Kraft v. Wert

35 N.W.2d 786, 150 Neb. 719, 1949 Neb. LEXIS 15
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 28, 1949
DocketNo. 32504
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 35 N.W.2d 786 (Kraft v. Wert) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kraft v. Wert, 35 N.W.2d 786, 150 Neb. 719, 1949 Neb. LEXIS 15 (Neb. 1949).

Opinion

Wenke, J.

Alex Kraft brought this action in the district court for Lancaster County against Edna M. Wert. The purpose of the action is to recover for injuries to plaintiffs person and for damages to his property caused by an accident that happened on July 10, 1946, which accident he claims was due to defendant’s negligence. The defendant filed a cross-petition wherein she claims damages to her property by reason of the same accident, which she alleged was caused by plaintiff’s negligence. The jury returned its verdict for the defendant on plaintiff’s petition and for the plaintiff on defendant’s cross-petition. Plaintiff filed a motion for new trial'and from the overruling thereof he appeals. “

Appellant’s first two assignments of error relate themselves to the sufficiency of the ■ evidence to support the verdict of the jury as it relates to the appellant’s cause of action.

The evidence establishes, without dispute, that the accident happened on July 10, 1946, between the hours of 5:45 and 6:00 p. m. at an intersection of two county roads located at a point about four miles north of Lincoln. It was occasioned when the car of appellee, a 1936 Plymouth sedan and being driven by her, ran into the right rear of the appellant’s truck, a Model A Ford with a fuel tank, which was being driven by him. The tank, at the time of the accident, contained 300 gallons of gasoline and 150 gallons of distillate fuel. The collision occurred in the northeast quarter of the intersection.

Neither road was an arterial or through highway, [721]*721consequently there were no stop signs at the intersection. The east-west road was graveled; and had a traveling surface approximately 22 feet wide. The, north-south road had a dirt surface and had about the same width of traveling surface. Both roads were dry and the weather was normal with a clear sky. Appellee was, at the time, traveling from the east toward the west while the appellant was traveling from the south toward the north. The intersection was- a dangerous corner because of a high embankment located at the southeast corner thereof. Both drivers were fully familiar with that fact.

After the .collision the truck turned over. It traveled a distance of ábout 93 feet north before coming to a stop. When it came to a stop it was on the traveled portion of the north-south road, on its wheels, and facing east. The car stopped just north of the northwest quarter of the intersection, upright, and facing toward the north.

Without setting out any of the detailed facts with reference thereto we think there is evidence from which the jury could have found that the appellee was driving at an excessive rate of speed, considering the nature of this corner; that while so doing she failed to maintain a proper lookout to her left for approaching cars; and that such conduct on her part was a proximate cause of the accident.

What has been said of appellee is likewise true of the appellant’s conduct in driving his truck, for there is evidence from which the jury could have found: That appellant drove his truck into and across this intersection at á speed of somewhere between 35 and 45 miles an hour; that the truck, after being hit, turned over and finally stopped about 93 feet north of where it was hit; that it was standing upright when it stopped and facing east; that appellant last looked to his right, or toward the east, at a point somewhere between 37% to 40 feet south of the center of the intersection; that he thereafter never again looked in that direction; that when he looked [722]*722to the east he had a vision of between 200 and 300 feet but saw no car approaching; and that appellee’s car must have at that time been within the range of his vision.

We think the last statement is justified for the following reasons: Appellant admits he approached, entered, and crossed the intersection while traveling at a speed of somewhere between 15 and 20 miles per hour; that after he looked to his right the evidence shows he traveled slightly over 50 feet before being hit; that in order for appellee’s car to travel the distance of appellant’s vision toward the east, that is, between 200 and 300 feet, and the point of the collision appellee’s car would have had to travel somewhere between 75 and 100 miles per hour; and that there is no oral evidence in the record or facts and circumstances that would sustain any such finding of speed. In fact, it is apparent that appellant simply did not see appellee’s car although it must have been in plain sight.

We said in Bergendahl v. Rabeler, 133 Neb. 699, 276 N. W. 673: “ ‘The duty of the driver of a vehicle * * * to look for vehicles approaching on the highway implies the duty to see what was in plain sight.’ Vandervert v. Robey, 118 Neb. 395, 225 N. W. 36, citing Kemmish v. McCoid, 193 Ia. 958, 185 N. W. 628.”

It seems so self-apparent to us, from a review of the evidence, that both drivers were traveling at an excessive rate of speed, considering the nature of the corner, without keeping a proper lookout or, if they did, in failing to see what was in plain sight that it would be difficult to understand how the jury could have come to a different conclusion than it did. The record certainly presented a question of fact for the jury as to whether appellee was guilty of negligence and appellant of contributory negligence insofar as those issues related themselves to the right of appellant to recover on his cause of action.

Appellee contends that under our holdings she was [723]*723entitled to a directed verdict. We do not think this contention to be correct. It is true that appellant admitted that he looked to his right, or east, when, between 37% and 40 feet-south of the center of the intersection; that he did not again look to his right before the collision occurred; and that he had vision to his right of from 200 to 300 feet but did not see the appellee’s car although, as we have already pointed out, it must have been traveling within the range of his vision.

We stated in Whitaker v. Keogh, 144 Neb. 790, 14 N. W. 2d 596, that: “If the driver of an automobile entering an intersection looks for approaching vehicles but fails to see one which is favored over him under the rules of the road, he is guilty of contributory negligence sufficient to bar a recovery as a matter of law.”

However, section 39-728, R. S. 1943, provides in part: “In all other cases the vehicle reaching the intersection first shall have the right of way.” Here there is evidence from which the jury could have determined that appellant reached the intersection first in such a manner that he, in fact, had the right of way. Under this situation we think the following frorh Whitaker v. Keogh, supra, applies: “The proper rule is that when a person enters an intersection of two streets or highways he is obligated to look for approaching cars and to see those within that radius which denotes the limit.of danger. If he fails to see a car which is favored over him under the rules of the road, he is guilty of contributory negligence sufficient to bar a recovery as a matter of law. If he fails to see an automobile not shown to be in a favorable position, the presumption is that its driver will respect his right of way and the question of his contributory negligence in proceeding to cross the intersection is a jury question.”

We think the question of appellant’s negligence, if any, and the effect thereof was properly for the jury.

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Bluebook (online)
35 N.W.2d 786, 150 Neb. 719, 1949 Neb. LEXIS 15, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kraft-v-wert-neb-1949.