Opinion ID: 1634941
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: There is insufficient evidence to support the verdict. (citing authorities)

Text: II. An instruction which is broader than the pleadings or the proof is defective. (citing authorities) III. The omission of an essential element from an instruction is error. (citing authorities) The first point may be disposed of readily. A verdict for a defendant on a plaintiff's claim needs no supporting evidence. A pleader seeking affirmative relief must produce evidence to support his claim. The party denying liability need not introduce any evidence to support a verdict. That rule of law needs no citation of authority. Plaintiff in his argument in the brief says, If, as defendant states, the Plymouth automobile was directly in front of him when he saw the parking lights on the car, then it is apparent that he, as well as the Plymouth automobile, were both in the center of the highway. It would be impossible for the defendant to drive both in the center of the highway and within a foot and a half of the right hand curb, and therefore his statement cannot be true and is contrary to the physical facts. Plaintiff's argument in substance is that the physical facts disprove defendant's evidence and therefore plaintiff was entitled to a verdict. We hold that the evidence presented a question of fact for a jury to determine. We cannot say as a matter of law that the position of the cars after the collision conclusively disproved defendant's evidence. Especially is this true since no witness to the collision remembered precisely the position of the cars at the time of the impact. Had the trial court sustained plaintiff's motion for a new trial on the ground that the verdict was against the weight of the evidence, we would be confronted with a different situation. Reichmuth v. Adler, 348 Mo. 812, 155 S.W.2d 181, loc. cit. 182(1, 2). The other two points do not present any question for review since they fail to comply with our Rule 1.08, 42 V.A.M.S. Our Rule 1.08(a) (3) requires an appellant in his brief to state The points relied on, which shall show what actions or rulings of the Court are sought to be reviewed and wherein and why they are claimed to be erroneous,   . It is apparent that plaintiff failed to comply with this rule. It is not sufficient to state in the argument in the brief the points relied on or to assign errors alleged to have been committed by the trial court. That must be done under Points and Authorities. We would be justified in not considering the case further. However, in the interest of justice, we have decided to consider plaintiff's printed argument to ascertain his complaints. In this argument plaintiff contends the defendant did not plead that the collision in this case was the result of the negligence of a third party and, therefore, the defendant was not entitled to such a defense. In the case of Janssens v. Thompson, 360 Mo. 351, 228 S.W.2d 743, loc. cit. 750(7, 8), we ruled this question against plaintiff's contention. It was there held that a defendant under a general denial was entitled to show that he was not negligent and that the injury of plaintiff was caused solely through the negligence of another. In the argument plaintiff says further that defendant's instruction omitted the element that the negligence of Robert O. Clemons, driver of the car wherein plaintiff was riding, could not be imputed to the plaintiff. This point has also been decided against plaintiff's contention. See Stanich v. Western Union Tel. Co., 348 Mo. 188, 153 S.W.2d 54, loc. cit. 58, 59(4); Shields v. Keller, 348 Mo. 326, 153 S.W.2d 60, loc. cit. 64(6); and Mendenhall v. Meyer, 347 Mo. 881, 149 S.W.2d 366. Those cases ruled that a defendant need not include the element of imputed negligence in a sole cause instruction. We find no merit in plaintiff's contentions. The judgment is affirmed. All concur.