Opinion ID: 1762983
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Failure to Document the Agreement

Text: Martinson next asserts that Hjellum was negligent in failing to document in the written findings and judgment in the foreclosure action the agreement that no deficiency-judgment action would be brought against the Martinsons if their net worth was less than $90,000. If we were to assume, arguendo, that Hjellum was negligent in this regard, Martinson also had the burden of proving that such negligent conduct was the proximate cause of his injury. See Public Taxi Service, Inc. v. Barrett, 44 Ill.App.3d 452, 2 Ill.Dec. 789, 357 N.E.2d 1232 (1976); Arnold v. Fechtel, 279 Or. 411, 568 P.2d 659 (1977). Even if Hjellum had included the agreement in the written findings and judgment, or had been successful in seeking relief from the judgment under Rule 60, N.D.R.Civ.P., his actions would not have protected Martinson because the record contains sufficient evidence to establish that the Martinsons' net assets exceeded $90,000. Thus the proximate cause of the Martinsons' injury was not Hjellum's failure to include the agreement in the written findings and judgment, but the Martinsons' assurances that their net assets were less than $90,000 coupled with their submission of the inaccurate financial statement.