Opinion ID: 1375110
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Improper Inferences and Weighing of Testimony

Text: The first two alleged errors above can be consolidated. The Appellant essentially alleges that the improper inferences and the weighing and disregarding of evidence arose from two categories of facts. He asserts that, when properly considered under Rule 56, these two categories of facts precluded summary judgment. We disagree. The first category of facts deals with alleged inconsistencies in Mr. Law's statements about how the accident occurred. In sum, the conflicting statements only deal with specific events surrounding the accident like (1) whether Mr. Law saw the decedent falling to the ground or whether he first saw him after he hit the ground; (2) whether Mr. Law could see the decedent throughout the events that occurred, or whether he lost sight of the decedent and simply saw him on the ground when he got out of the truck; (3) whether the decedent was in front of the truck when the accident occurred or behind it; (4) whether one of the Laws or the decedent was holding Keno throughout the events that occurred; and (5) whether Mr. Law asked the decedent to hold Keno's rope or whether the decedent requested to handle the rope. One can readily discern that these conflicting statements deal only with the chain of events that occurred immediately prior to the accident. Consequently, given the applicable law, these conflicts are insufficient to preclude summary judgment. [13] Even assuming all of the above versions of facts in favor of the Appellant, they have virtually no bearing on the elements of proof that will impact the outcome of this case. For instance, even if Mr. Law saw Keno kick the decedent or Mr. Law asked the decedent to hold Keno's rope, such does little if anything to aid in proving (1) whether Keno possessed any vicious or dangerous propensities of which the Appellees should have previously known; or (2) whether the Appellees could have reasonably and foreseeably anticipated Keno's conduct and the resulting injuries to the decedent. The first category of factual disputes, then, are not material because, even taken in the light most favorable to the Appellant, they simply do not have the capacity to sway the outcome of the litigation under the applicable law. Williams, 194 W.Va. at 60, 459 S.E .2d at 337 n. 13. Accordingly, these disputes will not be counted for purposes of summary judgment. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. at 2510. The second category of facts deals with the alleged knowledge and conflicting statements of some of the Appellees concerning Keno's vicious or dangerous propensities. As far as conflicting evidence on the issue, the Appellant first asserts that Robert Law stated that Keno was a rambunctious, wild colt and that he was frisky and did not like to be penned. [14] The Kovacs, however, apparently stated that Keno was never frisky or unruly. Even if we assume Mr. Law's version of Keno's demeanor to be true, his statements still do not preclude summary judgment on the strict liability question. While we are aware of authority to the contrary, many courts agree that these general, unruly characteristics are insufficient to impose liability. See, e.g., Williams v. Hawkins, 304 So.2d 75, 77 (La.Ct.App.1974), applic. denied, 307 So.2d 373 (La.1975) (Allegations of being `high strung' or `skittish' and testimony that the horse was acting up could not possibly be interpreted as a `dangerous propensity,' especially when considered in light of the common knowledge that a great many horses at times are skittish, high strung, and act up. ) (emphasis added); see also Dubois v. Myers, 684 P.2d 940 (Colo.Ct.App.1984); Lawrence v. Windsor, 693 S.W.2d 853 (Mo.Ct.App. 1985). Like the courts above, we conclude that traits like rambunctiousness and friskiness are insufficient to impose strict liability. In our view, given the strict liability standard, the proof cited by the Appellant to avoid summary judgment is `merely colorable'  and not `significantly probative.' Williams, 194 W.Va. at 60, 459 S.E.2d at 337 (quoting Anderson, 477 U.S. at 249-50, 106 S.Ct. at 2511 (citations omitted in original)). Accordingly, a reasonable jury could not return a strict liability verdict in favor of the Appellant. We reach the same conclusion in regard to the Appellant's negligence cause of action. While we have been traditionally reluctant to affirm a grant of summary judgment in cases involving negligence, when one coalesces the proof here with the necessary elements of the cause of action, summary disposition was appropriate. As suggested in Dawson, and stated in Trager, `The amount of control required is that which would be exercised by a reasonable person based upon the total situation at the time, including the past behavior of the animal and, the injuries that could have been reasonably foreseen.' Trager, 445 Mich. at 106, 516 N.W.2d at 75-76 (emphasis added) (quoting Arnold, 94 Wash.2d at 871, 621 P.2d at 141) (en banc). Here, given Keno's past behavior and the facts existing at the time of the accident, there simply is nothing beyond a scintilla of evidence in the record to indicate that the Appellees failed to exercise ordinary care. In sum, no one could have reasonably foreseen the colt's actions under the facts alleged. [15]