Court Opinion

ID: 9697001
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 19:03:23.760635+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:27:45.212104
License: Public Domain

Johnson, J.,
dissenting. I dissent for the reason that we should not affirm the jury charge in this case. Plaintiff’s objections were well-taken in that the charge did not explain that proof of the violation of a safety statute creates a prima facie case of negligence, which in turn creates a rebuttable presumption of negligence and shifts the burden of production to the party against whom the presumption operates. See Bacon v. Lascelles, 165 Vt. 214, 222, 678 A.2d 902, 907 (1996). Moreover, as Justice Dooley’s dissent demonstrates, the court invited the jury to ignore the safety statutes. Either basis provides grounds for reversing the verdict.