Court Opinion

ID: 9714507
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 05:39:24.047293+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:26.650978
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE CRAVEN, dissenting: The plaintiffs were denied a fair trial because of errors in crucial evidentiary rulings and errors in instructions. Upon this record, this case should be remanded for a new trial because of those' errors. There is no evidence in this record that the so-called “floating chairs” were anywhere in the slide area at any time relevant to the occurrence. Notwithstanding this, the chairs were admitted as exhibits. The chairs have a high back and metal arm rests. Such would not, indeed could not, be the same as a “floating raft.” It is apparent from the physical appearance of the chairs that one would not go down a- slide and attempt to land on such chairs as a raft.' Plaintiff Laurie Becker did state that one person who used the slide tried to get onto a plastic or rubber raft. Upon redirect examination, he testified, however, that defendant’s exhibits No. 1 and No. 2 (the chairs), had not been near him or near the slide on either of his descents into the water. The majority opinion approves the admission of the chairs because of “contradictory evidence.” I must respectfully state I find no evidence that warrants the conclusion that there is any conflicting evidence placing the chairs in the slide area. In view of the subsequent evidentiary rulings after the admission of the chairs, the erroneous admission of the chairs as exhibits was clearly prejudicial to the plaintiffs. After the chairs were admitted as exhibits, two expert witnesses testified, in substance, that the injuries to the plaintiff Laurie M. Becker could have been caused by striking the chairs upon exiting the slide. The admission of such testimony was error. It is not permissible to permit an expert to testify directly or in response to hypothetical questions upon the assumption of facts when those facts are not in evidence or readily deducible from facts in evidence. Gus T. Handge & Son Painting Co. v. Industrial Corn., 33 Ill.2d 201, 210 N.E.2d 498; Guardian Electric Manufacturing Co. v. Industrial Com., 53 Ill.2d 530, 293 N.E.2d 590. The plaintiffs and defendant each offered as an exhibit a filmed experiment purporting to show the depth achieved by a person of plaintiff’s build and weight using the slide with the same method of descent and an identical Aquaslide. Plaintiffs’ film clearly shows a penetration of the water well beyond 3 feet. The film offered by the plaintiffs had been made in a pool in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and the slide was installed at the pool in the same manner and at the same distance from the water as was the Aquaslide at the residence where plaintiff was injured. The slide was set on plywood and clamps and guy wires were used to steady the slide. As indicated, this film clearly shows penetration of the water well beyond 3 feet. The film was denied admission as an exhibit upon the theory that the guy wires permitted of a horizontal movement of the slide which would cause a slight vibration. Also, the court appeared to deny admission upon the basis that the slider was going down “in all kinds of positions.” The defendant’s film was made with the slide involved and at the pool involved in plaintiff’s injuries. The person shown in the slide was approximately the same size and weight of the plaintiff. Plaintiffs’ counsel attempted to find out from him what he had been told concerning the injury to Laurie Becker before he participated in the slide experiment and film. The court sustained objections to this line of inquiry and an offer of proof indicated that the slider had been informed of the severe and permanent injuries and how they allegedly occurred. The plaintiffs contend that this ruling was error and I agree. Knowledge of the nature and extent of plaintiff’s injuries could clearly affect the way the slider used the Aquaslide in the experiment. The way the hands and head would be placed or used to avoid, even subconsciously, a deep penetration of the water, clearly is a matter that woúld affect the weight to be given defendant’s exhibit, if not its admissibility. I recognize that filmed experiments are incompetent unless the essential conditions of the experiment are shown to be the same as those existing at the time of the accident. (Hammer v. Slive, 35 Ill.App.2d 447, 183 N.E.2d 49.) It is also true that the admissibility of such filmed experiments is a matter addressed to the discretion of the trial judge. In this case, the trial court rulings were inconsistent. Plaintiffs’ films with minor variations from the essential conditions were denied admission. The defendant’s film with some deviation from the existing conditions was admitted into evidence and the jury was denied knowledge of the change in conditions being the knowledge by the diver of possible serious potential injury. Both films should have been admitted and the slight discrepancies in the conditions should have been made known to the jury as they would affect the weight to be given the exhibits. (See Mack v. Davis, 76 Ill.App.2d 88, 221 N.E.2d 121; Schofield v. Crandall, 24 Ill.App.3d 101, 319 N.E.2d 585.) In viewing defendant’s film, it is not always possible to ascertain the position of the slider’s hands because of bubbles, splashes, reflections and shadows. Thus, so far as position of the slider is concerned, it may well be susceptible to the same objection that operated to exclude the plaintiffs’ film. The trial court refused plaintiffs’ instructions defining “unreasonably dangerous” and gave defendant’s instruction defining that term. The majority approves the giving of such instruction and in so doing, states its disagreement with the third district opinion in Pyatt. The consequence of the majority opinion is that in products liability cases no instruction is to be given defining “unreasonably dangerous” for cases tried in the third district and an instruction is to be given defining the term for trials located in the fourth appellate district. While uniformity of appellate decisions is neither required nor to be reasonably anticipated, no persuasive reason is given for adopting a rule in this district contrary to express authority. The fact that the Restatement of Torts defines the concept of “unreasonably dangerous” for the legal profession is hardly persuasive. For the reasons stated, I would reverse the judgment entered upon the verdict of the jury and remand this case to the circuit court of Champaign County for a new trial.