Opinion ID: 1958884
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Jury confusion and inconsistency.

Text: In furtherance of its argument that it was prejudiced by the joint trial, and also as a separate basis for a new trial, defendant argues that the jurors' responses to the verdict form demonstrate confusion and inconsistency. The jury found that defendant was guilty of negligence with respect to each of the three accidents. Similarly, the jury found a breach of both an implied warranty and an express warranty with regard to each accident. In addition, the jury found that MC was guilty of contributory negligence that was a proximate cause of the March 2, and August 25 accidents and made a deduction from the total award pursuant to the comparative negligence statute, 14 M.R.S.A. § 156 (1980). On the warranty theory, the jury found that MC was not guilty of fault that was a proximate cause of the March 2, August 16, or August 25 accidents. [3] From these answers on the jury form, the defendant deduces confusion. The answers contained in the verdict form, however, are perfectly consistent with the instructions given by the presiding Justice. He instructed the jury that contributory negligence is not a defense to the warranty claims, but that if the plaintiffs proceeded voluntarily and unreasonably to encounter a known risk, a defense to the warranty counts would be made out and the comparative negligence law would apply. Because no fault was found on the part of either plaintiff, we are not called upon to consider the validity of the instruction. [4] It is sufficient to note that we find no evidence of confusion or inconsistency.