Opinion ID: 2121256
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: gleason's negligence

Text: In his second assignment of error, Gleason asserts that the district court erred in affirming the county court's finding that he was negligent. The negligence consisted of Gleason's leaving the panels for the Ames store outside overnight and allowing the leaves to imprint on the panels. However, the county court also found that Henriksen was negligent in transporting the panels. Being unable to apportion the respective acts of negligence by each party, the county court did not award damages for those panels. Thus, Gleason was not aggrieved by this portion of the county court's findings. Only a person aggrieved or injured by a judgment may take an appeal from it. In re Interest of Alycia P., 258 Neb. 258, 603 N.W.2d 7 (1999). This assignment of error is without merit. In his third assignment of error, Gleason argues that the district court erred in affirming the county court's finding that he was negligent in painting the panels for the Des Moines store. Henriksen's petition had alleged that the parties entered into a verbal agreement, but also alleged that Henriksen suffered damages because of Gleason's negligence. The county court's order also referred to various acts of Gleason as acts of negligence. Now on appeal, Gleason has repeatedly and inaccurately characterized the present action as a negligence action grounded in tort law. Although the dividing line between breaches of contracts and torts is often dim and uncertain, it has been said that the character of an action as one in tort or on contract is determined by the nature of the grievance, not by the form of the pleadings, with consideration being given to the facts which constitute the cause of action. L.J. Vontz Constr. Co. v. State, 230 Neb. 377, 432 N.W.2d 7 (1988). To determine whether an action is based on a contract or a tort, a court must examine and construe a petition's essential and factual allegations by which the plaintiff requests relief, rather than the legal terminology utilized in the petition or the form of a pleading. Id. Contract actions, which arise from a breach of a duty imposed on one by an agreement, protect a plaintiff's interest in or right to performance of another's promises, whereas tort actions, which arise from a breach of a duty imposed by law, protect a plaintiff's interest or right to be free from another's conduct which causes damage or loss to the plaintiff's person or property. Id. No duty was imposed upon Gleason by law, but, rather, was imposed upon him by an agreement he made with Henriksen whereby Gleason agreed to paint a number of panels for Henriksen. The nature of Henriksen's grievance by which he requests relief is clearly one based on a contract. Thus, we interpret the county court's decision as one finding that Gleason breached the contact, and we consider whether the county court erred in doing so. In order to recover in an action for breach of contract, the plaintiff must plead and prove the existence of a promise, its breach, damage, and compliance with any conditions precedent that activate the defendant's duty. Phipps v. Skyview Farms, 259 Neb. 492, 610 N.W.2d 723 (2000). In order to prove a breach of a service contract, the plaintiff must show that the defendant failed to exercise the skill and knowledge normally possessed by members of that trade in good standing in similar communities. See, Schwarz v. Platte Valley Exterminating, 258 Neb. 841, 606 N.W.2d 85 (2000); Doupnik v. Usher Pest Control Co., 217 Neb. 1, 346 N.W.2d 699 (1984). Henriksen offered the testimony of his brother Brian Henriksen, an employee at a paint store whose job duties included mixing paint. Brian had 15 years of experience in painting cars and motorcycles. Brian testified regarding the recommended procedures to paint panels such as the ones Gleason painted. He testified as to the recommended mill thickness of paint, the method of measuring the thickness on panels such as these, and the recommended drying time and environment for each coat of paint. Brian further testified that the discoloration of the panels for the Des Moines store could have been caused by incomplete coverage or inconsistencies in the method of spraying the paint. In a bench trial of a law action, a trial court's factual findings have the effect of a jury verdict and will not be set aside on appeal unless clearly erroneous. The appellate court does not reweigh the evidence but considers the judgment in a light most favorable to the successful party and resolves evidentiary conflicts in favor of the successful party, who is entitled to every reasonable inference deducible from the evidence. Given Brian's testimony, we agree with the district court and conclude that the county court was not clearly erroneous in entering judgment for Henriksen. This assignment of error is without merit.