OPINION ISSUED MARCH 3, 1989

WARREN E. FORTNEY AND MARY ANN FORTNEY
VS.
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS

(CC-88-157)

Claimant Warren E. Fortney appeared in person.
Nancy J. Aliff, Attorney at Law, for respondent.

PER CURIAM:
On January 19, 1988, claimant Warren E. Fortney was travelling on State
Route 21, Marshall
County, in the vicinity of Moundsville. His 1983 Chevette struck ice,
left the road, and went over
an embankment. The vehicle was a total loss. Claimants seek $8,000.00
for personal injuries,
work loss and loss of the vehicle. It was brought to the attention of
the Court by counsel for
respondent that the vehicle in question was titled in both the names of
Warren E. Fortney and
Mary Ann Fortney. For that reason the Court amended the style of the
claim to include Mary
Ann Fortney as a party claimant.

Claimant Warren E. Fortney stated that on the morning of this incident
he was travelling to
work from Proctor, West Virginia. He travels this road everyday. He had
observed ice at this
location previously. He estimated his speed to be no more than twenty
miles per hour. His
vehicle turned around in the road and went over an embankment on the
right side. It is a
two-lane road with neither berm nor shoulder. Claimants had liability
insurance only, and were
not reimbursed for the damage to the vehicle. The book value of the 1983
Chevette was
$2,250.00. Claimant Warren Fortney missed three weeks of work and
incurred hospital bills,
but he did not submit the bills to the Court. The hospital bills were
covered by insurance. He
stated that he did not have an out-of-pocket loss.

Kenneth Davidson, respondent Maintenance Supervisor for District 6,
which includes Marshall
County, testified regarding State Route 21. He stated that it is a State
and local service route,
and therefore is one of respondent lowest priority routes "... as far as
maintenance and funding
go."

Roads in this State, in the winter months, frequently accumulate frost.
An isolated patch of ice
on a highway is generally insufficient to establish negligence on the
part of respondent. Cole vs.
Dept. of Highways, 14 Ct.Cl. 350 (1983); Welch vs. Dept of Highways,
CC-88-96 (Opinion
issued December 29, 1988). It is well established that the State neither
insures nor guarantees
the safety of travelers on its highways. Adkins vs. Sims, 130 W.Va. 645,
46 S.E.2d 81 (1947).
For these reasons, the Court is of the opinion to, and does, disallow
this claim.

Claim disallowed.