Scott v. Hansen
Iowa Supreme Court
289 N.W. 710 (1940)
- Written by Rich Walter, JD
Facts
Scott (plaintiff), a passenger in Hansen's (defendant's) car, was injured when the car struck a cow. Scott sued Hansen for damages, alleging that Hansen's reckless driving was the proximate cause of Scott's injuries. At trial, Scott elicited conflicting testimony from his witnesses. Scott's witnesses said they found lengthy tire marks at the scene of the accident, which suggested that Hansen's car braked or skidded before it hit the cow. However, they also testified that Hansen never braked before the collision and was going so fast that the cow was thrown 30 feet into the air before it landed and bounced on the ground like a rubber ball. Hansen moved for a directed verdict on the grounds that no competent evidence supported Scott's allegation. The trial court denied Hansen's motion and the jury ruled in Scott's favor. Hansen appealed to the Supreme Court of Iowa, contending that the trial court erroneously overruled his motion for a directed verdict.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Richards, J.)
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