Mitchell v. Johnson

INGRAM, Justice.

Martha A. Johnson sued Ruth P. Mitchell for damages for personal injuries sustained by Johnson when their automobiles collided. Mitchell raised the sudden emergency doctrine as a defense. The jury found for Mitchell. The trial judge granted Johnson’s motion for a new trial, and Mitchell appealed. The dispositive issue is whether the sudden emergency doctrine is applicable to the facts of this case, and, if so, whether the trial court erred in granting Johnson a new trial.

This case involves rear-end collisions between four vehicles; all were headed north on Hermitage Drive in…