Opinion ID: 1702756
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: did the trial court err in the admission of the testimony of randall pittman?

Text: ¶ 5. Because these issues are closely related, this Court will discuss them concurrently. MDOT contends that the evidence shows that the accident was not caused by its negligence. Instead, MDOT counters that the causes were Cargile's failure to keep a proper lookout, his truck's speed which was excessive for the conditions, and his failure to keep his vehicle under control. Further, MDOT advances that Cargile never saw the water which he claims had accumulated. MDOT insists that the evidence fails to show any fault with the highway. ¶ 6. Additionally, MDOT argues that the trial court erred in admitting as evidence the testimony of Randall Pittman, who lives on Highway 528 near the scene of the accident. Pittman testified to his opinion on the cause of Cargile's accident. The trial court also heard Pittman testify to his opinion of the causes of other accidents along the same stretch of highway which he either witnessed or heard about. MDOT states that his testimony is irrelevant and has no probative value because of remoteness. MDOT further asserts that since Pittman did not see the accidents along that same stretch of road about which he testified, he did not possess the requisite personal knowledge required for testimony by a lay witness. Additionally, MDOT contends that Pittman had no personal knowledge of the cause of any of those accidents including Cargile's. MDOT further contends that Pittman did not see any such water at the time of the accident. ¶ 7. Further, MDOT argues that there was no evidence of water accumulation at or near the site of the accident or that any such accumulation caused the accident. MDOT asserts that State Trooper Keith Murphy, the state trooper on the scene of Cargile's accident, did not see any accumulation of water. Finally, MDOT counters that its witnesses, Kenneth Thornton, the MDOT maintenance supervisor, John Lambert, who was Thornton's supervisor, and Trooper Keith Murphy all regularly traveled that road for many months before the accident and had never seen any accumulation of water in that location. They all testified that had they noticed such an accumulation of water, they would have reported it. As evidenced by MDOT maintenance records, MDOT insists that its agents conducted regular, scheduled inspections and maintenance of the highway including grading the shoulders to prevent drainage onto the highway. Thornton testified that if he had seen a shoulder that was higher than the highway, he would have considered that condition an emergency situation requiring immediate attention. Thornton and Lambert both testified that there was pitting on the pavement but that defect did not warrant repair and would not have caused the accumulation of water alleged by Cargile. ¶ 8. Cargile states that there is no evidence that he failed to keep a proper look out. He asserts that there was no evidence that he was driving too fast. He claims to have been driving between 40 and 45 miles per hour which he says was a safe speed for the conditions. Cargile points to the lack of evidence that he failed to keep his vehicle under control. ¶ 9. Further, Cargile asserts that the trial court properly admitted testimony by Pittman as to the cause of the accident. He argues that Pittman was qualified to testify because he traveled the road several times a day and lived near the scene of the crash. Cargile cites Pittman's testimony of his actions and attempts to notify MDOT of the condition of the road and the previous accidents. Since there were numerous accidents at this location during or immediately after rainfall and since Cargile and Pittman both testified that it was raining at the time of the accident, Cargile argues that a reasonable inference can be drawn that accumulated rainwater was the cause of the accident. ¶ 10. In an action under the Tort Claims Act, the trial court sits as the finder of fact. When the court's factual determinations are challenged on appeal, the reviewing court considers the entire record and has an obligation to affirm when the record contains substantial evidence in support of the trial court's findings. Ezell v. Williams, 724 So.2d 396, 397 (Miss.1998); Miss. State Hosp. v. Wood, 823 So.2d 598, 601 (Miss.Ct.App. 2002). ¶ 11. To prevail on a negligence claim, the plaintiff must establish by a preponderance of the evidence each of the elements of negligence: duty, breach, causation and injury. Leflore County v. Givens, 754 So.2d 1223, 1230 (Miss.2000) (citing Lovett v. Bradford, 676 So.2d 893, 896 (Miss.1996)). In Mississippi, a plaintiff may espouse one of three theories in support of a claim of negligence such as this: (1) that the defendant's own negligence created a dangerous condition which caused plaintiff's injury; (2) that the defendant had actual knowledge of the danger she faced as an invitee or (3) that based upon the passage of time, the defendant should have known about the dangerous condition caused by another party and if defendant had acted reasonably, i.e., constructive knowledge of that condition should be imputed to that defendant. K-Mart Corp. v. Hardy ex rel. Hardy, 735 So.2d 975, 980 (Miss.1999) (citing Downs v. Choo, 656 So.2d 84, 86 (Miss.1995); Munford, Inc. v. Fleming, 597 So.2d 1282, 1284 (Miss.1992)). The plaintiff bears the burden of presenting significant probative evidence that the defendant was not only negligent, but also that such negligence was the proximate cause of the dangerous condition that resulted in the plaintiff's injury. Id. ¶ 12. If proof of a causal connection is to be established by circumstantial evidence, it must be sufficient to make the plaintiff's asserted theory reasonably probable, not merely possible, and it is generally for the trier of fact to say whether circumstantial evidence meets this test. Id. (citing Miss. Valley Gas Co. v. Estate of Walker, 725 So.2d 139, 145 (Miss.1998)). ¶ 13. In Givens, the plaintiffs maintained that the injuries that they sustained were such that they could not remember the circumstances surrounding the accident nor the accident. Givens, 754 So.2d at 1230. The plaintiffs further argued that the county's negligent failure to warn of the dangerous curve was the proximate cause of the accident. Id. at 1224. They alleged that the county designed and maintained that part of the road in a negligent manner and that the county knew of the dangerous condition. Id. As in the present case, the county failed to take steps to correct the condition despite the fact that it knew or should of known of the numerous accidents occurring at this curve. Id. at 1225. ¶ 14. This case is similar to Givens. After consideration of the entire record, this Court affirms the ruling of the trial court. The trial court, as finder of fact, had the opportunity to listen to the testimony of the witnesses and evaluate the negligence claim on a first-hand basis. The trial court chose to accept the testimony of Randall Pittman as to the numerous accidents occurring in the area of Cargile's accident. MDOT either knew or should have known about other accidents occurring on the roads it had responsibility for maintaining. The trial court properly apportioned 50% fault to Cargile for his own negligence. ¶ 15. The next evidence to consider is the testimony of both Kenneth Cargile and Randall Pittman. Neither actually saw the accumulation of water on the night of the accident. Neither knew positively the cause of the accident. However, the trial court allowed the testimony as circumstantial evidence of the events on the night of the accident. ¶ 16. Admission or exclusion of evidence is within the discretion of the trial judge and will not be reversed absent an abuse of that discretion. Hardy, 735 So.2d at 983 (citing Broadhead v. Bonita Lakes Mall, Ltd. P'ship, 702 So.2d 92, 102 (Miss.1997)(quoting Sumrall v. Miss. Power Co. 693 So.2d 359, 365 (Miss.1997); Gen. Motors Corp. v. Jackson, 636 So.2d 310, 314 (Miss.1992); Walker v. Graham, 582 So.2d 431, 432 (Miss.1991)). For a case to be reversed on error in the admission or exclusion of evidence, the error must result in harm and prejudice or adversely affect a substantial right of a party. Id. at 983 (citing Hansen v. State, 592 So.2d 114 (Miss.1991)). ¶ 17. A trial judge's findings of fact on conflicting evidence cannot be disturbed by this Court on appeal unless we can say with reasonable certainty that the findings were manifestly wrong and against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. Id. at 986-987(citing Richardson v. Riley, 355 So.2d 667, 668 (Miss. 1978)). See also Puckett v. Stuckey, 633 So.2d 978, 982 (Miss.1993). The reviewing court must examine the entire record and must accept that evidence which supports or reasonably tends to support the findings of fact made below, together with all reasonable inferences which may be drawn therefrom and which favor the lower court's findings of fact. Id. at 987 (citing Cotton v. McConnell, 435 So.2d 683, 685 (Miss.1983); Culbreath v. Johnson, 427 So.2d 705, 707-08 (Miss.1983)). That there may be evidence to the contrary is irrelevant. Id.; Hansen v. State, 592 So.2d 114 (Miss.1991)). ¶ 18. In Hardy, the plaintiff filed an action for injuries received when he slipped and fell in paint on the floor at a K-Mart. Id. at 977. He argued that K-Mart was negligent since there was a paint can on the floor in the same color as the paint cans on the display right above where he had fallen. Id. at 978. He could not independently recall how many levels of paint cans were stacked on the aisle display at the time of his fall. Id. ¶ 19. As this Court stated in Hardy: In determining whether there was sufficient evidence on the question of defendant's negligence for decision of that issue by a jury two well established principles must be kept in mind. One is that the negligence may be established by circumstantial evidence in the absence of testimony by eyewitnesses provided the circumstances are such as to take the case out of the realm of conjecture and place it within the field of legitimate inference. Id. at 981: (citing Downs v. Choo, 656 So.2d 84, 90 (Miss.1995)(Sullivan, P.J., dissenting); Moore v. Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. 252 Miss. 693, 703, 173 So.2d 603 (1965)( quoting Johnston v. Canton Flying Services, Inc., 209 Miss. 226, 46 So.2d 533 (1950)). The jury must be able to make a reasonable or reliable inference. 735 So.2d at 982. There must be sufficient additional evidence presented, other than the plaintiff's testimony, to lead the jury to conclude that the defendant caused the negligence. Id. at 983. In Winn-Dixie Supermarkets v. Hughes, 247 Miss. 575, 156 So.2d 734 (1963), we stated the factual question of causation is properly for the jury to make. Id. at 983. ¶ 20. In Johnson v. City of Pass Christian, 475 So.2d 428 (Miss.1985), a motorist lost control of her car, left the road and collided with an object causing her personal injury. Through the testimony of others, she claimed that a hole in the street caused her to lose control. Id. at 429. This Court upheld a JNOV for the city of a $75,000 jury verdict where photographs in evidence did not show any hole. Id. She testified that she did not know what caused her to lose control of her car. Id. at 429. The street superintendent testified that the city had worked on the street one month prior to the accident and saw no defect. Id. at 430. He also testified that had he seen a hole, he would have repaired it. Id. ¶ 21. In similar cases where the plaintiff did not remember the scene of the accident, this Court held that when photographs contradict the plaintiff's tenuous theory of an accident, the plaintiff's theory will not support a jury verdict. Id. at 431. We stated: [t]he Plaintiff's theory of the case ... is completely overwhelmed in our opinion by viewing the photographs taken at the scene and the testimony of the witness who arrived immediately after the accident and before the scene was subject to distortion by curious onlookers ... The plaintiff's theory at best admits of only a possibility, but it is highly improbable, and the mere possibility of the happening of an event has been held by this Court to be insufficient to sustain a verdict. Id. at 431 (quoting Gunn v. Grice, 204 So.2d 177, 185 (Miss.1967)). ¶ 22. A layperson is qualified to give an opinion if he has firsthand knowledge which other laypeople, i.e., the jury, do not have. Hardy, 735 So.2d at 984 (citing Wells v. State, 604 So.2d 271, 278-79 (Miss.1992)). Speculative testimony is not admissible. Id. at 985. Nor is testimony about facts of which the witness has no personal knowledge. Id. at 985 (citing Jones v. State, 678 So.2d 707, 710 (Miss.1996)). ¶ 23. A witness may not testify to a matter unless evidence is introduced sufficient to support a finding that he has personal knowledge of the matter. M.R.E. 602. Evidence to prove personal knowledge may, but need not consist of the testimony of the witness himself. Id. Rule 602 does not prevent, however, the witness from testifying about hearsay statements. M.R.E. 602 cmt. He need only show that he has personal knowledge regarding the making of the statements. Id. A witness can testify to facts within his knowledge, gained through any of his senses. Perkins v. State, 290 So.2d 597, 599 (Miss.1974). See also Dennis v. Prisock, 221 So.2d 706, 710 (Miss.1969). ¶ 24. Further, if the witness is not an expert, his testimony in the form of an opinion or inference is limited to the opinions of inferences which are (a) rationally based on the perception of the witness and (b) helpful to the clear understanding of the testimony or the determination of a facet in issue. M.R.E. 701. [1] Rule 701 is a departure from the traditional rule; it favors the admission of lay opinions when two considerations are met. M.R.E. 701 cmt. The first consideration is the familiar requirement of firsthand knowledge or observation. Id. The second consideration is that the witness's opinion must be helpful in resolving the issues. Id. Rule 701, thus, provides flexibility when a witness has difficulty in expressing himself in language which does not reflect an opinion. Id. Rule 701 is based on the recognition that there is often too thin a line between fact and opinion to determine which is which. Id. ¶ 25. Evidence of other similar accidents or injuries at or near the same place or by use of the same appliance suffered by persons other than the plaintiff and in other and different times, not too remote in time from the particular occurrence, is generally admissible to show the existence of a defective or dangerous condition or appliance and the dangerous character of the place or injury or of the machine or the appliance, and to show the defendant's notice or knowledge thereof. S.H. Kress & Co. v. Markline, 117 Miss. 37, 77 So. 858 (1918). Concerning evidence of similar happenings, this Court has stated: So far as the occurrence of other accidents at the same place is concerned, as matter of notice to the municipality responsible, there need be no hesitancy about accepting the rule of its admissibility. The objection to it as tending to introduce collateral issues, and thus lead away the jury's attention, is absolutely illogical and is surely foundationless.    There is no necessity to quote from other authorities that in this class of cases the character of the place of the accident is one of the subjects of inquiry pertinent both as to notice and as to the condition of the locus in quo, and, if the defendant comes into court saying he is unprepared, the fault lies with himself. He of all others should know the character of the place, it is his charge and duty to know it, and the proposition that testimony with regard to it is part of the res gestae is nearer the law than that the evidence is collateral. The weight of authority is well in favor of the admission of such testimony to support the allegation of knowledge on the part of the defendant. There is a class of decisions in which it is held that, in suits for injuries caused by defective streets, it is relevant for the plaintiff to prove other similar accidents for the purpose of showing the dangerous character of the street. And from what we have said with regard to the relevancy of such testimony in proof of scienter, it will be gathered that we apply the same reasoning to its relevancy in showing the dangerous character of the street. Markline, 77 So. at 862 (quoting Jones' Blue Book of Evidence § 163). ¶ 26. The trial judge exercised the requisite degree of discretion in admitting the testimony of Cargile and Pittman which drew inferences about the accident and its causes even though neither saw an accumulation of water. This Court may reverse the trial judge only for abuse of discretion. Since there are no eyewitnesses, negligence may be established by circumstantial evidence such as the testimony of Pittman and Cargile. The judge as trier of fact heard the testimony of Pittman and Cargile and chose to believe and credit this testimony in reaching the decision to apportion fault of 50% to MDOT. The trial judge made findings of fact which we cannot say are wrong or incorrect. The inferences were reasonably drawn therefrom. ¶ 27. Pittman's testimony concerning prior accidents at that location came from his observations of tire tracks and actual accident scenes. His opinion as to the cause of the accident, the accumulation of water at the site, was made from his firsthand knowledge gained from observing the road on which he lived for 25 years. He had a familiarity with the road that the jury did not have. His familiarity came from his experiences driving that portion of the highway. ¶ 28. Pittman's testimony as to the occurrences of other accidents at the same location was also properly admitted. His testimony proved the dangerous conditions that Cargile apparently faced on the night of the accident. Also properly admitted was Pittman's testimony regarding the calls that he allegedly made to MDOT that put it on notice of the conditions of that stretch of road when it rained. Pittman's testimony supports Cargile's allegation of knowledge by MDOT. It was properly for the trier of fact, that is, the trial judge, to determine the credibility of Pittman's testimony. We will not disturb that decision absent a showing of abuse of discretion or that the trial judge was manifestly wrong.