Court Opinion

ID: 9772971
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 17:34:13.011978+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:49.523102
License: Public Domain

P. A. Hollingsworth, Justice, concurring. The last sentence of the Court’s opinion states that the dismissal is without prejudice. I am in agreement with the result that is finally reached; however, I am not in accord with the Court’s failure to address the issue raised by the appellant. The Court concluded that neither complaint stated any facts. I disagree. We have held that pleadings are to be liberally construed and that they are sufficient if they advise a defendant of his obligations and allege a breach of them. Allied Chemical v. Van Buren Sch. Dist., 264 Ark. 810, 575 S.W.2d 445 (1979). We have also held that “a liberal construction requires that every reasonable intendment should be indulged in favor of the pleader and effect should be given to substance rather than form regardless of the name of the pleading.” Home Ins. Co. v. Williams, 252 Ark. 1012, 482 S.W.2d 626 (1972). I believe that liberally construing the pleadings filed in this case, they are sufficient. The appellant informed the appellee of the date the incident occurred, the location, and the parties involved. Further he explained what act on the part of the appellee he considered negligent — the erroneous instructing of the appellee’s employees. Therefore, he notified the appellee of his obligations and of a breach of those obligations. I think the complaints meet the test and were sufficient. Therefore, I would reach the issue raised by the appellant where he contended that the fellow servant rule is an affirmative defense which must be pleaded by answer, or else it is deemed waived. ARCP Rule 8. In his answer, the appellee issued a general denial and asserted that appellant’s injuries were caused by his own negligence. Because he did not affirmatively plead the fellow servant rule, the defense is waived. The case should be reversed and remanded with orders to let the case proceed to trial on the issues.