Sullivan v. Crabtree

Court of Appeals of Tennessee

258 S.W.2d 782 (Tenn. App. 1953)

Relevant factsFree

Robert Sullivan was riding as a guest passenger in a tractor trailer when Crabtree (defendant) lost control and crashed, killing Sullivan; Crabtree testified brake failure might explain the crash but he could not be sure. Sullivan's parents (plaintiffs) brought a negligence suit, and the trial court ruled in Crabtree's favor; the Sullivans appealed.

IssueFree

Whether the mere occurrence of an accident is conclusive evidence of negligence.

Holding & reasoning

The court resolved the question by applying the controlling rule to the facts and explaining precisely why the outcome followed. Its reasoning ties the doctrine to the record so you can reproduce the analysis on an exam.

Procedural history, concurrence & dissent

This section traces the case from the trial court through appeal and lays out how each opinion lands. Separate writings sharpen the majority's limits and flag the arguments most likely to resurface in class.

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