Court Opinion

ID: 9721737
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:07:15.700413+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:28.318961
License: Public Domain

BURMAN, J., dissenting: The trial judge, and the majority of this court, have reached the conclusion that plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence as a matter of law. In my opinion, that conclusion, based on the limited testimony elicited by defendants’ attorney through deposition, is untenable. I am well aware of the rule that where, from the undisputed facts, all reasonable minds in the exercise of fair and honest judgment would be compelled to reach the conclusion that there was contributory negligence, that question can become one of law. (Lasko v. Meier, 394 Ill 71, 67 NE2d 162.) However, the question of “whether a given course of conduct amounts in law to negligence or contributory negligence depends on its character and attending circumstances. . . .” (emphasis supplied) (Simaitis v. Thrash, 25 Ill App2d 340, 349, 166 NE2d 306.) And we do not have the aid of any precise formula for determining whether a particular vehicle has conformed to set standards when approaching an intersection. (Pennington v. McLean, 16 Ill2d 577, 158 NE2d 624.) Thus it is my view that the determination of contributory negligence as a matter of law at any time before it is assured that all the facts and circumstances have been uncovered, is premature. Defendants’ affidavits contained questions and answers from the deposition taken of plaintiff relating to but one of the numerous aspects of the occurrence. The only facts disclosed concerned plaintiff’s conduct when he entered the intersection and did not even fully deal with that subject. It must be emphasized that plaintiff was not asked whether he looked to discover whether any other vehicles were approaching the intersection. The answers revealed simply that he saw no cars in the vicinity and that he had “no knowledge” that there was going to be an accident. It cannot be determined as a matter of law that had plaintiff looked for other traffic he necessarily would have seen it. (Klettke v. Checker Taxi Co., 26 Ill App 2d 341, 168 NE2d 453.) The jury might well have found from all the facts and circumstances in evidence that plaintiff at the time of the occurrence was exercising due care for his own safety. The deposition also failed to show whether plaintiff was travelling on a through street, or whether the defendant driver was approaching a stop sign. Further, there was not yet any basis for determining whether, as charged in the complaint, defendant was guilty of failing to keep a proper lookout for other traffic upon the highway, or guilty of operating his vehicle at a high and dangerous speed or without sufficient brakes. Upon determining these matters the jury might also have concluded that no conduct on the part of plaintiff could have contributed to the accident. Since the full circumstances of the accident were before neither the trial judge nor this court, I see no basis for finding contributory negligence as a matter of law. The fact that plaintiff failed to file counter-affidavits is not material here. Plaintiff’s failure would be at his peril only if defendants’ affidavits were sufficient as a basis for a determination. As I have indicated, those affidavits were far from sufficient. I think the judgment of the trial court should be reversed.