Gulf Oil Corporation v. Ernest E. Reed, as Administrator of the Estate of Dwight K. Reed, Deceased

BAZELON, Chief Judge:

Dwight K. Reed, age 7%, was killed when struck by a pick-up truck belonging to the Gulf Oil Corporation. His father, as administrator, sued Gulf under the wrongful death act, D.C.Code § 16-1201, alleging that the accident was caused by the negligence of Gulf’s driver. Gulf denied that death “resulted from any negligence or carelessness on their part which proximately contributed thereto,” and alleged that decedent was eontributorily negligent. Upon trial, the jury returned a verdict for plaintiff. Defendant’s alternative motions for judgment notwithstanding the vei’dict,…