Opinion ID: 2518480
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Facts and Circumstances in This Case

Text: ¶ 12 The evidence relating to the facts and circumstances of the collision in this case included the testimony of Naomi Thomason, Pilger, two eye witnesses, the investigating officer and expert witnesses. Naomi Thomason testified that she had no memory of the color of the light, she did not see the semi, and she cannot recall the events leading up to the collision. The two eye witnesses testified they saw the Thomason vehicle stop at the red light, then proceed into the intersection while the light was still red, and almost immediately thereafter, Pilger's semi collide with the Thomason vehicle. Pilger testified he was traveling on U.S. Highway 69 at a speed of about forty-three miles per hour, he saw the Thomason vehicle stopped at the intersection, then the Thomason vehicle was in front of him and his semi collided with it. The investigating officer testified that he arrived at the scene of the accident within two or so minutes and it was pouring down rain at that time. He also testified the accident was a T-bone impact, the pavement was slick from the rain and the semi pushed the Thomason vehicle some 267 feet before coming to a stop. The expert witnesses gave conflicting testimony regarding the rate of speed the semi was traveling, the import of the skid marks and the visibility of vehicles at the time of the collision. ¶ 13 Plaintiff took the position that there was no evidence tending to prove her contributory negligence in any degree. On appeal, she urged that her presence in the vehicle, in and of itself, was insufficient to submit the issue of contributory negligence to the jury. She argued there must be evidence as to whether she, the passenger, had the same opportunity as the driver to observe dangerous conditions and whether she, the passenger, failed to remonstrate the driver about the observed dangerous conditions. ¶ 14 Defendants took the position that the evidence tended to prove that Naomi Thomason failed to keep a proper lookout and failed to warn her husband about the red light. On appeal, they argued that the evidence clearly proved Delmar Thomason ran a red light when he entered the intersection in front of Pilger's semi and that the jury could have reasonably inferred from the evidence that Naomi Thomason failed to warn her husband of the impending dangers. Accordingly, defendants urged that the trial court did not err in submitting the contributory negligence issue to the jury. ¶ 15 We agree with plaintiff, Naomi Thomason, that the basic fact of being a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident does not create a contributory negligence fact issue that must be submitted to the jury. We also agree with defendants, Pilger and Alternative Transport, Inc., that an inference could be drawn from the proof of the circumstances of the accident that Naomi Thomason did not exercise ordinary care for her own safety to avoid the accident and did not adequately caution and warn the driver of the dangers and hazards. ¶ 16 The record reflects that the trial judge thoroughly considered the motion for directed verdict on the contributory negligence issue. In denying Naomi Thomason's motion, the trial judge correctly found there was a scintilla of evidence in the record from which a jury might consider the question of contributory negligence. The trial judge properly submitted the contributory negligence issue to the jury.