2014 Pa. Super. 137 - Drew v. Work’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

4 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 4 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “The sudden emergency doctrine is frequently employed in motor vehicle accident cases wherein a driver was confronted with a perilous situation requiring a quick response in order to avoid a collision. The rule provides generally, that an individual will not be held to the 'usual degree of care' or be required to exercise his or her 'best judgment' when confronted with a sudden and unexpected position of peril created in whole or in part by someone other than the person claiming protection under the doctrine. The rule recognizes that a driver who, although driving in a prudent manner, is confronted with a sudden or unexpected event which leaves little or no time to apprehend a situation and act accordingly should not be subject to liability simply because another perhaps more prudent course of action was available.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. B.S. Mitchell v. M.M. Milburn

2. “establish that the initial leftward movement of [the defendant's] vehicle unexpectedly presented [the plaintiff] with a perilous situation that permitted [the plaintiff] little or no time to rationally contemplate a response.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. B.S. Mitchell v. M.M. Milburn

3. “It is important to recognize, however, that a person cannot avail himself of the protection of this doctrine if that person was himself driving carelessly or recklessly.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. B.S. Mitchell v. M.M. Milburn