Opinion ID: 2000504
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Heading: Who has burden of proving fault of released persons?

Text: Iowa Code section 668.3(2)(b) [5] explains that in the trial of a claim involving the fault of more than one party to the claim, the district court shall instruct the jury to answer special interrogatories concerning the percentage of the total fault allocated to each claimant, defendant, third-party defendant, and person released from liability under section 668.7. Iowa Code chapter 668, however, does not specify who has the burden of proving the fault of released persons. Defendant Todd asserts on appeal that the district court erred by not instructing the jury that it was plaintiff Beyer's burden to prove the fault of Comer and Gardner, the persons Beyer settled with prior to trial, or the released persons. Upon our review, we conclude that the district court did not err by refusing to instruct the jury that plaintiff Beyer had the burden of proving the fault of Comer and Gardner. We believe that the language of Iowa Code section 668.3, and of Iowa Code section 619.17 [6] by analogy, suggests that it was defendant Todd's burden to prove the fault of Comer and Gardner as part of his defense to Beyer's claim against him. Ordinarily, the burden of proof on an issue is upon the party who would suffer loss if the issue were not established. Iowa R.App. P. 14(f)(5); see also 57B Am.Jur.2d Negligence § 1274, at 172 (1989) (While the burden of proving the total amount of damages sustained is upon the plaintiff, the burden of showing to what extent the damages sustained by the plaintiff shall be diminished on account of the negligence attributable to the plaintiff is upon the defendant.). Todd, as the only remaining defendant in Beyer's action for damages, had the most to lose and thus it seems appropriate that Todd have the burden of proving the fault of released persons in order to lessen his own possible percentage of fault. It was therefore Todd's burden to prove the fault of Comer and Gardner. We find no error on this issue.