Court Opinion

ID: 9829421
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 19:18:09.081666+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:43:01.089617
License: Public Domain

On Appellee’s Motion for Rehearing.
After a full consideration again, it is believed that the ruling in the Weisner Case, supra, may not have been intended to reach to the extent and be applied as this court has construed it in appellants’ motion for rehearing. It is not thought that it was reasonably meant to hold that, three separata issues being submitted to a jury under a general charge, two of them being proper issues to be submitted, and one issue being erroneously submitted, the case would have to be reversed, because it would not be possible for a court to say upon which ground the jury acted. The court doubtless meant to confine the ruling to that case, and not to apply it to a case like the one now being considered. To reach-the conclusion that the error in the instant case “amounted to such a denial of the rights of the appellant as was reasonably calculated to cause and probably did cause the rendition of an improper judgment,” according to rule 62a, we' are forced to find that, although three different issues were submitted, the jury’s verdict was based upon the fact that the angle cock was the proximate cause of the injury, and that the jury did not find for the plaintiff on any other issue. If the jury found for the plaintiff on any two issues, the fact that a further but erroneous issue was submitted would not amount to a denial of the appellants’ rights or cause the rendition of an improper judgment, for the plaintiff would still be entitled to recover on the- ones properly submitted and having evidence to support them. There are two grounds here on which the plaintiff was entitled to recover, there being evidence to support them, that were properly submitted ; and as to these two grounds the appellants’ rights and defenses were in no wise restricted or affected by the third ground or • charge in respect to it. Is it to be concluded that the jury found against the plaintiff on the two issues legally submitted, and in his favor on the one issue on which he could not legally recover? The three issues are distinct. It is believed that rule 62a has application. Our former opinion reversing the judgment is therefore set aside, and the judgment is, as in the original opinion, affirmed.
Chief Justice WILLSON is inclined to the opinion that it should not be said that in no view the jury might have taken of the testimony, could the negligent condition of the angle cock have been the proximate cause of the injury. It was a jury question.
The appellee’s motion for rehearing is granted, and the judgment is, as originally ordered, affirmed.