Wells v. Bainbrich

Decision Date20 December 1971
Docket NumberNo. C--40,C--40
Citation176 Colo. 503,491 P.2d 976
PartiesClyde E. WELLS, Petitioner, v. LaVon BAINBRICH, Respondent.
CourtColorado Supreme Court

Cosgriff & Dunn, John W. Dunn, Leadville, for petitioner.

Joseph P. Constantine, Denver, for respondent.

PER CURIAM.

Certiorari was granted to review a judgment of the Court of Appeals which reversed a judgment of the District Court of Lake County in favor of petitioner, awarding damages against respondent.

The grounds alleged in the petition for certiorari were that the Court of Appeals decided a question of substance in a way probably not in accord with applicable decisions of this Court. After reviewing the record of the proceedings in the trial court, we hold that the disposition by the Court of Appeals was proper under the decisions of this Court.

Petitioner's claim against respondent arose out of an automobile accident in which he sustained extensive bodily injuries. We need not recite the factual background, as it is detailed in the decision of the Court of Appeals in Bainbrich v. Wells, 28 Colo.App. 432, 476 P.2d 53.

Petitioner's theory was that the negligence of Mr. Bainbrich (husband of respondent), who was the owner and driver of the auto in which petitioner and respondent were riding as passengers at the time of the accident, was imputed to respondent under the law of joint enterprise. The Court of Appeals held there was insufficient evidence of a joint enterprise to warrant submitting the issue to the jury. We agree.

Here, the evidence of joint enterprise amounted to no more than conclusory declarations by petitioner that such was in existence, without a showing of any substantial basis in fact for such conclusions.

The judgment is affirmed.

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5 cases
  • Watson v. Regional Transp. Dist., 86SC230
    • United States
    • Colorado Supreme Court
    • September 12, 1988
    ...the question of imputation of negligence to a defendant in Bainbrich v. Wells, 28 Colo.App. 432, 476 P.2d 53 (1970) aff'd, 176 Colo. 503, 491 P.2d 976 (1971). Bainbrich involved an action by a guest in a car against the host husband's wife, who was riding as a passenger in the car. The wife......
  • Thomasi v. Koch
    • United States
    • Wyoming Supreme Court
    • March 24, 1983
    ...guardrail resulting in injuries to the passenger. Bainbrich v. Wells, 28 Colo.App. 432, 476 P.2d 53 (1970), affirmed Wells v. Bainbrich, 176 Colo. 503, 491 P.2d 976 (1971). During the pendency of this action brought by the passenger, Mrs. Bainbrich sought advice of counsel with respect to d......
  • Am. Family Mut. Ins. Co. v. An/CF Acquisition Corp.
    • United States
    • Colorado Court of Appeals
    • September 10, 2015
    ...Dist.,762 P.2d 133, 137 n.6 (Colo.1988); Bainbrich v. Wells,28 Colo.App. 432, 434–35, 476 P.2d 53, 54 (1970), aff'd,Wells v. Bainbrich,176 Colo. 503, 491 P.2d 976 (1971); cf.CJI–Civ. 7:21 (2012) (defining joint venture generally); CJI–Civ. 7:22 (2012) (defining joint venture in the operatio......
  • Powell v. City of Ouray, 72--177
    • United States
    • Colorado Court of Appeals
    • January 30, 1973
    ...under a theory of joint venture. The applicable law is set forth in Bainbrich v. Wells, 28 Colo.App. 432, 476 P.2d 53, affirmed, Colo., 491 P.2d 976, where we 'In order for a joint venture or a joint enterprise in the operation of an automobile to exist, two or more persons must unite in pu......
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