.€€222€Tenn.€272,€435€S.W.2d€803€(1968).€€No€realÏevidence€is€found€in€the€record€to€compel€a€conclusion€on€credibility€contrary€to€that€of€the€TrialÏJudge.ÌÌà àNon„jury€findings€of€fact€come€to€this€Court€for€review€de€novo€accompanied€by€aÏpresumption€of€correctness€unless€the€evidence€preponderates€otherwise.€€TRAP€Rule€13(d).€ÏThe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€otherwise.ÌœÌÌÌÌÌÌ̛̜à àThe›€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€affirmed.€€Cost€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€against€theÏappellants.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€Trial€Court€for€any€necessary€further€proceedings.ÌÓ  ÓÓÓò òÔ€¼ÔœÌAFFIRMED›€AND€REMANDED.Ô€XÔó óÌÓ  ÓÓÓà àà àà àà àà àœ›œÌ›ÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌœÌÌÌCONCUR:›ÌœÌÌ›Ì___________________________ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌœÌÌÌ___________________________›ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGE