Court Opinion

ID: 9607085
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 02:55:25.121181+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:31:39.180279
License: Public Domain

Owsley, J.,
dissenting: In my judgment the trial court did not abuse its discretion in permitting the amendment and the case should be affirmed. Normally, I would agree with the majority opinion; however, here we have a run-of-the-mill intersection accident. In presenting evidence in this type of litigation, the issue of whether each driver kept a proper lookout had to be covered in order to properly present evidence on the issues stated in the pretrial order. In fact, the plaintiff testified he saw the defendant’s car with its blinker lights on before it turned in front of him. One of the passengers in the car testified the plaintiff was looking north and to his right. The plaintiff could not have been surprised by defense testimony nor could he have prepared any better to meet the issue. I see no prejudice to plaintiff in permitting the amendment under these circumstances. The trial court’s action falls far below an abuse of discretion.