Court Opinion

ID: 9563297
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 18:38:25.533975+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:47.819008
License: Public Domain

CARTER, J., Concurring and Dissenting.
I concur in that portion of the majority decision which directs the trial court to ascertain the reasonable cost of the services to be rendered by respondent in servicing the machines in accordance with his agreements of sale. However, I dissent from that part which requires a retrial and findings on the issue of profits, particularly a finding as to the availability on the market of a reasonable substitute for the oil refining machines warranted. The evidence on that subject is conflicting and would support *695a finding either way. The trial court has made a finding that there was no substitute and it must be approved. The finding to which I refer states that defendant knew of and contemplated the resale of the machines by plaintiff and “that as a direct and proximate result of the defective design and construction of said oil refining machines, as hereinbefore set forth, and the noneomplianee with the warranties of defendants and their authorized agents and representatives, as hereinbefore set forth, plaintiff has been unable to make any other or additional sales of said oil re-refining machines and has been required to discontinue the effort, and nas thereby suffered a loss of profits, to his further damage in the sum of one thousand ($1,000.00) dollars.” While that finding is not directed specifically at the existence of a substitute on the market it is general and includes by necessary implication that element. In Valencia v. Shell Oil Co., 23 Cal.2d 840 [147 P.2d 558], the damages awarded to plaintiff were for loss of use of a truck. The court did not make an express finding that plaintiff was financially unable to pay the repair bill on the truck and regain its use, and hence, excused him from the duty of obtaining possession of his truck. Nevertheless, this court said at page 846 :
1 ‘ The trial court did not make an express finding regarding plaintiff’s ability or inability in this regard. It did, however, in accord with the issues made by the pleadings, find ‘that plaintiff was by reason of the negligence '. . . of defendant . . . and the wrongful failure of . . . defendant ... to pay said repair bill deprived of the use of his truck for a period of seventeen months.’ A finding that plaintiff was unable to pay the repair bill results by necessary implication therefrom. (Reiniger v. Hassell, 216 Cal. 209, 211 [13 P.2d 737]; Tuso v. Green, 194 Cal. 574, 582 [229 P. 327].) The essence of the rule denying recovery for losses which could have been prevented by the reasonable efforts and expenditures of plaintiff is that his conduct rather than that of defendants proximately caused such losses.” (Emphasis added.) Likewise, in the instant case the findings made, included by necessary implication, a finding that there were no other substitute machines available to plaintiff, otherwise the damages found to have been suffered would not have been the direct, and proximate result of the breach of warranty.