Doster v. C. v. Nalley, Inc.
Doster v. C. v. Nalley, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff in error concedes in his brief that the evidence did not disclose any negligence on the part of the Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc.
(a) The contract entered into between the plaintiff and the defendants Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., and Gaines-ville Speedway, Inc., bars a recovery against either of such defendants. There can be a “release” of future or contingent claims. 45 Am. Jur. 695, Release, § 31; Hearn v. Central of Ga. Ry. Co., 22 Ga. App. 1, 7 (95 S. E. 368); McCommons v.
(b) The contract or covenant not to sue inured to the benefit of Gainesville Speedway, Inc., as well as Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc. The agreement was as follows:
“Southern Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc.
Speed Thrills Release
Racing
Enterprises Gainesville Speedway Inc. Speedway
“In consideration of receiving permission from the promoters to enter upon the premises of this speedway, the receipt of such
“Each of the undersigned being duly aware of the risks and hazards inherent upon entering upon said premises and or in participating in any races held at said premises, hereby elects voluntarily to enter upon said premises, knowing their present condition and knowing that said condition may become more hazardous and dangerous during the time that each of the undersigned is upon the said premises. Each of the undersigned hereby voluntarily assumes all risks of loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by any or each of the undersigned, or any property of any or each of the undersigned while in, on or upon said premises.
“This release shall be binding upon the distributees, heirs, next of kin, executors and administrators of each of the undersigned.
“In signing the foregoing release, each of the undersigned hereby acknowledges and represents: (a) That he has read the foregoing release, understands it, and signs it voluntarily; (b) That he is over 21 years of age and of sound mind-; (c) That he is not an agent, servant, or employee of S. R. E. and/or any of the agents, officers, servants, or employees of the promoter; (d) That he is an independent contractor and assumes and takes all responsibility for all charges, premiums and taxes, if any, payable on any funds he may receive as a result of his activities, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, social
Standing alone, the provision, “each of the undersigned hereby releases S. R. E. the licensed promoter, and its agents, officers, servants, and employees,” might be construed as meaning that Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., was the licensed promoter and that, therefore, the contract “released” only Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc. However, the contract must be construed as a whole. The contract was captioned by the names of Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., and Gainesville Speedway, Inc. It also provided: “(c) That he [undersigned] is not an agent, servant, or employee of S. R. E. and/or any of the agents, officers, servants, or employees of the promoter.” If Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., was the promoter, the last phrase of the above quoted provision would be redundant. The plaintiff understood that Gainesville Speedway, Inc., and not Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., was the promoter because he alleged that Gainesville Speedway, Inc., was the promoter and that Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., supervised, controlled, conducted and officiated at the races. Under these circumstances, the only reasonable interpretation that can be placed on the phrase, “each of the undersigned hereby releases S. R. E. the licensed promoter, etc.” is that the plaintiff “released” Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., and the licensed promoter who was the Gainesville Speedway, Inc.
The evidence demanded a finding that the defendant Hunter was not in the scope of his employment at the time of the collision. He was employed by Nalley as a mechanic and as a wrecker driver. He was allowed to keep the wrecker when he was not working at Nalley’s shop for the purpose of hauling in any wrecks and for this he would receive part of the hauling charge. His sole purpose in being at the race was for his own pleasure and for the purpose of hauling any wrecks that might occur during the races. He was not authorized to assist in any way the operation of the race track and he had no authority to assist in the repair of a public address system.
The court erred in directing a verdict for the defendant Hunter. He testified in part: “No one at the iGainesville Speed
The evidence demanded a finding that in the operation of the wrecker at the time of the collision, Hunter was not acting under the direction of someone else but was completely in charge and was driving according to his own judgment. The evidence did not authorize a finding that Cecil Hunter was an employee, agent or servant of Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., Gainesville Speedway, Inc., or any of their officials, employees, agents or servants. Therefore, the release of Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., and Gainesville Speedway, Inc., did not inure to the benefit of Cecil Hunter. Nor does the evidence show that Cecil Hunter knew or had the right to expect that a race would not be started or would not be in progress when he drove his wrecker onto the track. As to whether Cecil Hunter was negligent in so operating the wrecker and whether the plaintiff was also negligent are questions which should have been resolved by a jury.
The court did not err in directing a verdict for the defendants Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., Gainesville Speedway, Inc., and C. Y. Nalley, Inc. The court erred in directing a verdict for the defendant Cecil Hunter.
The court did not err in denying the motion for new trial as to the defendants Southern Racing Enterprises, Inc., Gainesville Speedway, Inc., and C. V. Nalley, Inc. The court erred in denying the motion for new trial as to the defendant Cecil Hunter.
Judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part.
Concurring Opinion
concurring specially. I agree with the majority opinion that the instrument termed a release was a covenant not to sue.
The instrument was ambiguous as to whether Gainesville Speedway, Inc., was the promoter relieved of liability. The plaintiff’s own pleading and proof clearly and conclusively es
The petition alleged: “At all times herein mentioned said corporate defendant Gainesville Speedway, Inc., was in the business of promoting races between stock and modified automobiles of individual owners, and maintained and operated a race tract off the Cleveland Highway, in Hall County, Georgia, and charged admission to spectators to see said races.”
The plaintiff testified: “I believe it is correct that the Gaines-ville Speedway leased the track out there and they handled the advertising for the race. The Southeastern Enterprises actually conducted the races and controlled them.”
The question as to the liability of C. V. Nalley, Inc., is a close one. In Dawson Motor Co. v. Petty, 53 Ga. App. 746, 749 (186 S. E. 877) it was held: “When the plaintiff showed by competent uncontradicted evidence that the defendant was the owner of the automobile that injured him and that the person operating it was, at the time of the injury, in the defendant’s employment, the presumption arose that the servant was engaged in the master’s business and within the scope of his employment; and the burden was then on the defendant to show that the person operating the machine was not his. servant, or was not at the time of the injury engaged in the business of the master.” There are many similar holdings.
In the instant case the evidence showed that Hunter was the employee of C. V. Nalley, Inc., operating and in charge of its wrecker, with the broad authority to do whatever was customary in rendering services for which the vehicle was designed. But I do not think that where a servant is in charge of a vehicle or other equipment of his employer which is adapted to a particular function, the presumption arises that he is the master’s agent authorized to render services of a nature entirely different from that in which such vehicle or equipment is commonly employed. The wrecker service was disassociated with the work of an electrician such as Hunter undertook to engage in on the occasion under investigation. By way of illustration,- if an employee drives his master’s milk or laundry truck to the race track it
I have carefully considered the question as to whether Hunter’s conduct in driving the truck upon the race track to repair the electric wires necessary to the successful operation of the Speedway Corporation’s speaker constituted a mere deviation from the course of his employment, as was, in the case of Limerick v. Roberts, 32 Ga. App. 755 (124 S. E. 806) held not to constitute a departure from the course of his employment, or whether using the wrecker in the manner and for the purpose it was employed was an entire departure from and an act not within the scope of his employment. I am constrained to hold that the use of the truck in carrying on a business that the master was not engaged in, and for a purpose that the master could not have reasonably contemplated the vehicle would be put to, was not a mere deviation but an abandonment of Hunter’s employment. Hence, his employer was not responsible under the doctrine of respondeat superior for his negligent act.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DOSTER v. C. v. NALLEY, INC., Et Al.
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