KOTIAWUSU vs. GOKA [1992]DLCA2035

Date	1992-02-06
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1992]DLCA2035

AMUAH JA

ADJABENG J.A.

AMMAH J.

E. D. KOM FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

S.O.K. OTENG FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT.

[1992]DLCA2035
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">KOTIAWUSU<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">GOKA<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1992] 1 GLR 302<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:right;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">Date: 6
FEBRUARY 1992<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>E. D. KOM FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

S.O.K. OTENG FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT. <o:p></o:p>

AMUAH, ADJABENG JJ.A. AND AMMAH J. <o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT OF AMMAH J.<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal from the judgment of the High Court, Accra dated
26 July 1985.<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff’s claim against the defendant was for ¢200,000
damages for the defendant’s negligent driving of Peugeot 504 saloon car No. GZA
8230 along the Anfoega-Dzane-Sovie motor road on 4 July 1981.<o:p></o:p>At the time material to this case the plaintiff was an employee of
the Ghana National Trading Corporation, Accra. The defendant owned Peugeot 504
saloon car No. GZA 8230 which he was driving at the time when the accident
which gave rise to this action happened at about 7.30 pm along the
Anfoega-Dzane-Sovie motor road.<o:p></o:p>The parties were travelling from Accra to their hometown at
Anfoega-Dzane to attend the defendant’s father’s funeral. The plaintiff was
sitting by the defendant when somewhere between Kpandu and Anfoega-Dzane the
accident happened.<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff received serious injuries to his right arm which
resulted in its amputation. He thereafter took this action. He had judgment and
was awarded general and special damages with costs. Being aggrieved by and
dissatisfied with the judgment, the defendant has appealed to this court on the
following grounds: (a) the judgment is against the weight of evidence; and (b)
the learned trial judge wrongly exercised his discretion in awarding damages
which are excessive in the circumstances.<o:p></o:p>In this court the defendant was granted leave to argue the
following additional grounds of appeal:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1). “The learned trial judge
failed to consider the issue of contributory negligence pleaded in paragraphs
(6) and (7) of the statement of defence; if he did, the judgment would have
been otherwise.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2). The trial judge failed to
consider exhibit B which was part of the plaintiff ‘s case. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
5.0pt;margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">(3).
In the absence of road measurements by the police the trial judge
erred in holding that the road was wide enough to take both vehicles.”<o:p></o:p>In view of the submissions made by learned counsel for the
defendant it is necessary to refer to the particulars of negligence pleaded in
paragraph (6) of the statement of claim:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(a).&nbsp; “Failing to keep proper look
out or any look out at all. <o:p></o:p>