Echevarría Ferrer v. Despiau
Echevarría Ferrer v. Despiau
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
The accident which gave rise to the action for damages now before us, occurred on February 5, 1949, around 2:10 a.m. at Ponce de León Avenue, Stop 12, Santurce. As alleged in the complaint, on the date, hour, and place stated, the plaintiff Angel Echevarria Ferrer was driving his own automobile from Santurce to San Juan while the Ford truck of the defendant Despiau driven by codefendant Rodriguez Vargas was going in opposite direction, at an excessive speed and zigzagging; that due to the blame and negligence of the truck’s driver, it collided against the plaintiff’s automobile causing him several injuries, among them a multiple fracture of the left arm which is now totally and permanently incapacitated, for which reason plaintiff has undergone a delicate operation and the amputation of several fingers of his left hand. The truck’s underwriter is the Fidelity and Guaranty Company, the defendant in this case. The de
The issue being thus joined, the case was tried. The parties introduced principally oral evidence in support of their respective allegations and the court rendered judgment, based on an elaborate opinion, granting the complaint, and ordering the defendants to pay, in solidum, to the plaintiff the amount of $7,000 plus costs and $500 attorney’s fees, but stating therein that the company’s liability would not exceed the amount of $5,000. Both parties appealed.
The first error assigned by the defendants is to the effect that the lower court erred in overruling the special defense that the complaint, as drafted, did not adduce facts sufficient to state a cause of action. There was no such error. In many instances we have held that an action for damages to either of the spouses must be brought by the conjugal partnership, and that it is the duty of the husband, as its administrator to file it. Meléndez v. Iturrondo, 71 P.R.R. 56, 58; Rivera v. De Martínez, 70 P.R.R. 456; Serrano v. González, 68 P.R.R. 579; Serra v. Transportation Authority, 68 P.R.R. 581; Guadalupe v. District Court, 65 P.R.R. 275, 276; Segarra v. Vivaldi, 59 P.R.R. 797, 802; Torres v. Fernández, 56 P.R.R. 459, 463; Gonzalez v. White Star Bus Line, 53 P.R.R. 328, 330; Flit v. White Star Bus Line, 49 P.R.R. 139; Vázquez v. P. R. Ry., Lt. & P. Co., 35 P.R.R. 59. Likewise we have repeatedly held that if the complaint in such cases is filed by the wife, such defect does not constitute lack of capacity to sue, but rather lack of cause
The defendants allege, nevertheless, that neither in the title nor in the body of the complaint it is stated that the same is filed on behalf and for the benefit of the conjugal partnership. Their assertion is correct. It does not mean, however, that for that reason the complaint does not constitute a cause of action, as during the trial it was repeatedly stated that the plaintiff was married at the time of the accident as well as when the complaint was filed. Under these circumstances the court could, motu proprio, consider the complaint as amended for that purpose. See Rule 15 (6)
The defendants further allege that according to Rule 17 of Rules of Civil Procedure
The second error assigned by the defendants is that the trial court erred in not applying the legal doctrine of assumption of risk to the facts found proved in this case, and in not exonerating the defendants from civil responsibility as a result of said doctrine. The defendant’s evidence tended to show that during the night in question, he was driving his automobile at a moderate speed, that at the time a yellow line had been traced along the -center of Ponce de León Avenue, and that the automobiles coming to San Juan were to travel north of the line, while the automobiles going to Santurce were to travel south of the line; that Despiau’s truck was being driven at excessive speed and zigzagging colliding
As stated in Prosser on Torts, Chapter 9, p. 377, the doctrine of assumption of risk refers to that situation in which the plaintiff with full knowledge of the risk, voluntarily enters into some relation with the defendant involving danger to himself through the defendant’s conduct. See also 38 Am. Jur., p. 847, § 173. In such case the plaintiff acts at his own risk, and is taken to consent that the defendant shall be relieved of responsibility. Such rule, however, cannot be applied to the case at bar, as the lower court did not believe defendants’ evidence, but only plaintiff’s. This was as already stated. The second error assigned was not committed either.
The only error charged by the plaintiff against the court a quo, is that it erred in granting the plaintiff the sum of only $7,000 plus $500 attorney’s fees for the injuries sustained and the physical, moral, and mental pain suffered by him.
In discussing this error, the evidence revealed that the plaintiff was, before the accident, the representative in Puerto Rico of a manufacturer of a certain paint used to prevent leaks on roofs; that the plaintiff himself used to go up on the roofs to inspect the repair work done by the workers; that after the accident he would continue representing those manufacturers, but although in certain instances he could still go up on -the roof, it was very difficult for him to do so now and for this reason his annual income had decreased. The evidence also proved that as a result of the accident the plaintiff suffered several fractures in his left arm, that he
The judgment appealed from will be affirmed.
Rule 15(6) provides essentially:
“When issues not raised by the pleadings are tried by express or implied consent of the parties or by order of the court they shall be treated in all respects as if they had been raised in the pleadings. Such amendment of the pleadings as may be necessary to cause them to conform to the evidence and to raise these issues may be made upon motion of any party at any time, even after judgment; but failure so to amend does not affect the result of the trial of these issues.
Rule 17 provides:
“Every action must be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest, except as otherwise provided in these rules. Appearance in court on behalf of other persons shall only be made through attorneys duly admitted to practice their profession in accordance with law.”
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.