Opinion ID: 2149776
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the carstens' rental of the u-haul truck

Text: Shari's parents, Dale and Judith Carstens, rented a truck from U-Haul Center to move from Walnut, Iowa, to Herman, Nebraska. The truck, known as a 17-foot easy-loading mover, was licensed in Kentucky. While operating the truck, Dale attempted to back it up to a porch, but the loading ramp was a few inches short of the top step. Shari held the ramp up while Dale attempted to reverse the truck a few more inches. When the truck was engaged, however, it first jumped forward, throwing Shari off balance, and as Dale backed up the truck, it pinned Shari's foot between the concrete step and the truck's ramp. In deposition testimony, Shari testified that she did not see any warning labels on the truck instructing that the ramp should not be extended while the truck was in motion. In Judith's deposition, she testified that when she and Dale rented the truck, they did not receive a user's guide with any warnings about using the ramp. After Shari's injury, Judith inspected the truck for warning labels and the only label she found was a partial warning label that was ragged and hard to read. The affidavit of the general manager of U-Haul Center contains a picture that shows a warning sticker below the latch to the truck's rear door stating, DANGER DO NOT extend or hold ramp while vehicle is in motion. Failure to follow this warning could result in a serious or fatal injury. The affidavit also includes a copy of the U-Haul Household Moving Van User Instructions, which U-Haul Center alleged that it gives to everyone to whom it rents a truck. On the first page of the instructions is a warning to NEVER put the Household Moving Van in motion while the loading ramp is extended [or] being held.