Reynolds v. Rentz
Reynolds v. Rentz
Opinion of the Court
1. It may be seen from the statement of facts that a jury would have been authorized to find the defendant Reynolds guilty of negligence in speeding down a straight road toward the lighted truck which was partly in his path, in failing to slow down when the witness signaled to him, first from in front of the left front fender of the track, and then after he went farther up the i'oad toward Reynolds, and in failing to control his automobile so that it crossed over the center line and collided with the plaintiff’s trailer. They were also authorized to find the defendant Rentz guilty of negligence in steering the track so that it crossed over the center line into Reynolds’ traffic lane, and in leaving his bright lights on in such a way as to blind an oncoming automobile.
As to the plaintiff, the testimony shows that he was on an “ordinary farm tractor” which had no lights or lighting system on it. Failure to have lights on implements of farm husbandry is not negligence per se (Code, Ann., § 68-1701 (c); Southeastern Liquid Fertilizer Co. v. Mock, 92 Ga. App. 270, 88 S. E. 2d 531); yet its use under the circumstances might have been found by the jury to have been negligence as a matter of fact. A jury question was also px-esented as to whether the plaintiff, when he saw that Reynolds did not heed the signal by either stopping or slowing up, was guilty of lack of ordinary care for his own • safety in not jumping off the stationary tractor in anticipation of a collision and removing himself to a place of safety. However, the plaintiff under this evidence cannot be charged with the negligence of his father in steering the truck into the path of oncoming traffic, and for this x’eason any negligence of his in
(b) For the same reasons, the general grounds of the motion for a new trial are without merit.
(c) Applying the rule laid down in Willis v. Jones, 89 Ga. App. 824, supra, those parts of special ground 2 of the defendant Rentz’ motion for new trial, and special ground 5 of Reynolds’ motion, which complain that the court restricted the charge that the plaintiff could not recover if he was not in the exercise of ordinary care to circumstances after the defendants’ negligence became apparent or should have become apparent to the plaintiff, instead of extending it to situations before the defendants’ negligence could be observed, are without merit.
2. In so far as special grounds 2 and 5, supra, and also special grounds 3 and 4 of the Rentz motion and 6 of the Reynolds motion, complain of inaccuracies in the charge on comparative negligence, the exceptions are well taken. Nowhere did the court charge that the plaintiff could not recover if his negligence was the preponderating proximate cause of his injuries. “A charge on the subject of comparative negligence, which is not qualified by a statement of the principle of law that if the plaintiff’s negligence is equal to or greater than the defendant’s, the plaintiff can not recover, is erroneous. Mitchell v. Mullen, 45 Ga. App. 282 (8) (164 S. E. 276); Brown v. Meikleham, 34 Ga. App. 207 (128 S. E. 918.)” Shackleford v. Ridley, 71 Ga. App. 568 (1) (31 S. E. 2d 429). This being a case which would authorize a finding of at least some degree of negligence on the part of all the parties involved, it would have been impossible for the jury to arrive at a proper verdict without correct instructions on this issue. Accordingly, the failure to charge properly on this issue constitutes reversible error.
4. Damages resulting from loss of earnings are to be arrived at from the evidence, and are not, like pain and suffering, to be determined in the enlightened conscience of impartial jurors. As the case is being reversed on other grounds, it is not necessary to consider whether the wording of this portion of the charge would have confused the jury into thinking the same rule applied to both items of damages, since this precise wording of the charge is unlikely to recur.
Judgment reversed.
Concurring Opinion
concurring specially. I agree with the reversal on the special grounds. However, I am of the opinion that the defendants’ motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict should have been granted.
In passing upon the motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict several principles of the law of negligence must be considered. The Supreme Court and this court have held: “One who knowingly and voluntarily takes a risk of injury to his person and property, the danger of which is so obvious that the act of taking such risk, in and of itself, amounts to a failure to exercise ordinary care and diligence for his own safety and that of his property, cannot hold another liable for damages from injuries thus occasioned.” Southern Ry. Co. v. Hogan, 131 Ga. 157 (62 S. E. 64).
Another pronouncement of our Supreme. Court is: “Failure to exercise ordinary care on the part of the person injured, before the negligence complained of is apparent, or should have been reasonably apprehended, will not preclude a recovery, but will authorize the jury to diminish the damages in proportion to the fault attributable to the person injured.” Western & Atlantic R. Co. v. Ferguson, 113 Ga. 708 (2) (39 S. E. 306, 54 L.R.A. 802).
There is apparent conflict in the rules enunciated in the cases referred to, but analysis reveals that they are compatible. Each may be applied in a situation to which it is appropriate without offense to the other.
It is not, as held in Western & Atlantic Ry. Co. v. Ferguson, 113 Ga. 708, supra, failure to exercise ordinary care on the part of the person injured before the negligence complained of is apparent or should be reasonably apprehended that will preclude recovery, but as held in the case of Southern Ry. Co. v. Hogan, 131 Ga. 157, supra, it is the assumption of the risk involved in
The latter rule is applicable when as in the present case a person during the hours of darkness voluntarily and intentionally drives a motor vehicle not equipped with lights along the wrong-side of a public highway, and in consequence of assuming such position of imminent danger is injured.
There can be no doubt that the plaintiff’s conduct above referred to did proximately cause his injury, because obviously the collision between the defendant’s automobile and the tractor and trailer could not have occurred if he had not placed those unlighted vehicles on the highway at point of contact.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- REYNOLDS v. RENTZ; RENTZ v. RENTZ Et Al.
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published