BENITA J. ZIMMERMAN AND ABE ZIMMERMAN, HER FATHER, APPELLANTS,
v.
DAVID L. LANGLAIS ET AL., APPELLEES
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In this negligence case arising from a motorcycle-automobile collision, the trial court entered judgment notwithstanding the jury's verdict for the defendant driver, finding that the defendant's traffic violation constituted negligence as a matter of law. The appellate court reversed, holding that a traffic violation is only prima facie evidence of negligence and that the jury properly could have found the defendant not negligent given the motorcycle operator's grossly negligent conduct.
A violation of traffic laws is not negligence per se but only prima facie evidence of negligence. The jury must determine whether such prima facie negligence is overcome by evidence of existing facts and circumstances. Here, the jury could reasonably have found that the defendant was not negligent despite the traffic violation, given the motorcycle operator's grossly negligent and unforeseeable conduct in accelerating around stopped vehicles and running a red light at high speed.
[1] A violation of a traffic law is prima facie evidence of negligence, not negligence per se, and the jury must determine if other evidence rebuts this presumption.
[2] Even when facts are undisputed, if reasonable minds can draw different inferences, the issue of negligence is for the jury to resolve.
Previewing 2 of 5 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“violation of a traffic law is not negligence per se, but merely prima facie evidence of negligence and that it is the role of the jury to determine whether such prima facie negligence is overcome by other evidence of existing facts and circumstances”
Establishes the controlling legal standard that traffic violations do not automatically constitute negligence but must be evaluated by the jury in context.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceA motorcycle and automobile collided at a T-intersection controlled by a three-phase traffic signal without a left-turn arrow. The defendant, Mrs. Zim…
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An automobile and a motorcycle collided one night at a “T” street intersection. The minor passenger on the motorcycle, joined by his father, brought a negligence suit against the automobile operator, Mrs. Zimmerman, and the owner for the minor’s personal injuries.
The jury denied recovery, whereupon the trial court voided the verdict and entered judgment non obstante verdicto for plaintiffs in the sum of $35,000.00. The trial court further provided that, if his decision and judgment be reversed, then, in such event, a second or alternative decision would go into effect and the plaintiffs would be granted a new trial upon the issue of liability only. We reverse totally and respectfully direct the re-establishment of the jury verdict.
To shortly re-create, we begin by adopting the plaintiff’s sketch:
The intersection was governed by a regular garden variety three phase traffic signal with a green — yellow—red sequence. It did not have a left turn arrow or signal. The vehicles approached from opposite directions with defendant, Mrs. Zimmerman, intending to make a left turn. She entered the left turn lane and stopped at the pedestrian line while the light was green. She entered the intersection when the light changed to yellow. The light changed to red and when oncoming traffic, seen by Mrs. Zimmerman as consisting of two automobiles, stopped to honor the red light Mrs. Zimmerman attempted to complete her turn at a speed of about 2 miles per hour. Her car was then struck by the motorcycle in the intersection.
The motorcycle as it approached the intersection was traveling in its right hand or curb lane behind and obscured by two automobiles. When the automobiles stopped for the red light, the motorcycle came around the stopped vehicles by changing into its unobstructed left hand or inside lane. It then accelerated into the intersection against the red light at a speed estimated as high as 50 miles per hour.
It appears that the jury was thoroughly and correctly instructed as to all pertinent issues, including negligence, the violation of a traffic regulation, and proximate cause. The case was well and competently tried and there is no hint of error, improper influence, erroneous ruling or instruction, or otherwise, in the way the case was presented to the jury. The only thing deemed “wrong” was the result reached by the jury.
How were the appealed decisions reached? The trial court found as a matter of law that Mrs. Zimmerman violated Sections 186.61 and 186.63, Florida Statutes 1967, F.S.A., by crossing the intersection in the face of the red light. The trial court held as a matter of law that such violation was prima facie evidence of negligence which was not overcome by proof of surrounding circumstances and conditions. It was further held as a matter of law that this violation was a proximate cause of the plaintiff’s damages. The trial court cited in support Marsden v. Patane, 380 F.2d 489 (5th Cir. 1967); Parker v. Hofheinz, Fla.*696App.1966, 181 So.2d 367; Holland v. Watson, Fla.App.1968, 215 So.2d 498.
We have examined the listed cases in detail and find that they are readily distinguishable because of the differing fact pictures there found. These cases, in more or less detail, correctly recognize the rule that violation of a traffic law is not negligence per se, but merely prima facie evidence of negligence and that it is the role of the jury to determine whether such prima facie negligence is overcome by other evidence of existing facts and circumstances. Thus, proof of a traffic law violation is not conclusive of the issue of negligence, but may be rebutted by evidence of surrounding circumstances tending to eliminate the character of negligence from the act. Further, even where facts are undisputed, if reasonable minds could reach different conclusions anc| inferences from such fact, the issue is for resolution by the jury.
Hazarding at mid point, it is believed that thepe is no dispute or misunderstanding anywhere as concerns the law of this case as above reflected. The misunderstanding is to be found in the application of these principles to the facts of the case and vice versa.
In the three above mentioned cases there was a violation of a traffic regulation and the action of the trial court in summarily deciding the negligence issue as a matter of law was approved. But there was no negligence on the part of the driver of plaintiff’s vehicle reflected in these cases and there was a blatant or flagrant and unexplained and unmitigated violation of the regulation by the defendant. Different from those situations, the instant case reflects grossly negligent acts on the part of the motorcycle driver. (Which acts, of course, can not be imputed to the minor plaintiff, but can be considered in assaying the defendant’s negligence and whether or not the motorcycle operator’s negligence was the sole proximate cause of the collision.) Here the collision occurred at night with the motorcycle operator acting in a most unforeseeable way in coming around two cars stopped for a red light at an excessive rate of speed and running the red light in question. The jury would have been warranted in finding that Mrs. Zimmerman acted as a reasonable person under these circumstances in failing to see the motorcycle and in clearing the intersection by completing her turn.
We believe that the events here outlined in the frame of applicable law constituted a jury question in a compelling way. We theorize that there was abundant room for the jury to find that Mrs. Zimmerman, although guilty of the violation of the regulation, was not guilty of negligence and that the sole proximate cause of the collision was the negligence of the motorcycle operator.
We would further remind that whether or not the conduct of Mrs. Zimmerman was the proximate cause of the collision is a jury question according to the principles mentioned in Booth v. Mary Carter Paint Company, Fla.App.1966, 182 So.2d 292, and Wisdom v. Nickels, Fla.App.1968, 212 So. 2d 652.
As concerns the trial court’s decision to grant plaintiffs a new trial, we are of the opinion that such constituted an abuse of discretion because it does not find a basis in the record, Dailey v. Hendricks, Fla.App.1968, 213 So.2d 600; North Dade Imported Motors, Inc. v. Brundage Motors, Inc., Fla.App.1969, 221 So.2d 170.
The appealed judgments are reversed with instructions to reinstate the jury verdict and to enter judgment accordingly in favor of the defendants Benita J. Zimmerman and Abe Zimmerman.
Reversed and remanded.
OWEN and MAGER, JJ., concur.
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Cleaver v. Dade Cnty., 272 So. 2d 559 (Fla. 3d DCA 1973)…ised in granting such motions in negligence cases in view of the established rule that questions relating to the existence of negligence or contributory negligence are normally questions of fact for the jury. See Zimmerman v. Langlais, Fla.App.1971, 248 So. 2d 694; Dambakly v. Mason, Fla.App.1967, 194 So. 2d 35; Le Fante v. Miami Air Conditioning Co., Fla.App.1959, 111 So. 2d 725. Appellant’s testimony was sufficient to raise a prima facie case of simple negligence committed by the hospital aide acting in th…
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Tropeano v. Matthews, 281 So. 2d 251 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973)…could have lawfully found for the plaintiff, and, therefore, the verdict should not have been directed. Jones v. Smith etc., Fourth District Court of Appeal, 279 So. 2d 343, opinion filed June 20, 1973; see also Zimmerman v. Langlais, Fla.App.1971, 248 So. 2d 694; and 32 Fla.Jur. Trial § 93. The final judgment is reversed and the cause remanded for further proceedings. Reversed. OWEN, C. J., and CROSS and MAGER, JJ., concur.…
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Langlais v. Benita J. Zimmerman and Abe Zimmerman, 252 So. 2d 797 (Fla. 1971)…Certiorari denied. 248 So. 2d 694. ERVIN, Acting C. J., and CARLTON, ADKINS, BOYD and McCAIN, JJ., concur.…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Rivers v. Ross, 182 So. 2d 292 (Fla. 3d DCA 1966)
- N. Dade Imported Motors, Inc. v. Brundage Motors, Inc., 221 So. 2d 170 (Fla. 1st DCA 1969)
- Marsden v. Sebastiano O. Patane, 380 F.2d 489 (5th Cir. 1967)
- Parker v. Hofheinz, 181 So. 2d 367 (Fla. 1st DCA 1966)
- Dailey v. Hendricks, 213 So. 2d 600 (Fla. 1st DCA 1968)
- Holland v. Watson, 215 So. 2d 498 (Fla. 2d DCA 1968)
- Avery Wisdom v. Nickels, 212 So. 2d 652 (Fla. 4th DCA 1968)