Opinion ID: 2161272
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Use of Ultimate-Fact Verdict.

Text: Respondents maintain that they were prejudiced by the finding of negligence on Erickson's part since the jury was unduly influenced by this determination when apportioning negligence between the parties. It is true, as the court recognized in Niedbalski v. Cuchna that: . . . because of respect for the trial judge's experience and knowledge of the law, and confidence in his impartiality, a jury may give more weight to a finding made by the judge than to a similar finding which it makes for itself. It is possible for the same reason that when it reaches the comparison question, it may give disproportionally greater importance to negligence found by the judge than to negligence found by the jury. We suppose there might be cases where on review it so clearly appears from the circumstances that this must have happened, that a new trial should be had in the interest of justice. [2] But the court continued: We decline, however, to adopt a rule based on a premise that a jury attributes disproportionate importance to negligence found by the judge in all, or a substantial number of the cases in which findings are made as a matter of law. [3] That Erickson was found to be 80 percent negligent does not of itself establish that the jury was swayed. It is not at all surprising that the one who runs into the rear of another automobile is found to be much more at fault than the other driver. To conclude that a jury has placed improper weight on a finding by the trial court, it must appear from all the facts, and the record taken as a whole, that such influence could be the only explanation for the negligence apportionment. There is nothing in the present case to indicate that the finding had any effect on the jury whatsoever. It is true that the jury was not instructed with respect to the comparison question cautioning the jury not to give greater or lesser importance or weight to the finding of the court that a party was negligent than to a similar finding made by the jury. [4] But respondents did not request such an instruction and thus cannot complain about the failure to give it. Respondents assert that when one party is found negligent as a matter of law while the other is not, the negligent party is prejudiced unless the case is submitted to the jury on the detailed form of special verdict. Respondents contend that otherwise the jury could be led to believe that the party is necessarily negligent in all respects i.e., lookout, speed, management and control, etc., while in fact there is no negligence in regard to each, and that this thus influences their negligence comparison. No authority is cited to support this proposition. If this contention is correct, the use of the omnibus form of verdict will be greatly restricted. Although the trial court found Erickson negligent as a matter of law it clearly limited that finding to Erickson's speed and further instructed the jury on other aspects of Erickson's possible negligence, namely, lookout, management and control. Under these circumstances, respondents were not prejudiced by the ultimate-fact form of special verdict.