Opinion ID: 465441
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 7 The standard for reviewing the sufficiency of evidence pursuant to a motion for a directed verdict or for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict is well established. All of the evidence must be considered, but in a light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. The motion should be granted if the evidence points so strongly in the movant's favor that reasonable minds could not arrive at a contrary verdict. On the other hand, the motion should be denied if the record contains evidence that would lead impartial and reasonable minds to different conclusions. Boeing v. Shipman, 411 F.2d 365 (5th Cir.1969); Warren v. Ford Motor Credit Co., 693 F.2d 1373 (11th Cir.1982). 8 The first question presented, then, is whether reasonable and impartial minds could differ on whether Nettles's saw was defective because it did not have a chain brake. To answer this question, we must examine Alabama products liability law. 9
10 The Alabama Supreme Court developed and named the Alabama Extended Manufacturer's Liability Doctrine (AEMLD) in two cases decided simultaneously, Casrell v. Altec Industries, Inc., 335 So.2d 128 (Ala.1976) and Atkins v. American Motors Corporation, 335 So.2d 134 (Ala.1976). To establish liability under the AEMLD, a plaintiff must show that: 11 (1) he suffered injury or damages to himself or his property by one who sells a product in a defective condition unreasonably dangerous to the plaintiff as the ultimate user or consumer, if (a) the seller is engaged in the business of selling such a product, and (b) it is expected to and does reach the user or consumer without substantial change in the condition in which it is sold. (2) Showing these elements, the plaintiff has proven a prima facie case, although (a) the seller has exercised all possible care in the preparation and sale of his product, and (b) the user or consumer has not bought the product from, or entered into any contractual relationship with, the seller. 12 Casrell at 132-33. The court defined the key term: 13 'Defective' is interpreted to mean that the product does not meet the reasonable expectations of an ordinary consumer as to its safety. Comment G. of the Restatements says defective condition applies when, at the time the product leaves the seller's hand, it is in a condition not contemplated by the ultimate consumer. 14 Casrell at 133. 15 Electrolux argues strenuously that, given Alabama products liability law and the evidence presented at trial, reasonable and impartial jurors could come to but one conclusion: that the Husqvarna chain saw was not defective. Electrolux established the following at trial: (1) The chain saw Nettles used was manufactured and designed for professional logging purposes; (2) the majority of professional loggers used chain saws without chain brakes; (3) at the time of Nettles's accident (1981), chain brake technology had not advanced to the point that American chain saw manufacturers felt chain brakes should be standard equipment on chain saws; (4) Electrolux offered chain brakes as optional equipment at the time of Nettles's mishap; and (5) Nettles's saw was equipped with a safety feature known as a low kick back chain. 4 16 Nettles relied, principally, on the testimony of Olof Goransson, an Electrolux quality manager. 5 17 Nettles contends that Goransson's testimony constituted an admission by Electrolux that their chain saws were not as safe as possible and that under Alabama law, such products are considered defective. 18 According to Alabama precedent, a product is defective if it does not meet the reasonable expectations of ordinary consumers as to its safety. Therefore, manufacturers are not automatically subjected to liability because their products are not as safe as possible. Liability may attach, however, if a product, because it does not have some safety feature, fails to meet the reasonable expectations of ordinary consumers as to its safety. 19 Whether a product meets reasonable expectations as to safety is for the jury to decide. 20 Caterpillar v. Ford, 406 So.2d 854 (1981) is instructive on this issue. In that case, a strip miner was killed when his Caterpillar B8H tractor rolled over three-fourths of a turn and crushed him to death. His widow sued alleging that the tractor was defective under the AEMLD because it did not have a roll-over protection structure (ROPS) which would have prevented the accident. The Alabama Supreme Court held that a scintilla of evidence was presented which justified the trial court's actions in sending the case to the jury. Even though the evidence necessary to send the case to the jury in Caterpillar under the scintilla rule was lower than the standard necessary in the instant case, the language employed by the Alabama Supreme Court is instructive: 21 There was evidence that caterpillar had knowledge of the potential of the B8H tractor to roll over and that a ROPS was effective in preventing injury or death in such accidents. It was also established that Caterpillar, as of July, 1970, offered a ROPS as optional equipment but did not install it as a standard feature of the B8H tractor. There was evidence from which a jury could conclude that the failure to include some protection against roll overs rendered the tractor defective.... We conclude that both issues were for the jury and that the evidence supports a finding by it that the tractor was defective. 22 Caterpillar at 856. 23 In this case, we cannot say that the evidence pointed so strongly in Electrolux's favor that the issue should not have been presented to the jury. Reasonable minds could have differed as to whether Electrolux's chain saw was defective because it did not have a chain brake. We hold that the district court did not err in denying Electrolux's motions for directed verdict and for judgment notwithstanding the verdict.
24 Electrolux also contends that the district court erred in denying its motion for directed verdict and its motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict based on an assumption of risk defense. Electrolux relies on Pressley v. Sears Roebuck Co., 738 F.2d 1222 (11th Cir.1984) to support its contention. We are not persuaded because Pressley construed Georgia's product liability law which is significantly different from Alabama's product liability law. 25 In Pressley, where the operator of a riding mower who was injured while operating the machine brought an action against the manufacturer alleging that the mower was defective because it did not have a deadmans control device which would have prevented the injury, we held that liability could not attach because the danger was open and obvious. Pressley, at 1224. 26 Under the AEMLD, however, a product may be found defective even if its danger is open and obvious. Ford Motor Co. v. Rodgers, 337 So.2d 736 (Ala.1976); Casrell v. Altec; Atkins v. American Motors Corp. Therefore, when the assumption of risk defense is asserted in Alabama, more must be shown than open and obvious danger for manufacturers to escape liability. On this point the Alabama Supreme Court stated: 27 While there is a distinction between contributory negligence and assumption of risk, certain elements are common to both. One such element is that there must have been an appreciation or consciousness of the danger with which the risk is attended. 28 Caterpillar, at 857 (emphasis added). 29 Therefore, the inquiry in the instant case, unlike in Pressley, is whether the plaintiff appreciated the danger in using the manufacturer's product. 30 Electrolux presented evidence that Nettles had been injured by kick backs before; that he knew of the existence of chain brakes and that he had the option of using a saw equipped with a chain brake on the day he was injured. Nettles put on evidence to show that he did not appreciate the danger of using a chain saw without a chain brake due to illiteracy and a low level of intelligence. 31 We cannot say that the district court erred in denying Electrolux's motion for directed verdict and judgment notwithstanding the verdict in light of a defense of assumption of risk. In some other jurisdiction, Electrolux's defense would have prevailed. But under Alabama law, reasonable minds could indeed differ as to whether Nettles assumed the risk in operating the Husqvarna chain saw without a chain brake.
32 Electrolux also asserted contributory negligence as a defense. Under Alabama law, Electrolux has the burden of proof on this claim. Caterpillar at 857. 33 To carry its burden of proof, Electrolux presented evidence that Nettles was injured because he used the saw improperly. Several of Nettles's co-workers testified that Nettles was injured because he cut an oak sapling caught in a bind, thereby causing the sapling to spring up and knock the chain saw into his arm. Nettles claims that he did not use the saw improperly. 34 Given the conflicting testimony, the district court properly submitted the issue to the jury. The evidence may have supported a verdict for Electrolux, but it also supports the verdict rendered for Nettles. See Caterpillar at 857.