CHAUNCEY D. SMITH AND VIRGINIA SMITH, HIS WIFE, APPELLANTS,
v.
JAMES EDWARD QUINN, A MINOR, THROUGH HIS FATHER AND NEXT FRIEND, ET AL., APPELLEES
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The Smiths were injured in a collision at a Shell service station when Quinn, a part-time employee, backed his vehicle into their car. The trial court granted summary judgment for the service station owner Adamski and Shell Oil Company. The appellate court reversed, holding that genuine issues of material fact existed regarding whether Adamski and Shell could be held liable under an agency or other relationship theory.
Summary judgment was inappropriate and reversed as to both Adamski and Shell Oil Company because genuine issues of material fact existed regarding agency and employer-employee relationships that precluded summary disposition. The facts presented jury questions concerning whether Quinn's parking and presence at the station were within the ordinary course of the business operation and whether Shell exercised sufficient control to be held liable.
[1] A jury question is presented when an employee of a service station, with the employer's knowledge and consent, parks his vehicle on the premises and subsequently causes a…
[2] A lease agreement prohibiting parking except in the ordinary course of operation can be evidence from which an inference can be drawn that parking by an employee was with…
Previewing 2 of 6 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Upon the authority of Western Union Telegraph Company v. Michel, 120 Fla. 511, 163 So. 86 (1935), the summary judgment is reversed as to Adamski. We believe that the facts of that case are different only in degree and not in kind from the facts in the case at hand.”
Establishes the controlling precedent and standard for reversal of summary judgment in this case.
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceQuinn, a part-time employee at Adamski's Shell service station, was preparing to leave for lunch when he backed his vehicle from a parking space and c…
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POULTON, TIMOTHY P., Associate Judge.
The Smiths drove into the Adamski’s Ronkonkoma Shell Service Station in or der to purchase gasoline and had to stop short of the filling pumps because they were all being used at the time. Quinn, who worked part time at the filling station, was preparing to leave for his lunch hour. He backed his vehicle from a parking space on the service station lot and collided with the Smiths’ car. Virginia Smith, a passenger in the car, was injured and subsequently instituted this action seeking to recover damages arising from personal injuries sustained in the mishap. Quinn, Robert Adamski, proprietor of the service station, and Shell Oil Company were named as defendants. The Smiths alleged that Adamski was in privity with Shell Oil Company through an agency relationship which went beyond the status of a mere franchise.
Without reaching the issue of negligence, the court below entered final summary judgment in favor of the defendants Adamski and Shell Oil Company. This appeal ensued.
Upon the authority of Western Union Telegraph Company v. Michel, 120 Fla. 511, 163 So. 86 (1935), the summary judgment is reversed as to Adamski. We believe that the facts of that case are different only in degree and not in kind from the facts in the case at hand. Relevant facts adduced upon the Motion for Summary Judgment presenting a jury question are:
1. Quinn parked his car upon the premises of the station with the knowledge and consent of Adamski.
2. He sometimes used his vehicle in his employer’s business.
3. The accident happened during Quinn’s working hours ‘(although he was on his way to lunch at the time the accident happened).
4. The accident occurred upon the station’s premises.
5.The Adamski lease with Shell prohibited parking upon the premises except in the ordinary course of operation of the station. (This is some evidence from which an inference could be drawn that the parking there by Quinn was in the ordinary course of the station’s operation.)
Concerning the liability of Shell Oil Company, we believe that also is a question for the jury under the facts of this case. Ap-pellee Shell relied primarily upon the case of Cawthon v. Phillips Petroleum Company, 124 So. 2d 517 (2d D.C.A.Fla.1960), and Drum v. Pure Oil Company, 184 So. 2d 196 (4th D.C.A.Fla.1966). We believe that those cases can be distinguished because in the present case:
1. The lease provided for minimum hours of operation.
2. The lease prohibited parking of motor vehicles except in the ordinary course of the station’s operations.
3. A Shell salesman checks “everything” about the station once a week.
4. Adamski was required to purchase his gasoline from Shell.
For the foregoing reasons, it was not necessary for us to reach the more difficult question of “apparent authority” briefed by the Smiths and Shell Oil. We do note for the assistance of the trial court —if that question is an issue upon trial of the case — Miller v. Sinclair Refining Company, 268 F. 2d 114 (5th Cir. 1959), and cases cited therein at headnote six of the opinion. Cawthon v. Phillips Petroleum Company, supra, also addressed that question and may be of some assistance.
Reversed.
WALDEN, J., concurs.
CROSS, J., concurs only in conclusion.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Fernandez v. Valle, 364 So. 2d 835 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978)…inspections of the premises and equipment, and did not control the hours when the station was open or the equipment used. Accordingly, it was proper to submit the instant cause to the jury on the issue of control by the oil company. Smith v. Quinn, 291 So. 2d 264 (Fla. 4th DCA 1974); Sapp v. City of Tallahassee, 348 So. 2d 363 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977); Frazier v. Continental Oil Company, 568 F. 2d 378 (5th Cir. 1978). As to the second point raised by Gulf Oil and also raised by the appellants Fernandez, we find t…
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Taylor v. Fla. City, 322 So. 2d 35 (Fla. 3d DCA 1975)…e raised by the affidavits of appellant and appellees, it follows that the summary final judgment appealed, except as to Shriver, was incorrectly granted. Reed v. Jim Moran Pontiac, Inc., Fla.App. 1974, 292 So. 2d 392; Smith v. Quinn, Fla. App.1974, 291 So. 2d 264; Moore v. School Board, Fla.App.1974, 291 So. 2d 244; and 30 Fla.Jur., Summary Judgment § 11. We have considered the record, all points in the briefs and arguments of counsel in the light of the controlling principles of law, and have concluded tha…
Authorities Cited
- Cawthon v. Phillips Petroleum Co., 124 So. 2d 517 (Fla. 2d DCA 1960)
- W. Union Tel. Co. v. Michel, 120 Fla. 511 (Fla. 1935)
- Rollins A. Miller v. Sinclair Ref. Co., 268 F.2d 114 (5th Cir. 1959)
- Drum v. The Pure OIL Co., 184 So. 2d 196 (Fla. 4th DCA 1966)