WPC # VUNa % 0(w@4 1 @ UPH 0l 0D 0JH 0T 0^ 0hD 0r 0| 0 0 1u 0d%U> D3 BU 6 0@MB)DC AMU*FpnLv~vy AOL 0Da D/ BHP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLd(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($ _`DabDc[defDghӀڃ",  (3|xs&@FZ 8CaslonOpnface BT Regular((3$ !      0  (#$  0  2 0Indent123  2" 0Indent20 23  2, 0Indent30 0 23  26 0Indent40 0 0 23  2@ 0Indent50 0 0 0 23  2J 0Indent60 0 0 0 0 23  2T 0Indent70 0 0 0 0 0 23  2^ 0Indent80 0 0 0 0 0 0 23   ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P 8Mac DefaultMac Default ` X<  9p`(&Times New Roman++++'dxd d<  9p`(Courier New("$    % Line 7 d....7Border 1dd-/C << G<  9p`(Arial  !#d#)  11   YYY FILED1X October20,1997CecilCrowson,Jr.1AppellateCourtClerk  d !#d#)   $       ,,Ms.Oroszshusband,EricBergman,wassuedonthetheorythatshewasdrivingafamilypurposevehicle.Thedefendantandherhusbandadmittedthisfactattrial. !#d#)   $       ,,Thedefendantandherhusbandhavenotappealedthisruling.  !#d#)   $       ,,Forexample,intakingthisviewoftheevidence,wehaveignoredMs.Deckerstestimonythatthedefendantadmittedfaultatthesceneoftheaccident.AreasonableinferencefromMs.Orosztestimonyisthatshedidnotintendtoadmitfault. B !#d#)   $       ,,Becauseofourdispositionofplaintiffsfirstissue,wedonotfinditnecessarytoreachtheotherissuesraisedonthisappeal.PtPtHH(FG(HH(d'`Styl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   ion-F Geneva  ion-F Geneva -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd ! . )  ` \RA'\,\RA'\7lXXdd7  R02/A1-j|`  `@Rߛ @ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEEDIANEF.DECKERand    )C/ANO.03A019704CV00143GEORGEH.DECKER,    )       )  PlaintiffsAppellants, )       )       )v.       )APPEALASOFRIGHTFROMTHE       )KNOXCOUNTYCIRCUITCOURT       )       )       )SUSANE.OROSZand    )ERICJ.BERGMAN,    )       )HONORABLEDALEC.WORKMAN,  DefendantsAppellees. )JUDGEForAppellants      ForAppelleesW.MORRISKIZER     KEITHF.BLUEGentry,Tipton,Kizer&McLemore  Jenkins&JenkinsKnoxville,Tennessee    Knoxville,Tennessee@    OPINION,,XVACATEDANDREMANDED       Susano,J.  Initspresentposture,thisisanegligenceactionbytheoriginalplaintiffsseekingdamagesallegedlyarisingoutofatwovehicleaccidentattheintersectionofCumberlandAvenueandStadiumDriveinKnoxville.Thejuryreturnedaverdictinfavorofthedefendants,SusanE.Oroszandherhusband,EricBergman.Theplaintiffs,DianeF.Deckerandherhusband,GeorgeH.Decker,appealed,raisingthefollowingissues: 8 1.DidthetrialcourterrindenyingtheϜDeckersmotionfordirectedverdictontheissueofMs.Oroszliability? 8 2.DidthetrialcourterrindenyingtheϜDeckersmotiontosetasidethejudgmentandtohavejudgmententeredinaccordancewiththeirmotionfordirectedverdict? 8 3.DidthetrialcourterrindenyingtheϜDeckersmotionfornewtrial? 8 4.IsthereanymaterialevidencetosupportthespecialverdictofthejurythatMs.Oroszwasnotnegligent?Foreaseofreference,thetwodriversinvolvedintheaccident,Ms.DeckerandMs.Orosz,willbereferredto,respectively,as theplaintiffand thedefendant.  Theaccidentoccurredshortlybefore9:00a.m.onMarch29,1994.Theplaintiff,astudentattheUniversityof͜TennesseeKnoxville,wasonherwaytoclass;thedefendant,anemployeeattheCollegeofVeterinaryMedicineonthesamecampus,wasgoingtowork.BothwereproceedingwestonCumberlandAvenue.Theplaintiffwasinthelefthandturnlane,intendingtoturnleftontoStadiumDrive.Thedefendantwasimmediatelytotherightoftheplaintiff,inalaneforvehiclesproceedingϜstraightahead.Shehadoriginallyintendedtogostraight,butchangedhermind,afterwhichsheturnedintotheplaintiffslaneoftraffic,strikingtherightfrontpartoftheplaintiffsvehicle.  Theplaintiffsuedthedefendant 3   ׀fordamages.Thedefendantandherhusbandfiledacounterclaimfordamages.Attheconclusionofalltheproof,theplaintiffmovedforadirectedverdict ontheissueofliability.Thetrialcourtgrantedtheplaintiffsmotionastothecounterclaim,findingnoevidenceofnegligenceonthepartoftheplaintiff. 4   ׀Thetrialcourtdeniedthemotionastotheoriginalcomplaint,remarkingthat [t]hejurysgottodecidewhetherthisdefendantwasnegligent.  Wewilladdressfirstthefailureofthetrialcourttogranttheplaintiffsmotionforadirectedverdictontheissueofthedefendantsliability.  Thestandardsapplicabletoacourtsevaluationofamotionfordirectedverdictinanegligencecasearewellestablished.In Eatonv.McLain ,891S.W.2d587(Tenn.1994),theSupremeCourthadoccasiontostatethesestandards: 8 Inrulingonthemotion,thecourtmusttakethestrongestlegitimateviewoftheevidenceinfavorofthenonmovingparty.Inotherwords,thecourtmustremoveanyconflictintheevidencebyconstruingitinthelightmostfavorabletothenonmovantanddiscardingallcountervailingevidence.Thecourtmaygrantthemotiononlyif,afterassessingtheevidenceaccordingtotheforegoingstandards,itdeterminesthatreasonablemindscouldnotdifferastotheconclusionstobedrawnfromtheevidence.(Citationsomitted.)Ifthereisanydoubtastotheproperconclusionstobedrawnfromtheevidence,themotionmustbedenied.(Citationomitted.) Id .at590.  Intheinstantcase,theplaintiffalleges,amongotheractsofnegligence,thatthedefendantviolatedcertainstatutes,whichareasfollows: 8 Wheneveranyroadwayhasbeendividedintotwo(2)ormoreclearlymarkedlanesfortraffic,thefollowingrules,inadditiontoallothersconsistentherewith,shallapply: 8 (1)Avehicleshallbedrivenasnearlyaspracticableentirelywithinasinglelaneandshallnotbemovedfromsuchlaneuntilthedriverhasfirstascertainedthatsuchmovementcanbemadewithsafety;...T.C.A.558123. 8 Nopersonshall...turnavehiclefromadirectcourseormoverightorleftuponaroadway,unlessanduntilsuchmovementcanbemadewithreasonablesafety.T.C.A.558142(a). 8 Everydriverwhointendstostart,stoporturn,orpartlyturnfromadirectline,shallfirstseethatsuchmovementcanbemadeinsafety,...T.C.A.558143(a).Itwasandistheplaintiffspositionthatthedefendantviolatedthesecodesectionsandthatherviolationsweretheproximatecauseoftheaccidentandtheinjuriesanddamagesclaimedbytheplaintiffandherhusband.  Theplaintiffandthedefendantweretheonlywitnessestotheaccident;however,neitherpartysawtheotherbeforetheircarscollided.TheplaintifftestifiedthatassheapproachedtheϜintersectioninthelefthandturnlane,sheobservedthatthetrafficlightattheintersectionwasred.Shesaidthatshehadalmostbroughthercartoacompletestopwhenitwasstruckintherightfrontsidebytheleftfrontofthedefendantsvehicle.Thepartiesagreethatafterthecollision,theplaintiffsvehiclewasstillintheturnlaneandthedefendantsvehiclewaspartlyintheturnlaneandpartlyinthethroughtrafficlane.  Thedefendantadmittedthatthe driverssidefrontcornerof[her]vehiclecollidedwiththepassengersidefrontwheelandfrontfenderof[theplaintiffs]vehicle.Whenaskedifshecouldtellthejuryanythingthattheplaintiffhaddonetocausetheaccident,thedefendantresponded, [n]o,sir,Icant.  Theplaintifftestifiedthatthedefendantvolunteeredatthesceneoftheaccidentthatthecollisionwasherfault.Whenaskedaboutthisattrial,thedefendantresponded: 8 IdontknowifIimplieditorifIsaidit.Honestly,Idont.  ThedefendanttestifiedregardingwhattookplacewhenshemadeadecisiontoturnleftatStadiumDriveratherthangoingstraightthroughtheintersection: 8 Q.AndupondecidingyouregoingtomakealeftonStadium,areyoumovingorstoppedatthatpoint,asyourethinkingaboutthis? 8 A.IwasIwasatacompletestop. 8 Q.Andinwhatlane? 8 A.Iwasinthelefthand[throughtraffic]lane.@ *** 8 Q.Allright,AndwhatdidyoudothenonceyouchangedyourmindandyouweregoingtomakealeftontoStadiumDrive. 8 A.Okay,afterIrememberafterIlookedattheclockandmadethedecision,thenIputmyblinkerontogetintothelefthandturnlane.ThenIlookedintothe 8 Q.Whichblinkerdidyouputon? 8 A.Myleft. 8 Q.Allright. 8 A.Okay,thenIlookedintotherearviewmirrorandlookedstraightbehindmeandIdidnotseeanyonecoming.ThenIlookedinthemirrorontheleftbythedriversseat,didntseeanyonethere,andthengaveaquickglanceupahead,stilldidntseeanyone,andthenslowlytookmyfootofftheclutchsoIcouldgointothislane.So,Ihadjuststartedturningthewheelofthecar,andtakingmyfootofftheclutchwhentheaccidentoccurred.Whenthedefendantmadeherdecisiontochangelanes,shewasϜstoppedbehindothertrafficinthethroughtrafficlane,waitingfortheredlighttochange.  Whentheevidenceisviewed inthelightmostfavorabletothenonmovant, 5   כi.e.,thedefendant,see Eaton ,891S.W.2dat590,itissubjecttoonlyonereasonableinterpretationthedefendantchangedlanesatatimewhensuchamovementcouldnot bemadewithreasonablesafety.SeeT.C.A.558142(a).Itisobvioustous,astheplaintiffargues,thatthedefendantwasnegligentinfailingtomakesurethattheplaintiffwasnotinher blindspot.Beforemakingherlanechange,thedefendantcheckedherbackandsidemirrors;whatshefailedtodowaslookbackoverherleftshouldertoassuredherselfthatavehiclewasnottoherleftintheareathatcouldnotbeviewedthroughthesideandbackmirrors.ThiswasaclearviolationofT.C.A.558142(a).Thatviolationwastheproximatecauseofthecollisionbetweenthetwocars.  Inthiscase,itwasconcededbythedefendant,andfoundbythetrialcourt,thattheplaintiffwasnotguiltyofanynegligence.Thus,logically,wearepresentedwithanaccidentϜthatwaseithercausedbythedefendantsnegligenceorwasunavoidableinnature.An unavoidableaccidenthasbeendefinedbythiscourtasfollows: 8 Anunavoidableorinevitableaccidentissuchanoccurrenceorhappeningas,underallattendantcircumstancesandconditions,couldnothavebeenforeseenoranticipatedintheexerciseofordinarycareastheproximatecauseofinjurybyanyofthepartiesconcerned.Inotherwords,wherethereisnoevidencethattheoperatorofthemotorvehiclewasnegligentinanyway,orthathecouldhaveanticipatedtheresultingaccident,theaccidentisdeemedtohavebeenanunavoidableorinevitableoneforwhichnorecoverymaybehad. Whitakerv.Harmon ,879S.W.2d865,870(Tenn.App.1994)(citingfrom7AAm.Jur.2d,AutomobilesandHighwayTraffic397,pp.60708).Tostatetheruleistodemonstratethatitdoesnotdescribethefactsinthiscase.Whenmeasuredagainstthisdefinition,theevidenceinthiscasecannotreasonablybeinterpretedinsuchawayastoconcludethatthecollisionwasunavoidable.Onthecontrary,itseemstousthattheevidence,Ϝevenwhenviewedinalightmostfavorabletothedefendant,clearlydemonstratesnegligenceonthepartofthedefendantthatproximatelycausedthiscollision.Thisaccidentcouldhavebeenavoidedhadthedefendantascertainedthattheplaintiffwastoherleftinthe blindspot.Accordingtohertestimony,shedidnotdothat.  Webelievethattheplaintiffwasentitledtoadirectedverdictontheissueofthedefendantsliablity. 6   כAccordingly,wevacatethetrialcourtsjudgmententeredonthejurysverdictforthedefendant,andremandthiscasefortheentryofaverdictfortheplaintiffontheissueofthedefendantsliability,andforanewtriallimitedsolelytothedamages,ifany,towhichtheplaintiffandherhusbandareentitled.Costsonappealaretaxedagainsttheappellees.       __________________________       CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,J.CONCUR:̜__________________________HoustonM.Goddard,P.J.̜,&(SeparateDissentingOpinion),XԛHerschelP.Franks,J.