Opinion ID: 1444031
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the trial court properly included reneau on the special verdict form.

Text: The Le'Galls assert that Reneau should not have been placed on the special verdict form. We disagree. When apportioning negligence, the jury should consider the negligence of actors involved in the event giving rise to the negligence action, even if the actors are not parties to the particular action or they cannot be liable to the plaintiff by operation of law or settlement. Hickman v. Fraternal Order of Eagles, 114 Idaho 545, 547, 758 P.2d 704, 706 (1988). If the jury could conclude, based on the evidence, that an actor negligently contributed to the plaintiff's injury, then the actor must be included on the special verdict form. Id. Every person has a duty of care to prevent unreasonable, foreseeable risks of harm to others. Sharp v. W.H. Moore, Inc., 118 Idaho 297, 300, 796 P.2d 506, 509 (1990). Reneau owed this duty of care to Le'Gall. The county presented evidence that Reneau smoked in his bedroom and could have stated the fire with a cigarette. The county also presented evidence that Reneau moved the bed toward the heater. Finally, the county argued that Reneau was negligent when he turned on the heater without moving the bed away from it. Therefore, the county presented evidence of Reneau's duty, a breach of the duty, and a causal connection between the breach and the injury. Because the jury could have concluded that Reneau negligently contributed to Le'Gall's injury, the trial court correctly included Reneau on the special verdict form.