WPC B ?U"'M}j1NqsHLى>-$:7ewAOZbR5k^iƗRC ov:fÝ{]n+D8Unj\C;4Т]od2 €v{͸S#:l+q_sǔ]eG v 5Svb06{(.= Ž0Kz8 ܡ 63קB-K!2=Z8g3HQ!t44j{%#c kULN+tgԘN﫻ho :aq+p= sr^lTaZ۞q˽z8Jj\hWo>w4^ \_fO=u:$tgf.|oWubEPĿRx/H- OPINION #LXXm#XXL L"! #LXXL #XXL  @$$*d I.  $$t#   OnthemorningofMarch17,1999,RonnieG.Brockawokewithatoothache.About4:30a.m. %L!% hetookoneTylenol#3withcodeine.LaterintheafternoonMr.BrockwenttotheEastNashville &8"& DentalCenterfortreatment.Hereceivedtwoorthreeshotsofnovocaineforthepainandaprescription '$#' forpenicillintofighttheinfectioninhisabscessedtooth.Healsoreceivedaprescriptionfor_Lortab_, ($( apainkiller.Atapproximately7:00p.m.Mr.Brocktookonepenicillintablet,buthedidnotfillhis )$) _Lortab_Ԁprescriptionuntilthenextday. *%*   Thatevening,Mr.Brock,onanassignmentbyhisemployer,Lloyd_Amburgy_,d/b/aAarons p,', LimousineService,pickedupthreepassengersandtookthemtoarestaurant.AftervisitinganIrishpub \-(- #LXX #XXLdowntown,thepassengersdecidedtogotoanightclubinOldHickory.Mr.Brockheadednorthon H.). Interstate65andtheturnedoffontoOldHickoryBoulevard.AlmostimmediatelyMr.Brock  experienceda funnyfeelinglikeacoldsweat.Helookedforaplacetopullofftheroadbuthelost  consciousnessandwreckedtheautomobileseverelyinjuringhispassengers.Thetimeoftheaccident  wasapproximately12:20a.m.onMarch18,1999. t   ThethreepassengerssuedMr.Brockandhisemployerfortheirinjuries.TheyallegedthatMr. L  Brocknegligentlydecidedtooperatethelimousinewhenareasonablepersonwouldhaveforeseenthat 8  thedrugsinhissystemmadeitdangerous.Inadditiontotheemployersliabilityonthebasisof $ t _respondeat_Ԁsuperior,thecomplaintallegedthattheemployerwasnegligentinentrustingthelimousine  ` toitsimpaireddriver.  L    ThedefendantsfiledamotionforsummaryjudgmentonthegroundthatMr.Brockssudden $  lossofconsciousnesswasnotforeseeable.Thetrialcourtgrantedthemotion.   @*d II.      Summaryjudgmentsareappropriateonlywhenthefactsmaterialtothe_dispositive_Ԁlegalissues p areundisputed.Churchv._Perales_,39S.W.3d149(Tenn.Ct.App.2000).Onappealweviewallthe \ evidenceinthelightmostfavorabletothenon_movant_,andweresolveallfactualinferencesinthenon H _movant_sfavor.Id.at157. 4   InMcCallv.Wilder,913S.W.2d150(Tenn.1995),theSupremeCourtsaid:  \ 8  Asuddenlossofconsciousnessorphysicalcapacityexperiencedwhiledrivingwhich 4 isnotreasonablyforeseeableisadefensetoanegligenceaction.Toconstitutea   defense,defendantmustestablishthatthesuddenlossofconsciousnessorphysical   capacitytocontrolthevehiclewasnotreasonablyforeseeabletoaprudentperson.As  aresult,thedefenseisnotavailableundercircumstancesinwhichdefendantwasmade  awareoffactssufficienttoleadareasonablyprudentpersontoanticipatethatdriving  inthatconditionwouldlikelyresultinanaccident.l!! Id.at155,156. D!   Thus,wherethesuddenlossofconsciousnessisadefenseliabilityturnsonwhethertheevent #l! wasforeseeabletoareasonablyprudentperson.TheCourtwentontolistseveralfactorsthatmight $X" maketheeventforeseeable. $D # 8  Theextentofthedriversawarenessorknowledgeoftheconditionthatcausedthe &"% suddenincapacity;whetherthedriverhadsoughtmedicaladviceorwasundera '#& physicianscarefortheconditionwhentheaccidentoccurred;whetherthedriverhad (#' beenprescribed,andhadtaken,medicationforthecondition;whetherasudden )$( incapacityhadpreviouslyoccurredwhiledriving;thenumber,frequency,extent,and |*%) durationofincapacitatingepisodespriortotheaccidentwhiledrivingandotherwise;the h+&* temporalrelationshipofthepriorincapacitatingepisodestotheaccident;aphysicians T,'+ guidanceoradviceregardingdrivingtothedriver,ifany;andmedicalopinions  regardingthenatureofthedriverscondition,adherencetotreatment,_foreseeability_Ԁof  theincapacitation,andpotentialadvancewarningswhichthedriverwouldhave  experiencedimmediatelypriortotheaccident.t!! Id.at156. L    Inthiscase,therewasnoevidencethatMr.Brockhadeverexperiencedanysuddenincapacity $ t orlossofconsciousness,priortotheaccident.Therewasalsonoevidencethathehadeverbeen  ` diagnosedwithaconditionthatwouldleadhimtoanticipatesuchanepisode.Thereisnodisputeas  L  totheeventsinMr.Brocksdaypriortotheaccidentthe4:30a.m.ingestionoftheTylenol#3with  8  codeine,thedentalappointmentwithitsnovocaineshots,orthepenicillinat7:00p.m.Thetwodoctors $  whosetestimonyappearsintherecorddisagreeaboutwhetherMr.Brocksufferedaseizure,butthere   isnothingintherecordthatindicatesareasonablyprudentpersonshouldhaveforeseenanyimpairment   inhisabilitytodriveafterbeingmedicatedashewas.     TheonlythingwrongwithMr.Brockwasaninfectedtooth.Themedicalfactorslistedin p McCallv.Wilderaredrivingspecific;i.e.theyrelatetoamedicalconditionthatwouldincapacitatea \ driver.Wecouldhardlysayasmuchforaninfectedtooth. H   ThereisnoevidenceintherecordthatanyspecificdrugtakenbyMr.Brockoranyofthemin  p combinationcausedhimtoloseconsciousness.Oneofthemedicalexpertssaidthatyoushouldnot  \ operatemachineryaftertakingcodeine!dependingonthelengthoftimeafteringestingthedrug.But H theexpertdidnotknowhowlongithadbeensinceMr.BrocktooktheTylenol#3withcodeine; 4 thereforeshecouldnotgiveanopinionthatthedrugactuallycausedhimtoblackout.     EvenifweknewwhatcausedMr.Brocksspell,thereisnoprooffromwhichwecouldinfer  thatareasonablyprudentpersonshouldhaveforeseenit.Atriptothedentistandmultipleshotsof  novocainecommonlydonotincapacitateadriver.Neitherdoespenicillin!evenincombinationwith  otherdrugs!andthereisnoproofthatoneshouldexpectasuddenlossofconsciousnesstwentyhours l aftertakingTylenol#3withcodeine. X    ItgoeswithoutsayingthatifMr.Brockwasnotnegligenthisemployerisnotliableonthebasis 0"  of_respondeat_Ԁsuperior,andifareasonablyprudentpersonwouldnothaveforeseenanydifficultiesin #l! drivingacarundertheconditionspresenthere,Mr.Brocksemployerwasnotnegligentinentrusting $X" thecartohim. $D #   ThejudgmentofthecourtbelowisaffirmedandthecauseisremandedtotheCircuitCourtof &"% DavidsonCountyforanyfurtherproceedingsnecessary.Taxthecostsonappealtotheappellants,R. '#& Jerome_Beasley_,Jr.,ChristyLouiseMillerandMichaelLynnGowen. (#'    `     h   _________________________________________ h+&*    `     h   BENH.CANTRELL,PRESIDINGJUDGE,_M.S._