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Phillips v. Blanton

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Nov 17, 1967
159 S.E.2d 187 (Ga. Ct. App. 1967)

Opinion

43166.

ARGUED NOVEMBER 6, 1967.

DECIDED NOVEMBER 17, 1967. REHEARING DENIED DECEMBER 1, 1967.

Action for damages. Wayne Superior Court. Before Judge Flexer.

Zorn Royal, William A. Zorn, for appellant.

Albert E. Butler, for appellees.


In these automobile collision cases which were consolidated for trial, verdicts and judgments were rendered for the plaintiffs, a driver and a guest passenger in an automobile, against the defendant who was driving another automobile. Among the plaintiffs' allegations of negligence were failure of the defendant to control her automobile, traveling too fast under existing conditions, failing to keep a proper lookout ahead, and failing to yield the right of way to the plaintiffs' vehicle when it had already entered the intersection in which the collision occurred.

The evidence offered by the parties was as a whole inconsistent and contradictory and made issues of fact as to negligence on the part of the defendant and of the plaintiff driver. It did not demand a verdict for either party. It was sufficient to authorize a finding that the defendant was negligent, and questions as to any negligence of the plaintiff driver that might prohibit or reduce the amount of the plaintiffs' recovery of damages, were matters within the province of the jury. Harris v. Cates, 105 Ga. App. 178, 179 ( 123 S.E.2d 703); Medlin v. Bickford, 106 Ga. App. 859, 861 ( 128 S.E.2d 531); Underwood v. Atlanta W. P. R. Co., 106 Ga. App. 467, 469 ( 127 S.E.2d 318).

Therefore, the trial court did not err in overruling and denying the defendant's motions for directed verdicts and for judgments notwithstanding the verdicts. But the trial court erred in directing a verdict for the plaintiffs on the question of liability, and for this reason the judgment must be reversed and a new trial granted.

Judgment reversed. Felton, C. J., and Eberhardt, J., concur.

ARGUED NOVEMBER 6, 1967 — DECIDED NOVEMBER 17, 1967 — REHEARING DENIED DECEMBER 1, 1967.


Summaries of

Phillips v. Blanton

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Nov 17, 1967
159 S.E.2d 187 (Ga. Ct. App. 1967)
Case details for

Phillips v. Blanton

Case Details

Full title:PHILLIPS v. BLANTON et al

Court:Court of Appeals of Georgia

Date published: Nov 17, 1967

Citations

159 S.E.2d 187 (Ga. Ct. App. 1967)
159 S.E.2d 187

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