Opinion ID: 1925210
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Negligence of Beaton.

Text: Perhaps the main thrust of this appeal is the appellants' contention that if Beaton skidded from his southbound lane to Voigt's northbound lane, there is no proof that such skidding was other than innocent. The appellants recognize that if Beaton entered the wrong side of the highway, there is created an inference of negligence. However, they cite authority for the proposition that skidding may be non-negligent, and they urge that it has not been proved that Beaton committed any negligent act. Having adduced testimony by Mr. Voigt and his passenger that the Beaton car skidded into the northbound lane, the appellants believe they are home free. We do not agree with their analysis.  First, let us dispose of the matter of the presumption of due care which must be accorded to a deceased party. Since Beaton died instantly at the time of the collision, he is entitled to this limited presumption. In Theisen v. Milwaukee Automobile Mut. Ins. Co. (1962), 18 Wis. (2d) 91, 100, 118 N. W. (2d) 140, we stated: This presumption is a limited one, is not evidence, and is sufficient only to place upon the other party the risk incidental to a failure to come forward with such testimony as may be in his control. . . . This court is committed to the doctrine that when evidence is introduced which would support a jury finding contrary to the presumption, the presumption is eliminated and drops out of the case entirely and no instruction to the jury should be given upon the subject. Once testimony was received that Beaton's car invaded the wrong lane of travel, there arose an inference of negligence which eliminated the presumption of due care. A crucial question in this appeal is this: Upon whom does the duty rest to establish the negligent or nonnegligent nature of the invasion of the wrong lane of travel? In our opinion, this question has been answered in Theisen v. Milwaukee Automobile Mut. Ins. Co., supra , and Goldenberg v. Daane (1961), 13 Wis. (2d) 98, 108 N. W. (2d) 187. In the Theisen Case, we dealt with the problem of a sleeping driver who crossed over into the wrong side of the highway and struck a tree. We said that it was the duty of the party claiming that the driver fell asleep to establish such fact by evidence which was either direct or arose by inference; we then stated (p. 99) that such evidence casts a burden upon the party seeking to excuse the driver's loss of consciousness the burden of showing the greater probability that the loss of consciousness is excusable on some nonactionable basis. In Goldenberg v. Daane (1961), 13 Wis. (2d) 98, 104, 108 N. W. (2d) 187, we said:  The court considered that it should have instructed the jury that Daane had the burden of producing evidence which would overcome the inference of negligence arising from the fact that his vehicle was on the wrong side of the highway. Daane did have the burden of producing evidence sufficient to support a finding that his invasion of the west side of the highway was due to a nonnegligent cause. The end product of the Theisen and Goldenberg Cases is this: One who invades the wrong side of the highway may be able to relieve himself of the inference of negligence, but the responsibility rests upon him to do so. For example, an ostensibly sleeping driver may be shown to have suffered a heart attack; one whose car suddenly swerves into the opposite lane may succeed in proving that there was a mechanical failure ( e.g., a blowout). The inference of negligence when one invades the wrong lane is a vigorous one; the inference is not dissipated unless the driver so invading the wrong lane proves that he was without fault. We do not hereby revise the rule that an injured plaintiff has the burden of proving that the defendant driver was negligent. However, once having introduced evidence that the defendant driver crossed into the wrong lane, the defendant driver has the burden of going forward with evidence to prove that such invasion was nonnegligent. Accordingly, the mere fact that Beaton may have skidded into the wrong lane does not relieve him of the burden of going forward to show that he was exercising ordinary care. We appreciate that when the one invading the wrong lane dies in the collision, the ability to prove his use of due care is seriously hampered. The problem of proof, however, remains the responsibility of his representative and his insurer. The jury's assessment of 90 percent of the blame on Beaton rests upon credible evidence and must be affirmed. The appellants contend that our holding in Poole v. State Farm Mut. Automobile Ins. Co. (1959), 7 Wis. (2d) 65,  70, 95 N. W. (2d) 799, warrants the conclusion that an absence of testimony as to the cause of skidding would cause the injured party's case to fail. Insofar as the Poole Case conveyed this impression, it must be deemed modified by this opinion. By the Court. Judgment affirmed. CURRIE, C. J., dissents.