Court Opinion

ID: 9756350
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 21:24:56.664828+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:20.083086
License: Public Domain

TAYLOR, C.J.,
dissenting.
¶ 33 Mr. Covel was northbound on I-85. He crossed the median and went into the southbound outside lane and collided head-on with the bus. It is undisputed that the bus was obeying all traffic laws and had brakes that met all federal standards. The brakes on the bus had absolutely nothing to do with this collision. Mr. Covel uncontrollably careened in front of the bus and crashed into the bus. This was a sudden, instantaneous and unavoidable event. No matter what kind of brakes the bus may have had, there is nothing the bus driver can do about a flying car instantly appearing from the other side of the highway. It is fundamentally unfair for the bus insurance company to be required to pay over $2.8 million because Mr. Covel lost control of his vehicle. The Court of Civil Appeals properly found that the plaintiff's expert opinions were not based on scientific foundation and that the opinion on causation was a bare assertion and totally insufficient to support this huge verdict.