Court Opinion

ID: 9659940
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 21:59:08.384799+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:13.291299
License: Public Domain

STANLEY A. GRIMM, Senior Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The trial court erred in giving plaintiffs’ verdict directing instructions. Paragraph First of those instructions is not supported by the evidence. I would reverse and remand for a new trial.
The three verdict directing instructions were identical except for the name of the deceased person on which each claim was based. Each read:
In your verdict you must assess a percentage of fault to defendant Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission whether or not [the deceased person] was partly at fault if you believe:
First, there was inadequate warning that at Interstate 70 and Union, there was an exit ramp leading to a “T” intersection and, as a result, the exit was not reasonably safe, and
Second, defendant knew or by using ordinary care could have known of this condition in time to remedy such condition, and
Third, defendant failed to use ordinary care to remedy such condition, and Fourth, such failure directly caused or directly contributed to cause the fatal injury to [the deceased person], (emphasis added).
Viewed in a light most favorable to the verdicts, there was evidence of the general inadequacy of the signage. However, none of the evidence concerns the necessity for a warning that “at Interstate 70 and Union, there was an exit ramp leading to a ‘T’ intersection.”
Plaintiffs’ expert testified that the signs “were not adequate because they did not follow the directives of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.” He identified four signs on Interstate 70 concerning the Union exit. The first sign was located about a mile and a half from the exit; he said it should have been two miles. The second sign is a half mile closer. He testified that both of these signs failed to meet the current manual’s directives by failing to reference a left exit.
The next sign is about a quarter of a mile from the exit; it is a green sign with white lettering that says “Union Boulevard next left.” He testified the sign did not meet the current manual’s directives because the left lane exit must be specified “left exit” and must be yellow with black lettering. The fourth and final sign was a sign at the ramp which said “Union” with an arrow pointing to the left.
That is the sum and substance of the expert’s testimony concerning standards for *12signage on Interstate 70. Nothing in that testimony concerned any standard that a warning should be given that “there was an exit ramp leading to a ‘T’ intersection” or that the warning should be “at Interstate 70 and Union.”
In an attempt to overcome this deficiency, plaintiffs point to expert’s later testimony. On cross examination, defense counsel emphasized the approximately eight-hundred foot long ramp that had red flashing stop lights at the top of the exit. He asked the expert about stopping distances and reaction times. On redirect, plaintiffs’ counsel asked, “[I]sn’t the real issue not how much time it takes to stop after you realize you have to stop, but telling the motorist that you have to stop ahead?” The expert replied, “Yes.” Counsel continued, “Isn’t that the real issue in this case?” The expert again said “Yes.”
Plaintiffs’ counsel continued, asking, “In your professional opinion, would these red flashing lights alone be adequate to warn a motorist that they need to stop at the end of that Union exit?” Following the overruling of an objection, plaintiffs’ counsel asked: “Mr. Roden, would the lights by themselves, with no other signage, would that be adequate?” He responded, “Not for someone still on Route 70 ... or on the deceleration, maybe even on the deceleration lane.”
This testimony was insufficient to support the giving of paragraph First. Nothing in the expert’s testimony expressed his personal opinion or referenced any industry standard that there should be a warning “at Interstate 70 and Union, there was an exit ramp leading to a‘T’ intersection.”
I would reverse and remand for a new trial.