Court Opinion

ID: 9469727
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 02:47:35.771268+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:41:32.076102
License: Public Domain

ORDER DENYING PETITION TO REHEAR
In his petition to rehear, appellee Hall argues that the court’s opinion incorrectly states and relies on the proposition that there was no dispute as to the weather conditions at the time Hall was injured. Hall cites the opening statement of American Steamship’s counsel to the jury (not, as counsel for Hall agrees, included in the appendix) in support of this contention. Hall goes on to argue that, therefore, this court was in error in holding that proof of later corrective measures should not have been admitted.
In this connection, the opinion states (slip at 8):
Since there was no dispute as to the physical and weather conditions at the time Hall was injured, even if the change of policy were relevant as proof of these prior conditions, the policy change could not, under the terms of Rule 407, be admitted for such purpose.
All the proof, including a picture taken at the time and including defendant’s proof, showed that the conditions were stormy at the time of the accident. It was undisputed that a wave came over the side, struck Hall, and caused his injury. Thus there was no dispute, as the case developed, of the physical condition at the relevant time and what *1068caused Hall’s injury. Moreover, the district court properly charged the jury (App. 321-322) that defendant would be liable for an unseaworthy condition no matter “how long or short a time the condition of unfitness may have existed . . . . ” Thus there was no dispute, as indicated in the court’s opinion, not only as to the operative physical facts that caused the injury, but also as to the facts that would determine whether-an unseaworthy condition existed at that time. Still further, we are of the view that proof that defendant later ceased hosing down under stormy conditions would not be proof as to the physical conditions that existed when Hall was injured; it would only be proof that, if the conditions were stormy when Hall was injured, it was dangerous to hose down under such conditions and the vessel was unseaworthy under such conditions.
In the petition to rehear, Hall also argues that the court incorrectly decided that proof of later corrective measures should not have been admitted since, Hall argues, such proof is indeed admissible to show that the undisputed physical facts that existed at the time of the accident constituted an unseaworthy condition. As indicated in the opinion, we disagree.
Hall argues that the admission of evidence of corrective measures was, in any event, harmless. As stated in the opinion, we cannot say, based on the entire record, that it was harmless and therefore we disagree with Hall’s contention.
It is Ordered that the petition to rehear be and it is hereby denied.