Court Opinion

ID: 9661530
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 22:41:42.721786+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:29.683237
License: Public Domain

PRITCHARD, Presiding Judge,
concurring in result.
The original opinion in this case affirmed the dismissal of appellants’ action for the wrongful death of their 15 year old daughter which was alleged to have occurred as a result of respondent’s negligence in running into the rear of the vehicle in which decedent was riding on 1-70 near Burlington, Colorado. On the receipt of the motion for rehearing, as to the original opinion this writer changed his concurrence to a dissent, and the opinion was thereafter modified to its present form setting the judgment of dismissal aside and remanding the case with directions that the petition be reinstated.
This is a simple case of the application of the fact pleading requirements of Rule 55.-21(b), which the petition adequately does, and to permit appellants to pursue their transitory tort action in this state under the choice of law precepts of Kennedy v. Dixon, 439 S.W.2d 173 (Mo. banc 1969). It is my view that appellants have adequately pleaded facts showing that the choice of law of this state governs their cause. On trial, the court may employ judicial notice to inform itself of Colorado statutes on the limitation of the amount of recovery (§ 13-21-203, Colo.R.S.) for the comparison with § 537.090, RSMo 1978, which has no limitation on the amount of recovery for wrongful death. See and compare Carver v. Shafer, 647 S.W.2d 570, 577 (Mo.App.1983). I do not agree with the suggestion in the modified opinion that appellants might amend the pleading to assert that as to any particular issue — such as damages, or other — the State of Missouri enjoys the most significant contacts and relationship with the occurrence and the parties. The pleading is sufficient in those respects for a determination, and there is no necessity for an amendment. For that reason, I concur in the result of the modified opinion only.