Opinion ID: 1913445
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: dismissal or direction of verdict

Text: Claiming in the first summarized assignment of error that plaintiff failed to prove defendant was negligent or that there was any causal connection between its conduct and her fall, defendant urges that the district court erred in failing to sustain its motion made at the close of plaintiff's evidence to either dismiss the cause or to direct a verdict in defendant's favor. However, after the district court overruled the motion, defendant proceeded to adduce evidence. A defendant who moves for a directed verdict at the close of the plaintiff's evidence and, upon the overruling of such motion, proceeds with trial and introduces evidence waives any error in the ruling on the motion for a directed verdict. Baker v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 240 Neb. 14, 480 N.W.2d 192 (1992); Sikyta v. Arrow Stage Lines, 238 Neb. 289, 470 N.W.2d 724 (1991); Brown v. Farmers Mut. Ins. Co., 237 Neb. 855, 468 N.W.2d 105 (1991); Lincoln Co. Sheriff's Emp. Assn. v. Co. of Lincoln, 216 Neb. 274, 343 N.W.2d 735 (1984). See, also, State v. Huebner, 245 Neb. 341, 513 N.W.2d 284 (1994). We have also uniformly held that a motion to dismiss for failure to prove a prima facie case should be treated as a motion for a directed verdict. In re Estate of Chaney, 232 Neb. 121, 439 N.W.2d 764 (1989); Wax v. Co-Operative Refinery Assn., 154 Neb. 42, 46 N.W.2d 769 (1951). Therefore, we will not review the correctness of the district court's ruling on defendant's motion for a directed verdict or motion to dismiss. Brown v. Farmers Mut. Ins. Co., supra ; Lincoln Co. Sheriff's Emp. Assn. v. Co. of Lincoln, supra ; Church of the Holy Spirit v. Bevco, Inc., 215 Neb. 299, 338 N.W.2d 601 (1983); Baker v. Blue Ridge Ins. Co., 215 Neb. 111, 337 N.W.2d 411 (1983).