Court Opinion

ID: 9793030
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:40:58.140523+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:02:48.256076
License: Public Domain

ELLETT, Justice
(concurring in the result).
I concur in remanding the case for trial; however, I do not think contributory negligence has anything whatsoever to do with liability or the right to recover. This is an action for breach of warranty and the normal damages to be recovered should be the market value of the car as warranted less the market value of the car in its defective condition. Where a claim is asserted by a buyer for losses other than normal damages, — as is so in this case — there is a requirement that the loss be one which the seller should have contemplated, when he made the sale of the defective machine, as being a likely result of the breach of warranty. There is a further requirement that the plaintiff cannot recover for damages which he should have reasonably avoided.1
Contributory negligence has nothing to do with the right to recover and cannot be made the basis of a dismissal of a cause of action for breach of warranty. However, negligence on the part of a plaintiff may have a bearing on the amount of his recovery.
The main opinion cites Prosser on Torts. However, the cases relied upon by, Prosser to support his text are all tort cases. I can see that if a plaintiff uses a chattel, which he knows to be defective, or in the exercise of ordinary care should so know, and, as a result thereof he is injured by that defect, then contributory negligence would be a defense to an action for the injuries received.
On remand of this case there should be only two matters for trial: (1) Was there a breach of warranty? and (2) If so, what damage did plaintiff sustain as a result of that breach ?

. McCormick on Damages (Hornbook Series), p. 673.