30 S.E.2d 349 | Ga. Ct. App. | 1944
1. Where, as here, the evidence for the plaintiff establishes, (a) that the truck which collided with the plaintiff's automobile belonged to the defendant-corporation, (b) that the operator of the truck was an employee of the defendant, and (c) that the employee was at the time of the collision in exclusive control of and negligently operating the truck, *131 a presumption arose that the employee was at the time engaged in the master's business, within the scope of the employment. While this presumption may be overcome by evidence, it is generally a jury question under all the facts and circumstances as developed by the entire evidence whether such presumption has been rebutted by the evidence.
2. In a case where the court gives an entire section of the Code in charge, a part of which is applicable and a part not applicable, this court will not reverse the judgment unless it further appears that the inapplicable part was calculated to mislead the jury and affect their verdict erroneously, or unless it should appear that the inapplicable part prejudiced the rights of the complainant.
3. Where, in a suit to recover damages against the master for injury because of the negligence of a servant in operating a motor vehicle which was negligently driven against the automobile of a third person causing injury, and the evidence establishes (a) that the motor vehicle belonged to the master, (b) that the servant was an employee of such master, and (c) that at the time of the collision the servant was in control of and operating the motor vehicle of the master, — a prima facie case is made for the plaintiff, and the burden shifts to the master to prove by testimony, if he can, that at the time of the collision the servant was not acting for the master and within the scope of the servant's employment.
4. Where the evidence warrants, it is not error for the court to state a particular hypothesis where the jury is left to establish the hypothesis from the evidence.
5. No reversible error will result in the admission of hearsay testimony when it appears that testimony of similar import was admitted without objection.
6. Hospital records, charts, and histories of patients' illnesses may not be admitted as evidence. Such are merely hearsay and are not admissible.
7. Under the facts of this case the court did not err in excluding the mutilated affidavit offered.
The facts in the instant case are very similar to those inAtlanta Furniture Co. v. Walker,
2. The court charged the Code, § 4-302, as follows: "The principal shall be bound by all the acts of his agent within the scope of his authority; if the agent shall exceed his authority, the principal may not ratify in part and repudiate in part; he shall adopt either the whole or none." Error is assigned in special ground 1 on the ground: "Because the court erred in giving the following in charge: `If the agent shall exceed his authority, the *135
principal may not ratify in part and repudiate in part; he shall adopt either the whole or none.'" It is argued that it was such prejudicial error as to require a reversal for the court to charge the latter portion of the section quoted above. It is contended that in so charging the jury were instructed to the prejudice of the defendant to believe that if the defendant accepted the benefit of the delivery of the laundry to the athletic club, it was bound to accept and ratify the unauthorized act of its servant in going to and from the beer tavern. Counsel for the defendant rely largely on the case ofReddy-Waldhauer-Maffett Co. v. Spivey,
3. In special ground 2 complaint is made because the court charged: "Gentlemen, I charge you that where, as in this case on trial, the defendant admits in open court that it owned the truck and that the driver, Beasley, was in the employ of the defendant at the time of the collision the burden of proof of showing that the driver, Beasley, was not at the time of the collision acting within the scope of his authority is upon the defendant." Error is assigned on this excerpt because the evidence did not authorize it. As we have endeavored to set out in division 1 of this opinion, the evidence authorized the charge. This assignment is without merit. Gallagher v. Gunn, supra; Moore v.DeKalb Supply Co., supra; Haygood v. Bell,
4. In special ground 3 error is assigned on the following charge: "If you find that the driver had departed or deviated, but that at the time of the collision he had resumed the business of the defendant and was at that time returning the truck to the garage or place of business of the defendant, then and in that event the defendant would be liable." Error is assigned on this charge because (a) there was no evidence to support it, and (b) it amounted to an expression of opinion. This charge was not erroneous for any reason assigned. It is clear from the charge that the court left the hypothesis to be established by the jury from the evidence. There was evidence to sustain the charge, and there was no expression of opinion as to what had or had not been proved. Yarborough v. State,
5. Special ground 4 complains of exclusion of testimony. It appears that the defendant introduced a witness, Dr. Joseph C. Reed, who examined the plaintiff at the instance of AEtna Insurance Company. After the examination was made the witness made a report to the insurance company. While under cross-examination he made reference to a certain hospital record of the defendant, which he had copied into his report to the insurance company, to the effect that the plaintiff suffered (a) from muscular soreness, *137
and (b) from possible chipped fracture of the vertebra. Under cross-examination counsel for the plaintiff was authorized to question the witness concerning his own report regardless of whether or not a part of the same was copied from the hospital record. Of course the hospital record was hearsay and not admissible. Mutual Benefit Health c. Association v. Bell,
6. Special ground 5 complains because the court, over objection of the plaintiff, refused to admit a part of the hospital record to the effect that the plaintiff was a malingerer. This evidence was hearsay and inadmissible. MutualBenefit Health c. Association v. Bell, supra; Bankers Healthc. Insurance Co. v. Kelsey,
7. Special ground 6 assigns error because the court excluded an affidavit of the plaintiff concerning the injury in question. It appears that a portion of the affidavit had been cut off. There was no evidence offered to explain the mutilation. Therefore the court did not err in excluding it for any of the reasons assigned. See Colt Co. v. Butler,
Judgment affirmed. Broyles, C. J., and MacIntyre, J., concur. *138