Court Opinion

ID: 9518782
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 01:02:03.430989+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:36:10.616696
License: Public Domain

Otis, Justice
(dissenting).
If there is anything left of the doctrine of contributory negligence, in my opinion it has to be applied as a matter of law in the case at hand.
This plaintiff not only threaded her way through the hose on the way into the hospital, but warned her mother of the danger, both in ascending and descending the steps. The only reason she fell is because she neglected to step over the hose which she was looking at. There were no distractions, the weather was clear and dry, and, unlike Peterson v. W. T. Rawleigh Co. 274 Minn. 495, 144 N. W. (2d) 555, there was no urgent compulsion for her to undertake the hazardous route which she pursued. In my opinion, the fact a hospital is grossly negligent does not do away altogether with the necessity for invitees to avoid obvious dangers or exercise ordinary care to avoid the threat of injury which is presented. It is difficult for me to envision a case where contributory negligence is more obvious. I would reverse.