Close v. Girard

This damage suit arose from a collision in Lafayette on September 22, 1984, between vehicles driven by plaintiff, Cynthia DeRouen Close, and defendant, Ulysses Girard, Sr. Besides Girard, the other defendants are his employer, Smith-Foreman Pipeline Construction Co. (Smith-Foreman), and the latter’s insurer, U.S. Fire Insurance Company (U.S. Fire).

The original petition contained no allegations that at the time of the accident Girard was employed by Smith-Foreman or that he was on a mission for the company. It simply alleged that there was coverage by Smith-Foreman’s insurer for the operators…