Opinion ID: 1546049
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: basis of the appeal

Text: [¶ 11] The gravamen of Smith's complaint was that CMP's power lines were strung too low given their proximity to a boatyard. Articulating the reasons for its conclusion that CMP was negligent, the court found that CMP breached its duty of care in at least three ways: (1) by failing to comply with the Commission's rules regarding vertical clearances for power lines, see 9 C.M.R. 65 407 910-2, §§ 1-3 (2001); (2) by failing to follow its own vertical clearance standards; and (3) by failing to respond to known dangers created by the vertical clearance of its lines in that area and failing to train its employees about the rules and standards when it had actual knowledge that sailboat masts at the Devereux boatyard were near power lines along Route 166. [¶ 12] In its original entry of judgment, the court indicated that it might not have concluded that CMP was negligent had it not found that CMP violated the Commission's rules. It is, therefore, unclear whether, independent of the rule violation, the court's findings regarding the breach of the standard of care would support its negligence finding. The parties dispute whether the rule violation was essential to the court's conclusion that CMP was negligent. [¶ 13] Because the second two findings related to CMP's breach of the standard of care are amply supported by the record and would support the court's negligence finding, our analysis would end here if we were to determine that the rule violation was not essential to the court's decision. However, after close review of the court's findings, we cannot be certain that the court intended its decision on negligence to stand in the absence of its finding regarding the rule violation. Thus, we assume for purposes of analysis that the court's finding of a rule violation was fundamental to its negligence finding, and we must determine whether, as CMP contends, the court erred in finding that violation. [¶ 14] CMP argues that the Commission's rules regarding minimum vertical clearances for power lines in areas intended to be used by the public for rigging or launching sailboats, 9 C.M.R. 65 407 910-2, §§ 1, 3 (2001), do not apply in this case and, therefore, the case should be remanded to determine whether CMP was negligent in the absence of any rule violation. Although CMP raises other challenges, they are not persuasive and we address only the contested rule violation.