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TORTS and DAMAGES
Case: Mariano C. Mendoza and Elvira Lim v. Spouses Leonora J.
Gomez and Gabriel V. Gomez
G.R. no. !"#!!# June !$ %#!&
'a()s:
On 7 March 1997, an Isuzu Elf truck (Isuzu truck) with plate
number UA !"#, $wne% b&
resp$n%ent 'e$n$ra *$mez ('e$n$ra) an% %ri+en b& Anten$enes
-erez (-erez), was hit b& a Ma&am&
.ransp$rtati$n bus (Ma&am& bus) with temp$rar& plate
number 1/701#"2, re3istere% un%er the name $f
petiti$ner El+ira 'im ('im)7an% %ri+en b& petiti$ner Marian$
4 Men%$za (Men%$za) Owin3 t$ the
inci%ent, an Inf$rmati$n f$r reckless impru%ence resultin3 in
%ama3e t$ pr$pert& an% multiple ph&sical
inuries was file% a3ainst Men%$za9Men%$za, h$we+er, elu%e%
arrest, thus, resp$n%ents file% a separate
c$mplaint f$r %ama3es a3ainst Men%$za an% 'im, seekin3 actual
%ama3es, c$mpensati$n f$r l$st
inc$me, m$ral %ama3es, e5emplar& %ama3es, att$rne&6s
fees an% c$sts $f the suit
As a result $f the inci%ent, -erez,as well as the helpers $n
b$ar% the Isuzu truck, namel&Melch$r Anla (Anla), 8$me$ anca
(anca), an% imm& 8episa%a (8episa%a), sustaine% inuries
necessitatin3 me%ical treatment am$untin3 t$ -11,#07/!,which
am$unt was sh$ul%ere% b& resp$n%ents
M$re$+er, the Isuzu truck sustaine% e5tensi+e %ama3es $n its
c$wl, chassis, li3hts an% steerin3 wheel,
am$untin3 t$ -1:#,7!7:2
A%%iti$nall&, resp$n%ents a+erre% that the mishap %epri+e%
them $f a %ail& inc$me $f -1,22222
En3a3e% in the business $f bu&in3 plastic scraps an%
%eli+erin3 them t$ rec&clin3 plants, resp$n%ents
claime% that the Isuzu truck was +ital in the furtherance $f
their business
;$r their part, petiti$ners capitalize% $n the issue $f
$wnership $f the bus in
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Empl$&ers shall be liable f$r the %ama3es cause% b&
their empl$&ees an% h$useh$l% helpers actin3
within the sc$pe $f their assi3ne% tasks, e+en th$u3h the f$rmer
are n$t en3a3e% in an& business $f
in%ustr&
Men%$za6s empl$&er ma& als$ be hel% liable un%er the
%$ctrine $f +icari$us liabilit& $r impute%
ne3li3ence Un%er such %$ctrine, a pers$n wh$ has n$t c$mmitte%
the act $r $missi$n which cause%
%ama3e $r inur& t$ an$ther ma& ne+ertheless be hel%
ci+ill& liable t$ the latter either %irectl& $r
subsi%iaril& un%er certain circumstances#!In $ur
uris%icti$n, +icari$us liabilit& $r impute% ne3li3ence is
emb$%ie% in Article #1"2 $f the 4i+il 4$%e an% the basis f$r
%ama3es in the acti$n un%er sai% article is
the %irect an% primar& ne3li3ence $f the empl$&er in the
selecti$n $r super+isi$n, $r b$th, $f his
empl$&ee
*enerall&, when an inur& is cause% b& the ne3li3ence
$f a ser+ant $r empl$&ee, there instantl&
arises a presumpti$n $f law that there was ne3li3ence $n the
part $f the master $r empl$&er either in the
selecti$n $f the ser+ant $r empl$&ee (culpa in eli3ien%$) $r
in the super+isi$n $+er him after the selecti$n
(culpa +i3ilan%$), $r b$th .he presumpti$n is uris tantum an%
n$t uris et %e ure c$nse
