Court Opinion

ID: 9538213
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:32:28.158317+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:57:38.549316
License: Public Domain

LA PRADE, C. J., and WINDES and UDALL, JJ.
(specially concurring).
We concur with the portion of the foregoing opinion (authored by Justice PHELPS) which holds that it was prejudicial error for the trial court to give defendants’ instruction 9 on contributory negligence and that, hence, the judgment must be reversed and a new trial granted. We also agree with the treatment accorded the other assignments of error Save and Except assignments numbered six and seven, both of which involve adverse rulings on proffered testimony as to the need for safety devices at the crossing in question. For the reasons hereinafter set forth, it is our view that the trial court correctly ruled on these matters.
It will be recalled that both these assignments of error complain of the trial court’s rejection of plaintiff’s proffered testimony tending to show that on separate occasions — prior to the accident in question — two different members of the railroad company’s personnel received actual knowledge of the hazardous character of the Alma School crossing and, in effect, expressed their opinions as to the need for an automatic signal device thereat.
We believe the proffered evidence, which purportedly represented the opinions of the two railroad company agents, was clearly inadmissible. It was certainly not part of the res gestae; it was incompetent and highly prejudicial, and tended to invade the province of the jury. Admissions against interest are admitted as exceptions to the hearsay rule and are, of *312course, offered for the truth of their words. Generally, statements which áre only opinions or conclusions of matters in issue are inadmissible except where expert testimony is required; no such testimony was necessary here to enlighten the jury with respect to the character of the crossing. In 75 C.J.S., Railroads, § 847, Character and Description of Crossing, this statement appears :
“ * * * Such circumstances may be shown by any witness familiar with the crossing, but such witness may state only the facts disclosing the location and surroundings and cannot give his opinion as to the dangerous character of the crossing.”
Despite recitations to the contrary in some writings, a party’s statement is generally rendered inadmissible as an admission if it is in the form of an opinion or conclusion. There is virtually no sound authority to the contrary; an exception is that instance where an admission is in the form of an opinion with respect to fault and is given after and relates to the occurrence from which litigation arises. See, 31 C.J.S., Evidence, § 272(b). It is obvious to us that, under the guise of showing knowledge, plaintiff — through the back door —was actually endeavoring to bring to the attention of the jury that in the opinion of the railroad company’s agents the crossing was dangerous and should have been protected by safety devices (it should be noted that in the three cases cited by Justice Phelps on this matter — i. e., the Jensen, Dunn and Swain cases, supra — the matter of admissions against interest of defendant, or its agent, were in nowise involved).
The lower court properly permitted plaintiff to show that Mr. Tardy, assistant district division engineer, had personally inspected this crossing with Mr. McBride, the corporation commission’s safety inspector ; also the court was correct in admitting evidence that Mr. Frank (right of way man) had apparently been upon the ground shortly prior to the accident. This evidence established that the railroad, through its agents, had thus acquired full knowledge of the condition and character of the crossing. Furthermore, the record is replete with other testimony that the railroad, through its trainmen, had such knowledge. In fact the trial court expressly instructed the jury that “ * * * as a matter of law a railroad company and its officers are under the duty to know, and are presumed to know, the nature and character of a crossing where its railroad crosses a public highway * * Moreover, at no time did defendants contend that they did not have actual knowledge of the character of this crossing.
It is our view that the lower court properly limited the evidence to that tending to show the physical presence of *313the railroad’s agents at the crossing which would establish actual knowledge of conditions. We hold that the purported opinions of agents of the company were properly excluded when offered as admissions against interest or for the purpose of showing defendants’ actual knowledge of the condition and character of the crossing.