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Timestamp: 2019-04-24 11:47:55+00:00

Document:
JOHN M. POLUMBO, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF CHARLES G. LESHKO, SR.
ANGELO DESTEFANO, JOSEPH CAVALLERI, RICHARD NELSON AND SAFEWAY TRUCK CO., A/K/A SAFEWAY TRUCKING COMPANY V. CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (TWO CASES); APPEAL OF RICHARD NELSON AND SAFEWAY TRUCK CO., A/K/A SAFEWAY TRUCKING COMPANY (SIX CASES); ANN LOUISE LESHKO V. ANGELO DESTEFANO, JOSEPH CAVALLERI, RICHARD NELSON AND SAFEWAY TRUCK CO., A/K/A SAFEWAY TRUCKING CO. V. CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORP. V. JOHN M. POLUMBO, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF CHARLES G. LESHKO, SR.; GEORGE SAGAN AND EVELYN SAGAN, HIS WIFE, V. ANGELO DESTEFANO, JOSEPH CAVALLERI, RICHARD NELSON AND SAFEWAY TRUCK CO., A/K/A SAFEWAY TRUCKING COMPANY V. CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORP. ANN LOUISE LESHKO V. ANGELO DESTEFANO, JOSEPH CAVALLERI, RICHARD NELSON AND SAFEWAY TRUCK CO., A/K/A SAFEWAY TRUCKING CO. V. CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORP. V. JOHN M. POLUMBO, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF CHARLES G. LESHKO, SR.; GEORGE SAGAN AND EVELYN SAGAN, HIS WIFE V. ANGELO DESTEFANO, JOSEPH CAVALLERI, RICHARD NELSON AND SAFEWAY TRUCK CO., A/K/A SAFEWAY TRUCKING COMPANY V. CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORP., AND JOHN M. POLUMBO, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF CHARLES G. LESHKO, SR.
No. 1073 Philadelphia 1982, Appeal from the Order of the Court of Common Pleas, Civil Division, of Luzerne County at No. 4817 of 1977. No. 1074 Philadelphia 1982, Appeal from the Order of the court of Common Pleas, Civil Division, of Luzerne County at no. 4821 of 1977. No. 1075 Philadelphia 1982, Appeal from the Order of the Court of Common Pleas, Civil Division, of Luzerne County at No. 4961 of 1977. No. 2631 Philadelphia 1982, Appeal from the Judgment entered in the Court of Common Pleas, Civil Division, of Luzerne County at no. 4817 of 1977. No. 2632 Philadelphia 1982, Appeal from the Judgment of the Court of Common Pleas, Civil Division, of Luzerne County at No. 4821 of 1977. No. 2633 Philadelphia 1982, Appeal from the Judgment of the Court of Common Pleas, Civil Division, of Luzerne County at No. 4961 of 1977.
James P. McKenna, Jr., Pittsburgh, for appellants.
Richard G. Fine, Scranton, for Destefano, appellee (at Nos. 1073 and 2631).
Thomas J. Sharkey and Joseph J. Ustynoski, Hazleton, for Leshko, appellee (at Nos. 1074 and 2632).
Joseph J. Ustynoski, Hazleton, for Sagan, appellee (at Nos. 1075 and 2633).
Spaeth, President Judge, and Popovich and Hoffman, JJ.
This is an appeal from the Order of the en banc Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County, which was reduced to a judgment on August 9, 1982, denying defendants-appellants' (Richard Nelson and Safeway Truck Company's) motions for a judgment non obstante veredicto or a new trial.*fn1 We reverse.
In reviewing the trial court's denial of appellant's motion for judgment n.o.v., the evidence, together with all reasonable inferences therefrom, must be viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict winners. Flickinger Estate v. Ritsky, 452 Pa. 69, 305 A.2d 40 (1973); Kresovich Page 363} v. Fitzsimmons, 439 Pa. 10, 264 A.2d 585 (1970); Cerino v. Philadelphia, 435 Pa. 355, 257 A.2d 571 (1969). All conflicts in the evidence, moreover, must be resolved in favor of the prevailing party. Moyer v. Ford Motor Co., 205 Pa. Super. 384, 209 A.2d 43 (1965); Metts v. Griglak, 438 Pa. 392, 264 A.2d 684 (1970); Axilbund v. McAllister, 407 Pa. 46, 180 A.2d 244 (1962). However, where the evidence is insufficient to sustain a verdict against the losing party, a court will enter judgment n.o.v. in favor of the appellant despite a verdict to the contrary. Kolb v. Hess, 227 Pa. Super. 603, 323 A.2d 217 (1974); Eldridge v. Melcher, 226 Pa. Super. 381, 313 A.2d 750 (1973).
Mike v. Borough of Aliquippa, 279 Pa. Super. 382, 388-89, 421 A.2d 251, 254 (1980). Accord McDevitt v. Terminal Warehouse Co., 304 Pa. Super. 438, 450 A.2d 991 (1982), petition for allowance of appeal denied October 29, 1982 [No. 447 E.D. Allocatur Docket 1982].
The driver of the Cadillac, Charles Leshko, was killed and the two passengers, Mrs. Ann Louise Leshko in the front seat and a Mr. George Sagan in the back, survived.
The case proceeded to trial and a jury found the defendants, which included Richard Nelson and Safeway Truck Company, negligent. Post-verdict motions were denied and judgment was entered for the plaintiffs and against the defendants-appellants.
On appeal, appellants present three issues for our review,*fn2 but, because of the result reached instantly, we need only respond to appellants' complaint that the evidence (or, more appropriately, the lack thereof) warranted the entry of a judgment n.o.v.

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