Hughes v. Tupelo Oil Co., Inc.

Frances Haven Hughes, mother of Ronald Wayne Haven, deceased, filed a wrongful death action against Tupelo Oil Company, Inc. (Tupelo Oil), and its employee Eddy Brown. At the conclusion of trial in the Circuit Court of DeSoto County, the jury returned a verdict for the defendants. From a judgment entered pursuant to that verdict, Hughes appeals, and Tupelo Oil and Brown cross-appeal. We reverse and remand on both direct appeal and cross-appeal.

Ronald Wayne Haven, second child of Frances Haven, was born on December 10, 1963. Before Ronald reached his second birthday, his father died. Ten (10)…