Youngerman v. Thiede

73 N.W.2d 494, 271 Wis. 367, 1955 Wisc. LEXIS 354
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 6, 1955
StatusPublished

This text of 73 N.W.2d 494 (Youngerman v. Thiede) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Youngerman v. Thiede, 73 N.W.2d 494, 271 Wis. 367, 1955 Wisc. LEXIS 354 (Wis. 1955).

Opinion

*372 Broadfoot, J.

There was a sharp conflict in the testimony with reference to the collisions. The plaintiffs and Mr. and Mrs. Thiede testified that they were proceeding southerly on the highway and that they were unaware of the following car driven by Mrs. Hackett. George Youngerman did testify that he turned and saw the Hackett car just prior to the collision, that the Hackett car was immediately behind the Thiede car, and that the collision between those cars followed immediately. They testified that the collision between the Hackett car and the Thiede car occurred first and that as a result thereof the Thiede car was projected to its left across the center line of the highway where it collided with the Hulbert car. On the other hand, it was the testimony of Mrs. Hackett that she was driving about four car lengths behind the Thiede car and that both traveled at a moderate rate of speed for some distance, each automobile traveling about in the center of the proper lane; that the Thiede car just prior to the collision swerved or veered to the left and across the center line; that the Hulbert and Thiede cars then collided in the east lane, which caused the Thiede car to collide with the left front of her car and that the collision between her car and the Thiede car was due to the collision between the Hulbert and Thiede cars which occurred first in point of time.

Upon this appeal Thiede claims that the two diametrically opposed versions were irreconcilable and that the special verdict was framed so as to determine which of the two versions was true. If the Thiede version was correct, then Mrs. Hackett’s negligence was the sole cause of both collisions and that she alone should be held responsible for the damages sustained by the plaintiffs; that the jury compromised by finding both Thiede and Mrs. Hackett causally negligent and therefore the verdict is inconsistent, requiring a new trial. He contends that the finding of the jury that the negligence of Mrs. Hackett was a cause of both collisions is *373 ■inconsistent with the finding that Thiede was negligent, and requires the court to change the answers as to Thiede’s causal negligence, or to grant a new trial. He contends that the jury had but two alternatives: One, to find that the collision between the Thiede and Hackett cars.. occurred before the collision between Thiede and Hulbert, or, two, that the collision between Thiede and Hackett occurred after the collision between Thiede and Hulbert.

The same contentions were apparently made before the trial court upon the motions after verdict. The trial court in its memorandum decision analyzed the situation as follows :

“If the jury in making its findings was so limited the position of counsel for the defendant Thiede would be well taken. It is apparent from the findings in the special verdict that the jury did not take the positions as contended in the arguments of the respective counsel for either the plaintiffs, the defendant Thiede, or the defendant Hackett. The court is satisfied that the jury was not limited to the two alternatives mentioned and that the findings of the jury are not inconsistent, and on the contrary are the result of careful, consistent and very able consideration and determination of the facts in the case. . . . The findings demonstrate that the jury did not accept in its entirety either the version of Hackett or Thiede and the question presented is whether there is any basis in the credible evidence in the case for the position taken and the findings made by the jury.
“Both Hulbert and his passenger and the defendant Hack-ett and all of the witnesses who were in the Thiede car testified that Thiede invaded his left-hand lane of travel immediately before the collision of his car with the Hulbert car. Hulbert and the passenger in his car were unable to testify as to whether the collision between Thiede and Hackett occurred immediately prior to or immediately after the collision between Thiede and Hulbert for the reason that the Thiede car when it suddenly veered to the left obscured the view of the Hackett car. This left the dispute as to whether the Thiede car veered to the left and as to whether the colli *374 sion between Thiede and Hackett occurred before or after the collision between Thiede and Hulbert between the testimony of the occupants of the Thiede car on one side and the testimony of Hackett on the other together with certain physical facts. Hackett testified that Thiede veered to the left before she collided with his automobile, that Thiede collided with Hulbert before she collided with Thiede, that after the collision between Thiede and Hulbert the rear end of the Thiede car veered to the right and struck the right front corner of her car on its side and not on its front. The photograph demonstrated that the Thiede car was struck on the rear near its right rear corner and with its bumper bent inward about three inches. There was evidence that the left side of the grill in the front of the Hackett car was damaged. Hackett testified that immediately before she collided with Thiede she was traveling in the center of the right-hand lane and that when the collision occurred all of the wheels of her car were on the concrete. It was obvious that the collision between Thiede and Hackett could not have occurred if both vehicles were traveling in the center of the right-hand lane as it would be impossible if both vehicles were in that position for the right rear of the Thiede car to come in contact with the left front or left front side of the Hackett car with all of the wheels of the Hackett car on the concrete. The jury rejected the testimony of Hackett that the Thiede car came in contact with the left front corner at the left side of that vehicle and reached the conclusion that the front of the Hackett car at its left corner collided with the rear of the Thiede car at its right rear corner or near such corner. The jury accepted Hackett’s testimony to the effect that all four wheels were on the concrete when this collision occurred and reasoned therefrom, and justifiably so, that the Thiede car had been turned to its left before this’ collision occurred and declined to accept the testimony of the occupants of the Thiede car that the Thiede car had not turned to the left before this collision. The jury refused to accept the testimony of Hackett that the collision occurred after the collision between Thiede and Hulbert and accepted the testimony of the occupants of the Thiede car that the collision between Thiede and Hackett occurred prior to the collision between Thiede and Hulbert. Tn so doing the jury also rejected the testimony of Thiede and *375 the occupants of his car that the Thiede car was not turned to the left before Hackett collided with it and was not forced into the left-hand lane solely by the collision between Thiede and Hackett but partially at least by Thiede’s own act or acts prior to the collision between Thiede and Hackett. There is evidence in the case which if the jury deemed credible serves as a basis for the conclusions reached and the findings made by the jury. These findings so made are not inconsistent. The jury was not obliged to accept those portions of the testimony offered on behalf of Thiede which they found incredible and were not obliged to accept those portions of the testimony of Hackett which they found incredible.

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Bluebook (online)
73 N.W.2d 494, 271 Wis. 367, 1955 Wisc. LEXIS 354, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/youngerman-v-thiede-wis-1955.