Necesito v. Paras G.R. No. L-10605-06 June 30, 1958 J.B.L. Reyes petitioners Precillano Necesito, Etc. respondents Natii!a! Paras, Et "l. summary Bus #ell into t$e rier %ecause o# t$e #ailure o# its steerin& 'nuc'les. ()* $el! it to %e a +ec$anical !e#ect t$at as a #ortuitous eent. ( reerse!, statin& t$at a co++on carrier is lia%le #or t$e !e#ects in its eui/+ent an! it +ust /roe t$at it eercise! etraor!inary !ili&ence. " +ere isual ins/ection is not enou&$, #or t$e o%li&ations o# a carrier !e+an!s a!euate /erio!ical testin& to !eter+ine t$e con!ition an! stren&t$ o# t$e e$icles.
facts of the case Bus 199 o# P$ili//ine Ra%%it as traellin& #ro+ "&no, Pan&asinan to anila !rien %y )rancisco Ban!onell. "#ter /assin& an&atare+, it entere! a oo!en %ri!&e %ut t$e #ront $eels sere! to t$e ri&$t, t$e !rier lost control, an! t$e %us #ell into t$e rier $ic$ as %reast !ee/. Passen&er eerina Garces as !rone!, $ile $er son, /etitioner Necesito, su2ere! a%rasions an! a #racture. $eir %elon&in&s 4+oney, rist atc$, e&eta%les an! car&o ere lost. "n action ex contractu as le! #or !a+a&es totalin& 85'. P$ili//ine Ra%%it /lea!e! t$at t$e acci!ent as !ue to en&ine trou%le in!e/en!ent o# t$e control o# t$e !e#en!ants or o# t$e !rier. !rier. $e ()* !is+isse!, rulin& t$at t$e acci!ent as a #ortuitous eent cause! %y t$e #racture #racture o# t$e ri&$t steerin& 'nuc'le, $ic$ as !e#ectie in t$at its center core as not co+/act %ut cellulous, a con!ition t$at coul! not %e 'non or ascertaine! !es/ite t$e #act t$at re&ular 30-!ay ins/ections ere +a!e on t$e steerin& 'nuc'le. *t as also alle&e! t$at t$e 'nuc'le as $eay !uty, an! t$at it as &oo! #or 10 years. $e %us t$at #ell on January 78 as last ins/ecte! on January January 5, an! an! t$at it as as +oin& sloly sloly on t$e !ay !ay o# t$e acci!ent acci!ent %ecause o# t$e %a! con!ition o# t$e roa!. $e ( #oun! no issue it$ t$e n!in&s o# #act an! a&ree! t$at t$e acci!ent as !ue to +ec$anical #ailure.
issue $et$er t$e co++on carrier can %e $el! lia%le #or a +anu#acturin& +anu#acturin& !e#ect o# t$e e$icle an! NO. corollarily, $et$er it eercise! t$e !ili&ence reuire! %y "rticle 1:55. YES; and NO.
ratio The carrier, while not an insurer of safety, is liable for the aws of its e!uipment, if discoverable " $e carrier carrier is not an insurer o# t$e /assen&er;s /assen&er;s sa#ety. sa#ety. *ts lia%ility lia%ility rests u/on u/on ne&li&ence, its #ailure to eercise t$e ut+ost !e&ree o# !ili&ence t$at t$e la reuires, an! it $as t$e %ur!en o# /roin& t$at it $as !uly !isc$ar&e! t$e !uty o# /ru!ence. $e rationale rationale #or t$is rule rule is %ecause %ecause t$e /assen&er /assen&er $as neit$er neit$er c$oice nor control oer oer t$e carrier in t$e selection an! use o# its eui/+ent an! a//liances.
#isual inspection not su$cient - $e only test a//lie! to t$e steerin& 'nuc'le is a isual ins/ection eery 30 !ays. Neit$er t$e +anu#acturer nor t$e carrier at any ti+e teste! t$e 'nuc'le to ascertain $et$er its stren&t$ as u/ to stan!ar!s an! t$at it $a! no $i!!en =as. *t as not ar&ue! t$at t$at t$e ea'ene! 'nuc'le as i+/ossi%le to !etect %y any 'non test. $us, t$e isual isual ins/ection ins/ection !i! not +easure +easure u/ to t$e reuire! reuire! le&al le&al stan!ar! stan!ar! o# >ut+ost !ili&ence o# ery cautious /ersons> ? >as #ar as $u+an care an! #oresi&$t can /roi!e.> $ere#ore, $ere#ore, t$e #ailure #ailure o# t$e steerin& steerin& 'nuc'le is not a #ortuitous #ortuitous eent t$at ee+/ts ee+/ts t$e carrier carrier #ro+ res/onsi%ility. res/onsi%ility.
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$ile it +ay %e i+/ractical to reuire to test t$e stren&t$ o# eac$ an! eery /art o# its e$icles %e#ore eac$ tri/, !ue re&ar! #or t$e carrier;s o%li&ation to t$e traellin& /u%lic !e+an!s a!euate /erio!ical tests to !eter+ine t$e con!ition an! stren&t$ o# t$e e$icles.
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