GEORGE Z. RIANHARD, APPELLANT,
v.
ALBERT RICE, APPELLEE
AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.
Plaintiff motorcycle rider appealed a summary judgment dismissing his negligence action against a truck driver following a rear-end collision. The court reversed, holding that conflicting evidence about whether the collision occurred in the plaintiff's lane or the defendant's passing lane created a genuine issue of material fact precluding summary judgment.
Summary judgment was improper because conflicting evidence about the location of the collision and the circumstances surrounding it created a genuine issue of material fact for a jury to resolve. The court held that although a rear-end collision may ordinarily raise a presumption of negligence against the overtaking vehicle when the leading vehicle is in its proper lane, this presumption is dissipated by evidence of due care from the plaintiff.
“the proofs of the plaintiff to the effect that he was traveling in a proper manner on his own side of the road when struck from the rear by defendant's truck, as opposed to the conflicting proofs on behalf of the defendant, created a genuine issue of material fact, thus precluding entry of the summary judgment.”
This establishes the core holding that conflicting factual evidence prevented summary judgment and required trial.
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceA motorcycle driven by plaintiff Rianhard collided with defendant Rice's pick-up truck. Defendant claimed his truck was properly passing plaintiff's m…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.
Explore caselaw by topic → Browse Presumption Of Negligence In Rear-End Collisions cases and more on FLexlaw
Plaintiff below, George Z. Rianhard, brings this appeal to review a summary final judgment in favor of the defendant, Albert Rice, in an action for negligence arising out of a collision between plaintiff’s motorcycle and defendant’s pick-up truck. *731Defendant’s proofs in support of his motion for summary judgment are to the effect that the collision occurred when his truck, being operated in a proper manner, was in the process of passing the motorcycle after having overtaken it; that the point of impact between the automobile and motorcycle was entirely on the west lane of the highway; that the road was straight, level, and clear of any other traffic; that the accident was due entirely to plaintiff’s negligence in driving his motorcycle into the left (west) lane of traffic at the time defendant’s truck was in that lane engaged in the act of passing; and that plaintiff acted so abruptly as not to permit the defendant an opportunity to avoid the collision.
Plaintiff’s proofs in opposition to the motion for summary judgment reflect that he was operating his motorcycle in a proper manner and traveling north in his proper lane (east) along the highway when struck from the rear by defendant’s truck. Plaintiff’s proofs also reflect that other than as stated, he had no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the accident; that he was at all times unaware of the presence of defendant’s truck.
The order of the learned trial judge granting the motion for summary judgment states:
“The basic and determinative issue in this case is whether the collision occurred in the right or east lane of travel or in the left or west lane of travel * * * [that] there appears to be a complete absence of any competent and admissible evidence of negligence on the part of Defendant and even if some negligence on his part may possibly be inferred, there is no dispute in the physical evidence adduced by both Plaintiff and Defendant that the collision occurred in the left or west lane of travel so as to raise the presumption of negligence on the part of Plaintiff in violating the provisions of Section 317.37 F.S. [F.S.A.] [must give signal to turn or stop]. Plaintiff wholly fails to rebut the presumption by the evidence; therefore, in the least, contributory negligence is present.”
It may be that upon a trial of this cause the evidence regarding contributory negligence will impel the trial court to direct a verdict for the defendant, but in so doing it will be confronted with entirely different considerations than when passing upon the motion for summary judgment.
In McNulty v. Cusack, Fla.App. 1958, 104 So.2d 785, and Shedden v. Yellow Cab Co. of Miami, Fla.App.1958, 105 So.2d 388, it was held, in the limited field of rear-end collisions, that where the leading vehicle is located within its proper place on the highway, proof of an accident such as is here involved raises a presumption of negligence on the part of the overtaking vehicle. In essence, the presumption is one in aid of evidence. It is, moreover, a naked presumption which is dissipated upon the introduction of evidence reflecting due care on the part of the operator of the overtaking vehicle.
Applying the rule of the cited cases to the case on appeal, it is apparent that the proofs of the plaintiff to the effect that he was traveling in a proper manner on his own side of the road when struck from the rear by defendant’s truck, as opposed to the conflicting proofs on behalf' of the defendant, created a genuine issue of material fact, thus precluding entry of the summary judgment.
Reversed and remanded.
WIGGINTON, C. J., and LEWIS, E. CLAY, Jr., Associate Judge, concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By (12 total)
-
The Greyhound Corp. v. Sudella Ford, 157 So. 2d 427 (Fla. 2d DCA 1963)…e defendant,’ which together with the circumstances of the accident, was sufficient to rebut the presumption and present issues of negligence and contributory negligence for determination by the jury.” In the case of Rianhard v. Rice, Fla.App.1960, 119 So. 2d 730, contains this statement as to the effect of the rear-end collision presumption: “In McNulty v. Cusack, Fla.App.1958, 104 So. 2d 785, and Shedden v. Yellow Cab Co. of Miami, Fla.App.1958, 105 So. 2d 388, it was held, in the limited field of rear-en…
-
Pierce v. Progressive Am. Ins. Co., 582 So. 2d 712 (Fla. 5th DCA 1991)…ding vehicle is located within its proper place on the highway, proof of a rear-end collision raises a presumption of negligence on the part of the overtaking vehicle. Stephens v. Dichtenmueller, 207 So. 2d 718 (Fla. 4th DCA 1968); Rianhard v. Rice, 119 So. 2d 730 (Fla. 1st DCA 1960). This presumption provides a prima facie case which shifts to the defendant the burden to come forward with evidence to contradict or rebut the presumed negligence. If the defendant produces evidence that fairly and reasonably sh…
-
Baughman v. Vann, 390 So. 2d 750 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980)…ding vehicle is located within its proper place on the highway, proof of a rear-end collision raises a presumption of negligence on the part of the overtaking vehicle. Stephens v. Dichtenmueller, 207 So. 2d 718 (Fla. 4th DCA 1968); Rianhard v. Rice, 119 So. 2d 730 (Fla. 1st DCA 1960). This presumption provides a prima facie case which shifts to the defendant the burden to come forward with evidence to contradict or rebut the presumed negligence. If the defendant produces evidence that fairly and reasonably sh…
Previewing 3 of 12 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- McNULTY v. Cusack, 104 So. 2d 785 (Fla. 2d DCA 1958)
- Nola J. Shedden and William J. Shedden v. Yellow CAB Co. OF Miami, 105 So. 2d 388 (Fla. 3d DCA 1958)