Court Opinion

ID: 9538122
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:30:55.192812+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:57:31.531701
License: Public Domain

CROCKETT, Justice
(concurring with comments) :
At the time of the settlement both parties knew that the plaintiff had a serious injury to the cervical area of her back. She had been in the hospital for over five weeks under medical care with the use of the hospital’s diagnostic facilities including the taking of the x-rays. There is no indication, and it is not claimed, that she was under any undue influence or pressure of any kind, when another five weeks later she entered into the agreement of settlement and signed the release for which she received the $3,334.09. It cannot reasonably and fairly be assumed otherwise than that she did so in awareness of the result of her examination and treatment in the hospital and her doctor’s advice concerning her condition, including the fact that the x-rays showed “a slight degenerative disc disease” of her cervical vertebra.
It is a commonly known fact that there is considerable variation in the degree of recovery from serious injuries. Some do better than others. Where the parties know what the injury is, they should be free to agree to a settlement each bearing whatever risk may be involved in a better or worse recovery from the particular known injury. Once arrived at and signed, the parties should be bound thereby the same as on any other contract. It is presumed to be valid; and can be attacked and its effect overcome only if it can be shown by clear and convincing evidence1 that there was a mutual mistake of fact,2 i.e., that there was what can be regarded as a different injury, not then known to the parties, so that it was not their intent to include it in the settlement. I think this is in agreement with the decision of Justice Ellett in Reynolds v. Merrill, footnote one main opinion, the principle of which I think is applicable here and consistent with the decision of this Court in the instant case.
It is my opinion that this is a sound and necessary policy, not only because fairness to both parties demands it, but to the extent such settlements and releases may be set aside because things didn’t turn out just as expected, they are rendered insecure; and therefore parties will be reluctant to enter into them. Whereas it should be the policy of the law to encourage final settlements of disputes and to avoid controversies and litigation.

. See Greener v. Greener, 116 Utah 571, 212 P.2d 394; Jardine v. Archibald, 3 Utah 2d 88, 279 P.2d 454; Child v. Child, 8 Utah 2d 261, 332 P.2d 981.

. Or other ground for equity to avoid or reform a written instrument, See Beehive State Bank v. Rosquist, 26 Utah 2d 62, 484 P.2d 1188, and cases cited therein.