Court Opinion

ID: 8191338
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-09 23:14:21.596977+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:40:37.314377
License: Public Domain

Barnes, J.
(dissenting). There is much to be said in support of the contention that the defense of contributory negligence was abolished by ch. 485, Laws of 1911. The court decides otherwise, and I am not disposed to dissent from that proposition.
I think the plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence. It was shown without dispute (1) that there was a perfectly safe way to do the work which plaintiff was doing when injured; (2) that it was well known to him and could be followed without effort or loss of time; and (3) that he chose an obviously dangerous method. This I think constituted‘contributory negligence as distinguished from assumption of hazard. I do not see how the failure of duty on the part of the defendant affects the question. That goes to its negligence, *216not to tRe contributory negligence of tbe plaintiff. It seems to me that the logical effect of the decision is to abolish the ■defense of contributory negligence in fact "though not in form in practically all cases where assumption of hazard is no longer a defense.