Court Opinion

ID: 9702654
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 23:20:16.568912+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:40.303847
License: Public Domain

Peck, J.,
Specially Assigned, concurring in the mandate. I concur, albeit somewhat reluctantly, in a mandate to reverse and remand for a new trial. I do so only because the failure of a majority in this case would in all probability result in an affirmance based solely on a technicality rather than on the merits of either party on appeal. The retrial, if any, should use comparative causation principles. While stalemates do occur, I believe appellate courts should do everything within reason to avoid such results. Not only do they have an adverse effect on the public confidence in the courts, they inevitably deny to one of the parties the full benefit of the judicial appellate process through no fault of that party.
I agree also with the other concurring opinion that “no reasonable juror could find Bruce Webb less than fifty-one percent responsible for the accident.” 166 Vt. at 134, 692 A.2d at 351. However, in view of my own sentiment that judgment for defendant should be entered here, it becomes unnecessary for me to explore this further. It is irrelevant to the disposition I would have preferred.
In my judgment the evidence was insufficient, as a matter of law, for the jury to find that defendant’s tractor was defective or that its warnings were inadequate. Were I in a position to do so, I would reverse the verdict for plaintiffs and enter judgment here for defendant. I would not reach the issues regarding comparative fault.
*137In my view, there was nothing wrong with the tractor, based on the evidence at least, as a matter of law. Plaintiffs failed to show any defect or inadequate warning. Although many farmers may drive their tractors on public roads, this is not their primary or intended use. Tractors are not designed for travel on public roads, as are automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and the like. Knowing that some consumers may nonetheless operate tractors on public roads, as for instance between one farm field and another, defendant affixed a cautionary decal on the tractor directing operators to “use flashing warning lights at all times on public roads.”
Plaintiff Bruce Webb failed to use the flashing lights when on a public road. It makes no difference whether plaintiff failed to maintain the lights or failed to turn them on; failure to use the flashing lights on the public road was plaintiff’s fault, not defendant’s. The risk was obvious and the warning adequate, if necessary at all. No design defect or failure to warn caused this accident. See Webb v. Navistar Int’l Transp., No. 91-384, slip op. at 2 (Vt. July 1, 1992) (Webb I) (unpub. mem.) (“A product that bears a warning and is safe for its intended purpose if the warning is followed is not in defective condition.”); Restatement (Second) of Torts § 402A cmt. j (1965) (same). I conclude that the evidence, even viewed in the light most favorable to plaintiffs, is insufficient to support plaintiffs’ claim. McGee Constr. Co. v. Neshobe Dev., Inc., 156 Vt. 550, 556, 594 A.2d 415, 418 (1991) (we consider evidence in light most favorable to jury verdict).