Opinion ID: 884353
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: issues

Text: Did the District Court err in determining that Garrison had assumed the risk by not reading the easement? The District Court concluded that Averill's duty to Garrison was to disclose the existence of the easement, which he did, and by his then proceeding with the purchase of the property in spite of that knowledge, Garrison assumed the risk of any subsequent damages he allegedly sustained. Assumption of the risk is a tort term ordinarily associated with personal injury actions. It was not pled as a defense to Garrison's action. As a result, Garrison is correct in asserting that the District Court's reference to assumption of the risk in this case is inappropriate and incorrect. Not all error is reversible error, however. Reversible error is error that affects a party's substantial rights. Woolf v. Evans (1994), 264 Mont. 480, 488, 872 P.2d 777, 782. Here, the District Court did not continue with any further analysis or conclusion based upon its reference to assumption of the risk. Nor does the erroneous reference affect the remainder of the court's findings, conclusions and judgment. Finally, the trial court having found that Averill did not breach any duty to Garrison, and this Court having concluded above that those findings were not clearly erroneous, Garrison's claims against Averill were effectively rejected. Any subsequent error did not affect Garrison's substantial rights. Therefore, we hold that the District Court's reference to assumption of the risk was harmless error.