Opinion ID: 1367899
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The district judge gave the mere accident instruction,[1] which was proper, since the instruction fitted the facts of the case.

Text: B. The district judge also gave a res ipsa loquitur instruction. [2] This instruction was offered by the appellants, although it was unnecessary, because the accident was explained by the evidence. A res ipsa loquitur instruction is appropriate only when the specific acts that cause the injury are unknown to the plaintiff. See Nekuda v. Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co., 175 Neb. 396, 121 N.W.2d 819 (1963); Las Vegas Hospital Ass'n v. Gaffney, 64 Nev. 225, 180 P.2d 594 (1947); W. Prosser, Law of Torts, § 39 at 218 (3d ed. 1964). Appellants complain, however, that, although the giving of the mere accident instruction may not have been improper standing alone, it became an improper instruction when the judge gave the res ipsa loquitur instruction, because there is an inconsistency in the two instructions. Since appellants offered the res ipsa loquitur instruction that should not have been given, appellants may not now complain of any such inconsistency, because appellants invited the error. C. Appellants next urge that the district judge erred in refusing to give an efficient intervening cause instruction, which appellants offered. [3] Frankly, we have a difficult time with the transition of appellants' argument. Normally, a plaintiff tries to show by the evidence that it is defendant's negligence that caused the injuries complained of. It is difficult to fathom how a plaintiff could assign error to a judge's refusal to give an instruction that, if given and followed by the jury, would preclude plaintiff's recovery and result in a defense verdict. [4]