Court Opinion

ID: 9767353
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:17:15.737513+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:30.704146
License: Public Domain

DALTON, J,
(dissenting). — I respectfully dissent from the conclusion reached in the principal opinion.
I think that Instruction 3 is erroneous. It directs a verdict for defendant without requiring a finding that defendant’s operator in the exercise of the highest degree of care could not have anticipated the emergency and did not contribute to create it. Accordingly, I believe the instruction unduly limited plaintiff’s right of recovery. The form of the instruction further permits an inference that the operator discharged his full duty if he exercised the highest degree of care after the emergency arose. Whether or not the instruction was prejudicially erroneous under the pleadings, evidence and other instructions in this ease was primarily a fact issue for the determination of the trial court. The trial court found that the instruction was misleading, as well as being erroneous, and granted a new trial. I think we should defer to the trial court’s action and affirm the order granting a new trial.