AGOGRO vs. AGO AND ANOTHER [1973]DLHC2357

Date	1973-08-16
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1973]DLHC2357

FRANCOIS J.

A. A. ACKUAKU FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

A. LAMPTEY FOR P. SWANIKER FOR THE SECOND DEFENDANTS.

NO APPEARANCE BY THE FIRST DEFENDANT.

[1973]DLHC2357
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >AGOGRO <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>AGO AND ANOTHER <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, HO]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[1973]
1 GLR 45<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

DATE:
16 AUGUST 1972.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

A. A. ACKUAKU FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>

A. LAMPTEY FOR P. SWANIKER FOR THE SECOND DEFENDANTS.<o:p></o:p>

NO APPEARANCE BY THE FIRST DEFENDANT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

FRANCOIS J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF FRANCOIS J.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff, a 22-year-old seamstress trading at the sea port town of Tema
sustained serious injuries when a vehicle in which she was travelling ended up
in a culvert after an accident at Kpong on 30 May 1968. Her injuries included a
number of cuts on her lips and face and fractures on her left thigh and
shoulder. There were also injuries to her right wrist and her tongue, with a
permanent impairment of speech and gait. But her greatest misfortune arising
from the accident was the termination of her pregnancy. It appears that at the
time of the accident she was seven to eight months gone. The medical
certificate which reads like a medical dictionary has a whole catalogue of
injuries the plaintiff sustained. The final medical opinion is as follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“She will
be permanently incapacitated by the loss of movement at the left shoulder, loss
of power in the small muscles of both the hands and spastic gait giving rise to
considerable difficulty in moving around. In addition, she must have gone
through a considerable physical and mental agony from loss of a baby which was
almost full term which might carry a repercussion in her future well being.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">I assess
her permanent disability at: <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Cord
dysfunction .. .. .. .. 45% <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(Forty-five
per cent) Shift left shoulder .. .. .. .. 8% (eight) <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Miscarriage
.. .. .. .. .. 15% (fifteen) <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Total ..
.. .. .. .. .. 68% (sixty-eight).”<o:p></o:p>This suit
stems from the aforesaid injuries the plaintiff sustained and she consequently
claims from the first defendant as driver of the vehicle and the second
defendants as the owners of the said vehicle and masters of the first
defendant, damages in compensation.<o:p></o:p>The first
defendant did not contest the suit though served with the writ and statement of
claim on 25 March 1969. Consequently on 20 March 1972 interlocutory judgment
was entered against him. The second defendants however resisted liability
strenuously. Though they admit the first defendant was in their employment they
claim he committed a prohibited act by taking passengers in his vehicle and
deviated from the course of his employment literally and figuratively. They
accordingly repudiate liability.<o:p></o:p>1. Issue
of negligence<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff pleaded in paragraphs (4) and (6) (d) of his statement of claim the
following:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“(4) On
or </main>