ÿWPCó …# VU:a %› 0(¡b Éw@Õ4 ) n­8 å 0Jå 0T/ 0^ƒ 0há 0rI 0|» 0†7 0½ 1uM U, 0dî U,RU*~B)¨DCÑ AM a Bmv~ŠvÓ D3Û 0@ AONÆ 0Dc D/§ BÖ˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 ,†r‰AZ‹"Arial RegularX($¡¡- ù - ÃÄDÅ[ÆÇDÈDÉÊËÓ€ÕGav 3|xÕ«<þ6X9`("Courier NewTTXXxþ6X@ÉDQX@2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d!!!!7Border 1dd€-"Cþÿ << Gÿÿ Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€ XÔÌÌMay€22,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó dPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££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€ ÔÝ  ÝÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€'ŒXXdædÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑPAMELA€M.€WINTERS,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01„A„01„9507„CV„00300Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌESTATE€OF€FRANK€JONES,€SR.,à à)à àÌFRANK€JONES,€JR.,€executor€of€theà à)à àDavidson€CircuitÌestate€of€FRANK€JONES,€SR.,€à àà à)à àNo.€93C„2737Ìdeceased,à àà àà àà àà à)ÌÙ€€ÙßL€#$";+'h|Ûü1` ç `€€Lßà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Cross„defendants/à à)Ìà àAppellees,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌFIRST€AMERICAN€INSURANCEà àà à)ÌCOMPANY,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àUninsured/underinsuredà àà à)Ìà àMotorist€Carrier/Cross„plaintiffà à)Ìà àAppellee.à àà àà àà à)ÌÌÌà@ àCOURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌAPPEALED€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€DAVIDSON€COUNTYÌAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌTHE€HONORABLE€THOMAS€W.€BROTHERS,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌSHANNON€D.€FAULKNER,€IIIÌSuite€625,€Two€Centre€SquareÌ625€Gay€StreetÌKnoxville,€Tennessee€37902Ìà àAttorney€for€Plaintiff/AppellantÌÌW.€BRYAN€BROOKSÌSCOTT€A.€RHODESÌSuite€2600,€The€TowerÌ611€Commerce€StreetÌNashville,€Tennessee€37201Ìà àAttorney€for€Appellee€First€American€Insurance€CompanyÌÌÌÌà@ àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌCONCUR:ÌLEWIS,€J.ÌKOCH,€J.ÌÇÓ  ÓÓÓà@ àò òòòÔ€ „ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€Nó óóóÔ€ XÔÌÌà àà àAn€injured€passenger€filed€suit€against€the€estate€of€the€driver€of€anÏautomobile€that€collided€with€the€bus€in€which€she€was€riding.€€A€summons€and€aÏcopy€of€the€complaint€were€served€on€the€plaintiffððs€uninsured€motorist€carrier,€inÏaccordance€with€the€provisions€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€56„7„1206.€€The€trial€courtÏgranted€summary€judgment€to€the€insurer,€on€the€ground€that€the€plaintiff€hadÏfailed€to€obtain€service€on€the€executor€within€the€statute€of€limitations.€€We€affirm.ÌÌà@ àò òI.ó óÌÌà àà àPamela€Winters€was€riding€on€a€Greyhound€bus€on€September€15,Ï1992,€when€a€speeding€automobile€driven€by€Frank€Jones,€Sr.€crossed€the€centerÏline€on€Eighth€Avenue€South€in€Nashville,€and€collided€head„on€with€the€bus.€€Mr.ÏJones€was€killed€in€the€collision.€€On€September€13,€1993,€Ms.€Winters€filed€suitÏagainst€the€estate€of€Mr.€Jones,€claiming€that€she€had€suffered€spinal€injuries€inÏthe€accident.€Frank€Jones,€Jr.,€who€resides€in€Memphis,€is€the€decedentððsÏexecutor.ÌÌà àà àProcess€was€issued€against€Frank€Jones,€Jr.,€in€accordance€with€theÏrule€that€a€suit€for€injuries€resulting€from€the€act€of€a€deceased€tortfeasor€can€onlyÍbe€instituted€against€the€personal€representative€of€the€decedent.€òò€Brooks€v.ÏGarneróó,€194€Tenn.€624,€254€S.W.2d€736€(1953).€€An€attempt€was€made€to€serveÏthe€executor€in€Davidson€County€through€Monica€Edwards,€his€attorney.€€Ms.ÏEdwards€refused€to€accept€service€for€Mr.€Jones,€and€the€summons€was€returnedÏwith€the€notation€ð ðNot€to€be€found€in€my€county,ðð€with€Ms.€Edwardsðð€refusal€toÏaccept€service€also€noted.€€Ms.€Winters€subsequently€served€her€uninsuredÏmotorist€carrier,€First€American€Insurance€Co.,€with€a€copy€of€the€complaint.€€NoÏfurther€attempt€was€made€to€obtain€service€on€Mr.€Jones.€ÌÌà àà àOn€October€26,€1994,€First€American€filed€a€motion€to€dismiss€theÏcomplaint.€€The€trial€court€noted€that€the€plaintiffððs€failure€to€serve€Frank€Jones,€Jr.Ïwithin€the€one„year€statute€of€limitations€for€personal€injury€barred€any€suit€againstÏhis€fatherððs€estate.€€The€court€concluded€that€as€ð ðplaintiff€has€no€cause€of€actionÏagainst€First€American€Insurance€Company€greater€than€her€cause€of€actionÏagainst€defendants,€summary€judgment€in€favor€of€First€American€InsuranceÏCompany€is€proper€.€.€.€.ðð€This€appeal€followed.ÌÌà@ àò òII.ó óÌÌà àà àTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€56„7„1206€sets€out€the€procedures€a€party€mustÏfollow€in€order€to€bring€its€uninsured€motorist€carrier€into€a€case€against€aÏtortfeasor.€Section€(a)€of€the€statute€permits€the€insured€to€serve€upon€theÍinsurance€company€a€copy€of€the€process€that€had€previously€been€served€uponÏthe€uninsured€motorist.€Such€service€allows€the€company€to€defend€against€theÏclaim,€in€the€name€of€the€owner€of€the€uninsured€vehicle,€or€in€its€own€name€if€itÏwishes.Ì€Ìà àà àPrevious€law€in€Tennessee€prohibited€direct€suits€against€anÏuninsured€motorist€carrier.€€See€òòGlover€v.€Tennessee€Farmers€Mutual€Ins.€Co.,óóÏ225€Tenn.€396,€468€S.W.2d€727€(1971).€€However€the€passage€of€a€statute€nowÏcodified€at€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€56„7„1206(d)€(1975€Tenn.€Pub.€Acts,€ch.€164,€ðð€1)Ïcreated€the€possibility€of€such€a€direct€action,€in€situations€where€€the€tortfeasorÏhimself€cannot€be€reached€by€process.€€See€òòBrewer€v.€Richardson,óó€893€S.W.2dÏ935€at€938€(Tenn.€1995).€€The€relevant€portion€of€section€(d)€reads:€ÌÌÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒÓÓIn€the€event€that€service€of€process€against€the€uninsuredÏmotorist,€which€was€issued€to€the€motorist's€last€knownÏaddress,€is€returned€by€the€sheriff€or€other€process€serverÏmarked,€"Not€to€be€found€in€my€county,"€or€words€to€thatÏeffect€.€.€.€the€service€of€process€against€the€uninsuredÏmotorist€carrier,€pursuant€to€this€section,€shall€be€sufficientÏfor€the€court€to€require€the€insurer€to€proceed€as€if€it€is€theÏonly€defendant€in€such€a€case.ÌÌÌÌÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓà àà àThe€whole€substance€of€the€appellantððs€argument€is€based€upon€theÏabove€section.€€She€claims€that€her€unsuccessful€attempt€to€obtain€service€on€theÏattorney€of€the€uninsured€motoristððs€estate€was€sufficient€to€give€her€the€right€toÍproceed€directly€against€her€own€insurer.€€We€do€not€agree€however,€because€weÏbelieve€the€statute€requires€a€more€diligent€effort€on€the€plaintiffððs€part€to€preserveÏher€rights,€and€the€rights€of€her€insurer,€against€the€tortfeasor.€ÌÌà@ àò òIII.ó óÌÌà àà àA€plaintiff€who€fails€to€establish€legal€liability€against€a€defendantÏtortfeasor€cannot€impose€liability€upon€her€uninsured€motorist€carrier€for€the€actsÏof€that€same€tortfeasor.€òò€Hickey€v.€Insurance€Co.€Of€North€Americaóó,€239€F.Supp.Ï109€at€111€(E.D.€Tenn.€1965).€€See€also€òòGafford€v.€Caruthersóó,€Appeal€No.€01„A„01„9403„CV„00093€(Court€of€Appeals,€filed€August€12,€1994).€€Thus,€whenÏthrough€inattention€or€neglect€a€plaintiff€allows€her€cause€of€action€against€theÏtortfeasor€to€lapse,€she€is€precluded€from€obtaining€a€recovery€from€the€insurer€asÏwell.€€This€rule€is€no€mere€legal€formalism,€because€as€long€as€there€is€a€viableÏcause€of€action€against€a€tortfeasor,€the€insurer€has€a€right€of€subrogation€for€anyÏpayments€it€makes€to€the€insured€on€the€tortfeasorððs€behalf.ÌÌà àà àThis€court€has€stated€that,€ð ð[t]he€intention€of€the€Legislature€inÏenacting€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€€56„7„1206€was€to€provide€an€efficient€procedureÏwhereby€the€Plaintiffs€could€obtain€complete€relief€when€injured€by€an€uninsuredÏmotorist.ðð€òò€Lady€v.€Kreggeróó,€747€S.W.2d€342€at€345€(Tenn.App.€1987).€€HoweverÏthe€statute€was€not€meant€to€benefit€the€insured€at€the€cost€of€stripping€the€insurerÍof€its€right€to€recover€against€the€tortfeasor.€€Thus€the€requirement€of€service€uponÏthe€tortfeasor€is€not€imposed€on€the€plaintiff€as€an€empty€formality,€but€as€aÏpractical€means€of€maintaining€the€insurerððs€right€to€recover€from€the€responsibleÏparty,€once€it€has€paid€the€policyholder.ÌÌà àà àThe€rights€of€both€the€plaintiff€and€the€insurer€against€the€tortfeasorÏwho€cannot€immediately€be€reached€by€process€are€preserved€by€two€otherÏsections€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€56„7„1206.€€Section€(b)€permits€the€issuance€ofÏprocess€against€a€John€Doe€defendant€where€the€identity€of€the€tortfeasor€isÏunknown.€€Section€(e)€sets€out€the€subsequent€procedure€to€follow€when€theÏidentity€and/or€the€whereabouts€of€a€previously€unserved€tortfeasor€is€discoveredÏduring€the€course€of€proceedings€against€the€insurer:ÌÌÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒÓÓ(e)€In€the€event€the€uninsured€motorist's€whereabouts€isÏdiscovered€during€the€pendency€of€the€proceedings,€anÏalias€process€may€issue€against€the€uninsured€motorist.€€InÏsuch€a€case,€the€uninsured€motorist€shall€be€allowed€aÏreasonable€time€within€which€to€plead€to€the€originalÏprocess,€and€then€the€case€may€proceed€against€theÏuninsured€motorist€as€if€the€motorist€was€served€withÏprocess€in€the€first€instance.ÌÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÌÓÓÌà àà àIn€òòLady€v.€Kreggeróó,€supra,€we€held€that€alias€process€issued€inÏaccordance€with€the€provisions€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€€56„7„1206(e)€enables€theÏplaintiff€to€proceed€against€the€tortfeasor,€even€though€issued€after€the€expirationÍof€the€period€found€in€Rule€3€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€for€limiting€the€time€in€which€a€partyÏmay€obtain€new€process€in€order€to€keep€an€action€alive.€€€See€also€òòLittle€v.€StateÏFarm€Mutual€Insuranceóó,€784€S.W.2d€928€(Tenn.App.€1989).ÌÌà àà àIn€the€present€case,€the€plaintiff€cannot€proceed€directly€against€theÏinsurance€company€in€accordance€with€the€provisions€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€56„7„1206(d)€because€even€though€she€managed€to€elicit€a€ð ðNot€to€be€found€in€myÏcountyðð€response€on€the€return€of€process,€she€did€not€serve,€or€attempt€to€serve,Ïthe€responsible€party€at€his€last€known€address.€€Nor€can€she€invoke€sections€(b)Ïor€(e)€to€avoid€the€effect€of€her€failure€to€comply€with€Rule€3€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.,Ïbecause€the€identity€of€the€proper€person€to€serve€was€known,€and€a€review€ofÏprobate€court€documents€relating€to€the€estate€of€Frank€Jones€Sr.€would€haveÏquickly€revealed€the€address€of€his€executor.€€ÌÌà@ àò òIV.ó óÌÌà àà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Remand€this€cause€to€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Davidson€County€for€further€proceedings€consistent€with€thisÏopinion.€Tax€the€costs€on€appeal€to€the€appellant.€ÌÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à_____________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÇÑ  ÑÑ ° ÑÑ X Ñ