ÿWPC …# VU:a %› 0(¡w@É4  , 0—4 0DË 0J 0TY 0^­ 0h 0rs 0|å 0†a 0ç 1uw 0dì U*PB)zDC£ AMæÙ3r v~~vÓü BÏ D3ì 0@ AO_Æ® 0Dt D/¸ Bç˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 ,†r‰AZ‹"Arial RegularX($¡¡ UEU D [  Ó€z!3|x(G(2ö2$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ôhãôXXÔÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 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< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d 7Border 1dd€-!Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ÏÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌò òSeptember€25,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó hÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $ÝÔ€ôÔÓ  Óà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝRule€10€(Court€of€Appeals).€€òòMemorandum€Opinionóó.€„„€(b)€The€Court,€with€the€concurrence€of€allÏjudges€participating€in€the€case,€may€affirm,€reverse€or€modify€the€actions€of€the€trial€court€by€memorandumÏopinion€when€a€formal€opinion€would€have€no€precedential€value.€€When€a€case€is€decided€byÏmemorandum€opinion€it€shall€be€designated€"MEMORANDUM€OPINION,"€shall€not€be€published,€and€shallÏnot€be€cited€or€relied€upon€for€any€reason€in€a€subsequent€unrelated€case.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÒ  BA Op Geneva Ò d))))'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òÑ7€w˜XXdædÈ7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSONÌÌÌLELA€CUMMINGS€(SWINDLE),à àà àà à)€ó óFrom€the€Shelby€County€CircuitÏCourtò òÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ó óat€Memphis,€Tennesseeò òÌà àó óPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà àà àò ò)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ó óHon.€James€E.€Swearengen,€Judgeò òÌvs.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ó óShelby€Circuit€No.€40317„4€T.D.€and€ò òÌCITY€OF€MEMPHIS€andà àà àà àà à)ó ó€No.€40347„4€T.D.ò òÌMEMPHIS€LIGHT,€GAS€&€WATER€DIV.,à à)€Appeal€No.€02A01„9506„CV„00122Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€REVERSEDÌà àó óDefendant/Appellantà àà àà àò ò)Ìòòà àà àà àà àà àà àà àóó)€ó óMonice€Moore€Haglerò òÌCITY€OF€MEMPHIS,à àà àà àà à)€ó óCity€Attorneyò òÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ó óDorothy€Osradkerò òÌà àó óPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà àà àò ò)€ó óSr.€Asst.€City€Attorneyò òÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ó óFor€Appellant€City€of€Memphisò òÌvs.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ó óM.€Scott€Willhiteò òÌWHITE€CONTRACTING,€INC.,à àà àà à)€ó óAttorney€for€Appellant€WhiteÏContractingò òÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àó óDefendant/Appellant.à àà àà àò ò)€ó óReed€L.€Malkinò òÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ó óAttorney€for€Appellee,€Lela€Cummings€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)ó ó€(Swindle)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)ó ó€Yvonne€Chatman„Johnsonò òÌó óà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)ó ó€Attorney€for€Appellee€MLGWÌÙ€€ÙßL€"#!;+'h|Xw` Å `€€LßÌò òòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏóóÌà@ àMEMORANDUM€OPINIONó ó× ƒ$ ××  ×Ìòòò ò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏóóÌòòHIGHERS,€J.óóó óÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à€€ò ò›Ìó óÌÓÓà àIn€this€action€for€personal€injury,€defendants€appeal€from€the€trial€courtððsÏjudgment€holding€the€defendants,€City€of€Memphis€(ð ðCityðð)€and€White€Contracting,€Inc.,Ï100%€negligent.ÌÌà àIn€1989,€the€City€and€White€Contracting,€Inc.€entered€into€a€contract€for€theÏrenovation€of€Ontario€Street,€which€involved€constructing€sidewalks€and€curbs,€andÏinstalling€drainage€and€gutters.€ÌÌÑ7€w˜XXdæXXdæ7Ñà àPlaintiff,€Lela€Cummings€Swindle,€lived€on€Ontario€Street.€€Due€to€theÏconstruction,€Ontario€Street€and€the€adjacent€yards€were€ð ðall€torn€upðð€for€a€period€ofÏseveral€months.€€Plaintiff€testified€that€the€yards€were€ð ð[a]€total€mess.€€Pipes€and€bricksÏand€just€anything,€you€know,€laying€in€the€yards.ðð€€According€to€plaintiff,€there€were€ð ðbigÏholesðð€in€the€yards,€and€the€area€was€excessively€muddy.€€The€construction€inspectorÏfor€the€City€stated€that€ð ð[t]here€was€pipe,€gravel€and€concrete,€broken€concrete,€all€sortsÏof€debris€.€.€.€all€up€and€down€the€street.ðð€€At€various€times,€residents€of€Ontario€StreetÏwere€unable€to€park€their€cars€in€their€driveways€due€to€obstructions.€ÌÌà àOn€March€21,€1990,€plaintiff€walked€across€her€neighborððs€yard€in€an€attempt€toÏfind€a€construction€manager€to€assist€in€clearing€a€path€to€her€driveway.€In€order€toÏavoid€walking€through€a€muddy€area,€plaintiff€chose€to€walk€through€a€pile€of€debris,Ïwhich€consisted€of€pipes,€wire,€and€bricks.€€Plaintiff€fell€when€her€foot€slipped€on€someÏð ðblue€turquoiseðð€colored€pipes.€€ÌÌà àAs€a€result€of€the€accident,€plaintiff€suffered€torn€ligaments€in€her€feet€and€aÏfractured€bone€in€her€right€foot.€€She€claimed€medical€expenses€in€the€amount€ofÏ$571.07,€lost€wages€in€the€amount€of€$828.00,€and€$150.00€for€housekeepingÏservices.€ÌÌà àPlaintiff€brought€suit€against€the€City€and€Memphis€Light,€Gas€and€WaterÏDivision€(ð ðMLGWðð)€in€the€General€Sessions€Court€for€Shelby€County.€The€City€thenÏfiled€suit€for€indemnification€against€White€Contracting,€Inc.€€Following€a€hearing,€theÏgeneral€sessions€court€held€in€favor€of€all€defendants€on€the€basis€that€the€plaintiffððsÏnegligence€exceeded€that€of€the€defendants.€€On€appeal€to€the€circuit€court,€judgmentÏwas€rendered€in€favor€of€plaintiff€against€the€City€in€the€amount€of€$20,000.00.€The€trialÏcourt€subsequently€amended€its€judgment€to€reduce€the€amount€of€damages€toÏ$15,000.00,€and€to€attribute€50%€negligence€to€White€Contracting€and€50%Ïnegligence€to€the€City.€ÌÌà àThe€City€and€White€Contracting€have€raised€several€issues€on€appeal.€ÏHowever,€we€will€address€only€one€of€defendantsðð€contentions,€as€we€find€it€to€beÏdispositive€of€this€case.€€That€issue€is€whether€the€plaintiff€was€negligent€to€a€sufficientÏdegree€to€preclude€recovery.ÌÌà àIf€the€plaintiff€was€fifty€percent€or€more€negligent,€she€is€barred€from€recoveryÏunder€the€doctrine€of€comparative€negligence.€€òòMcIntyre€v.€Balentineóó,€833€S.W.2d€52Í(Tenn.€1992).€€In€òòPerez€v.€McConkeyóó,€872€S.W.2d€897€(Tenn.€1994),€our€SupremeÏCourt€held€that€issues€involving€implied€assumption€of€the€risk€should€be€analyzedÏunder€the€principles€of€comparative€fault.€€The€Court€explained€that€ð ð[a]ttention€shouldÏbe€focused€on€whether€a€reasonably€prudent€person€in€the€exercise€of€due€care€knewÏof€the€risk,€or€should€have€known€of€it,€and€thereafter€confronted€the€risk;€and€whetherÏsuch€a€person€would€have€behaved€in€the€manner€in€which€the€plaintiff€acted€in€light€ofÏall€the€surrounding€circumstances,€including€the€confronted€risk.ðð€€òòId.óó€at€905.€€ÌÌà àIt€is€uncontroverted€that€the€area€was€torn€up€and€scattered€with€debris€duringÏconstruction.€€This€fact€is€the€sole€evidence€from€the€record€upon€which€defendantsððÏliability€may€be€predicated.ÌÌà àHowever,€there€is€more€pervasive€evidence€of€plaintiffððs€negligence€evinced€inÏthe€record.€€Plaintiff€admitted€that€she€knew€of€the€existence€and€location€of€the€pipes,Ïyet€she€chose€to€walk€over€them.€She€stated€that€there€was€clear€visibility€and€thatÏnothing€obstructed€her€vision.€€Thus,€she€was€not€encountering€an€unknown€or€hiddenÏrisk.€€She€also€testified€that€she€recognized€and€understood€that€the€constructionÏcaused€a€potentially€dangerous€condition€and€that€she€should€thus€use€extra€care.ÏConsequently,€plaintiff€understood€the€danger€that€the€pile€of€debris€presented,€butÏdisregarded€such€danger€and€voluntarily€exposed€herself€to€it.€€òòOwen€v.€ArcataÏGraphics/Kingsport€Pressóó,€813€S.W.2d€442€(Tenn.€App.€1990).€€She€conceded€thatÏthere€were€alternate€paths€that€she€could€have€chosen,€even€though€they€were€lessÏconvenient.€Plaintiff€testified€that€White€Construction€ð ðdid€their€bestðð€to€provide€accessÍto€the€road€by€placing€gravel€and€helping€to€clear€the€walks.€Forbes,€the€constructionÏmanager,€testified€that€White€Construction€erected€warning€signs€and€barricadesÏaround€potentially€hazardous€areas.€€Ìà àIt€is€inescapable€that€a€construction€project€of€this€nature€will€yield€a€certainÏamount€of€debris€and€disorder.€€In€the€absence€of€additional€or€more€persuasiveÏevidence€that€the€state€of€the€subject€construction€site€was€unreasonable,€we€cannotÏconclude€that€defendantsðð€negligence€exceeded€that€of€the€plaintiff.ÌÌà àAccordingly,€we€reverse€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€and€hold€that€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€courtððs€finding€that€defendants€were€100%€atÏfault.€€Instead,€we€find€that€plaintiff€was€at€least€50%€negligent€and€is€therebyÏprecluded€from€recovery.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€adjudged€against€plaintiff,€œLelaÏCummings€(Swindle),€for›€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïóóà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àHIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌLILLARD,€J.ÌÌ