Court Opinion

ID: 9681338
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:48:34.815995+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:33.438361
License: Public Domain

HUGHES, Justice
(dissenting). ,
In my opinion the testimony of the driver of the truck-trailer, Edward Rodriguez, constitutes a judicial admission that he was guilty of negligence in driving at a speed at which he knew the trailer would jackknife and capsize. Certainly the 'finding that he was not negligent in this respect is so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be clearly wrong and manifestly unjust. I would reach similar conclusions regarding the jury finding that Mr. Rodriguez did -not fail to have the truck-trailer under proper control. The trailer was wholly obstructing appellant’s side of the road. The only explanation of how it got there is the testimony of Mr. Rodriguez that his own negligence caused it to be there.
In my opinion the evidence does not raise the issue of unavoidable accident and an issue thereon should not have been submitted. There is no evidence that this collision occurred except as a result of negligence. The rain and mist had nothing to do with the accident. The truck-trailer did not slip or slide. Its lights were clean and bright. Its driver, Mr. Rodriguez, was well experienced. He simply drove at a speed which he knew would cause to happen what did happen. This constituted avoidable negligence, not an unavoidable accident. See Harrison v. King, 296 S.W.2d 344, San Antonio Civil Appeals, writ ref., n. r. e.
I understand the rule to be that it is not ordinarily reversible error to submit an issue which is not raised by the evidence. Because of the nature of this issue it is doubtful that such rule should apply here. Regarding such an issue Chief Justice Alexander said in Wheeler v. Glazer, 137 Tex. 341, 153 S.W.2d 449, 140 A.L.R. 1301:
“The only legitimate purpose to be served in submitting unavoidable acci*715dent is to call the matter to the attention of the jury, so that it will not he overlooked, and so that the jury will understand that they do not necessarily have to find that one or the other parties to the suit was to blame for the occurrence complained of. This purpose is fully accomplished when the jury is told that the occurrence in question was an unavoidable accident if it happened without the negligence of either of the parties to the suit.”
Referring to this language the Court in Herndon v. Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company, 154 S.W.2d 163, El Paso Civil Appeals, writ dism., w. o. m., stated:
“It is heartening to find coming from the Chief Justice a suggestion there may be some suspicions as to the illegitimacy of this issue. It came and has remained somewhat in the role of a ‘sniper.’ It has resulted in much confusion and wrought great havoc on justice.”
It is reversible error to submit issues which serve no useful purpose but only tend to confuse and mislead the jury. H. E. Butt Grocery Co. v. Johnson, 226 S.W.2d 501, San Antonio Civil Appeals, writ ref., n. r. e.
The unavoidable accident issue gives a jury which does not wish to speak ill of either party an out. It affords an easy, pleasant way to resolve the controversy. Where the evidence, as here, does not justify its submission it has, in my opinion, a harmful effect upon the plaintiff.
I would not, however, reverse this case because of the submission of such issue because no objection was made to its submission upon the grounds indicated. In fact, no objection to its submission was made.
I would reverse and remand this cause and I, therefore, respectfully dissent.