Court Opinion

ID: 9731847
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 15:59:48.129892+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:21.576742
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Mr. Justice Roberts :
I do not agree with the majority that the jury could properly have found appellants’ decedents guilty of contributory negligence. To allow the jury to make such a finding, it would have to be shown that the passengers’ “conduct in encountering a known risk is itself unreasonable, and amounts to contributory negligence.” W. Prosser, Law of Torts 304 (2d Ed. 1955) (emphasis added). I do not believe that the defendant submitted such proof.
While there Was a discussion between the pilot and the passengers in Miami, there is no proof that the passengers had the technical expertise to understand the risk they were encountering. Further, “their” decision in Miami was to proceed only to Jacksonville, and then check the weather again. At that point the only suggested proof of the passengers’ agreement to proceed is a one and one-half minute silence between the time someone asked the flight controller about weather conditions, and the time someone stated that the plane would continue. There is no proof as to whether any, or all, of the passengers knew of the further risks—or even agreed to continue the flight. Since the plane was in the air, quite obviously no passenger was free to decline further transportation; only the pilot had that control.
Since the defendant introduced no evidence from which a jury could reasonably find that the passengers understood the risk of further travel—or even agreed to encounter it—a charge on contributory negligence was error. Accordingly, I dissent and would grant a new trial.