Nakasagasa sa common driveway

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | March 20, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ang aking anak ay nabundol ng isang kapitbahay matapos nitong iatras ang kanyang sasakyan sa aming common driveway. Ang nasabing drayber ay umaatras nang may kabilisan, na siyang nagdulot upang hindi niya agarang makita ang aking 5-anyos na anak na tumatawid sa likurang bahagi ng kanyang sasakyan. Dahil dito, ang aking anak ay pumailalim at nakaladkad nang tatlong metro at ito ay nagdulot ng fracture sa kanyang kanang binti at galos sa buong katawan.

Kinailangan ng operasyon ng aming anak at agaran naman siyang nabigyan ng medical na atensyon, ngunit nang aming sinisingil ang may-ari ng sasakyan, tumatanggi siya, sapagkat wala diumano siyang kasalanan dito at ito ay kapabayaan namin dahil hinayaan naming maglaro ang aming anak sa nasabing common driveway. Pinabubulaanan niya na mabilis ang kanyang takbo nang inatras niya ang kanyang sasakyan. Tama ba ito? – Miko

Dear Miko,

Ang sagot sa iyong katanungan ay sinagot ng Korte Suprema sa kasong Jessica P. Maitim a.k.a. “Jean Garcia” v. Maria Theresa P. Aguila, (G.R. No. 218344, March 21, 2022, Ponente: Honorable Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando), kung saan ipinaliwanag ng Korte Suprema ang aplikasyon ng legal na doktrinang “Res Ipsa Loquitur” sa isang aksidente. Ayon sa Korte Suprema:

“As applied in the instant case, the fact that Angela was hit by a moving vehicle owned by Maitim and driven by Santos is undisputed, and the same is supported by the Traffic Accident Investigation Report dated April 25, 2006. The fact that Angela sustained injuries in her collision with Maitim’s vehicle is also not in question. Thus, since it is clearly established that there was a vehicular accident that caused injuries, then the rule on res ipsa loquitur shall apply. An inference of negligence on the part of Santos, the person who controls the instrumentality (vehicle) causing the injury, arises, and he has the burden of presenting proof to the contrary.

As will be discussed below, this Court finds that the lower courts justly held that Santos failed to discharge this burden and consequently, the presumption of negligence lodged towards him shall stand.

Ordinarily, driving inside a relatively narrow driveway shared by two houses would not result to children being hit and their bones fractured. This is because a reasonably prudent man, especially an alleged experienced driver, would have foreseen that the residents of the houses may exit towards the common driveway anytime, including young and playful children who may suddenly run across or along said driveway. Thus, a reasonably prudent man is expected to drive with utmost caution when traversing the said driveway, even if given a “clear” signal by a guard.

In fact, Maitim herself admits that there is a natural tendency to drive at a slow speed when in a narrow driveway. However, her allegation that Santos was driving at a slow speed, which admittedly is “natural,” contradicts the circumstances surrounding Angela’s injury. If Santos truly drove slowly and with care, he should have been able to have ample opportunity to brake or otherwise steer the vehicle out of trouble, both of which did not happen in this case.

Moreover, even if a running child were to get hit by a slow-moving vehicle, it is highly unlikely that the same would result to injuries so severe that it required surgery and afterwards being confined to a wheelchair for more than two months.”

Gaya sa iyong kaso, ang aksidente na nagdulot ng fracture at galos sa iyong anak, na nangailangan pa ng operasyon ay isang indikasyon na naging mabilis ang pagpapatakbo ng sasakyan ng iyong kapitbahay. Ang presumption na mayroong negligence dahil sa doktrina ng res ipsa loquitur ay nararapat na ikonsidera dahil sa ordinaryong sitwasyon, hindi naman dapat mabangga ang isang bata sa common driveway na magreresulta sa pagkabali ng mga buto. Dahil dito, ang iyong kapitbahay ang siyang kinakailangan na magpatunay na walang naging negligence sa kanyang bahagi.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.