Opinion ID: 1239694
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Plaintiff's contributory negligence.

Text: The rule is that a verdict should only be directed against a plaintiff where the plaintiff's evidence, giving it the most reasonable construction it will reasonably bear, is insufficient to sustain a verdict in the plaintiff's favor. Hollie v. Gilbertson (1968), 38 Wis. 2d 245, 249, 156 N. W. 2d 462. Generally, the apportionment of negligence is for the jury and will not be upset except where it is manifest as a matter of law that the allocation is unreasonably disproportionate. Where, however, it appears that the negligence of the plaintiff is as a matter of law equal to or greater than that of the defendant, it is not only within the power of the court but it is the duty of the court to so hold. Skybrock v. Concrete Construction Co. (1969), 42 Wis. 2d 480, 490, 167 N. W. 2d 209. In this case we are of the opinion that the trial court was correct in determining that the negligence of the plaintiff equaled or exceeded that of the defendant. The only credible evidence to support a verdict for the plaintiff is that he pulled the clutch lever and because of its position on the crop blower believed that it disengaged both the fan and the auger, when in fact it only disengaged the auger. While the plaintiff's testimony that he thought the fan had stopped could be taken as true, it is clear from these facts that he should have known the fan continued to operate. The plaintiff was a farmer and had lived on a farm practically all his life. He was familiar with farm machinery. He had worked with this same machine two- and one-half days the previous year, and a full day on the day of the incident. He knew that the crop blower was equipped with a fan capable of propelling silage through a nine-inch pipe at least far enough to reach the top of a silo. It was essential that the fan continue to operate after the auger stopped in order to clear the pipes, and no machine was manufactured by any manufacturer, in which the clutch stopped both the fan and the auger. On at least two previous occasions on the day in question, the conveyor belt had come off the sprocket and on each occasion plaintiff disengaged the clutch lever. He never did look to see if the fan was disengaged. His counsel argues that even if he had looked, the fan operates so rapidly, that one looking would be unable to tell whether the fan was operating or not. As the trial court observed, . . . [T]here is no substance to this [argument], for anyone knows that if a fan is stopped one can see the blades . . ., but if it is running or operating one cannot see them. On the two previous occasions that day when the conveyor belt malfunctioned, he stood on the ground to replace it. On the third occasion, late in the afternoon, he chose to balance or perch himself in the dangerous and precarious position with his feet on the narrow rim of the crop blower, while the tractor which powered it was running. In this position, he was approximately 18 inches from the fan, and he testified he felt some vibration. While so situated, he attempted to balance himself only by the use of his feet and used his body and hands to reach over and down and re-engage the conveyor belt. He slipped and fell into the hopper and this unfortunate accident was the result. He testified that he took this position on the rim of the crop blower because the grandfather was standing in the position where the plaintiff had stood on the two previous occasions when he fixed the machine while standing on the ground. He did not ask the grandfather to move because he was an old man and you couldn't tell him much. He had been told by Gordon Kohlbeck to have Kiel, the owner of the machine, replace the chain on the sprocket. However, because he had done it twice before on this day, he attempted to do it a third time. We have considered all of the arguments advanced by the plaintiff on this issue and are of the opinion the order and judgment of the trial court granting the motion of the defendant for a directed verdict should be affirmed. By the Court. Order and judgment affirmed.