Court Opinion

ID: 9671657
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:41:25.451222+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:11.353091
License: Public Domain

FOSHEIM, Justice
(dissenting).
I dissent.
The majority opinion correctly notes that in applying our comparative negligence doctrine the negligence of the plaintiff must be compared to that of the defendant’s to determine whether it is more than slight. Lovell v. Oahe Elec. Co-op, 382 N.W.2d 396 (S.D.1986). The analysis, however, further requires that the behavior of both the plaintiff and defendant be compared to the reasonable man standard. Id. at 399, citing Nugent v. Quam, 82 S.D. 583, 594-95, 152 N.W.2d 371, 377 (1967). “[Otherwise, there would be no basis for comparison.” Nugent, 152 N.W.2d at 377.
We turn then to the negligence of Richard. Seconds before the accident, Richard was slaloming on his motorcycle. It is difficult to conceive of a more negligent or dangerous maneuver, both to himself and other users of the highway. There was evidence that he stopped this reckless behavior just prior to the accident and for the purposes of this decision, we must accept that as a fact. However, it does not follow that we must then also assume that he then totally corrected his hazardous driving and focused his undivided attention to driving properly just before the impact. Actually, had Richard done so, he would have seen the stalled truck. As the majority opinion indicates, even those who testified they witnessed an optical illusion stated that upon approaching the truck they could determine it was stationary. Richard was bound to see what in clear daylight was plainly there to see. Anderson v. Adamson, 79 S.D. 429, 112 N.W.2d 612 (1962).
In my opinion the trial court should have directed a verdict, or granted judgment notwithstanding the verdict for the defendant because as a matter of law, the plaintiff was guilty of negligence more than slight in comparison with the negligence of the defendant.