J. ALAN BARRINGER and wife, JENNIE S. BARRINGER,
Plaintiffs,
v
.
MID PINES DEVELOPMENT GROUP, L.L.C.,
Defendant.
The Jernigan Law Firm, by Leonard T. Jernigan, Jr. and N.
Victor Farah, for plaintiff-appellants.
Cranfill, Sumner & Hartzog, L.L.P., by Patrick H. Flanagan and
Jaye E. Bingham, for defendant-appellee.
EAGLES, Chief Judge.
J. Alan Barringer and Jennie S. Barringer (plaintiffs)
appeal from judgment entered on a jury verdict finding Mid Pines
Development Group, L.L.C. (defendant) negligent and J. Alan
Barringer (Mr. Barringer) contributorily negligent.
On 16 November 1995, Mr. Barringer attended a workshop for the
North Carolina Board of Examiners for Electrical Contractors at the
Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club in Southern Pines. Defendant owns and
manages Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club.
After a morning meeting, the participants in the workshop met
for lunch in the Terrace Room. Mr. Barringer entered the TerraceRoom and located where the members of his group were sitting. Mr.
Barringer then went to the buffet table, made a sandwich and a
salad, and then joined the others in his group at a table. After
finishing his sandwich, Mr. Barringer returned to the buffet table
for fruit. The buffet table ran parallel to a wall, approximately
three feet from the wall. On this trip to the buffet table, Mr.
Barringer picked up a bowl and went down the other side of the
buffet table, the side nearest the wall. When Mr. Barringer
finished selecting fruit from several displays, he turned and
walked back along the same way, between the table and the wall.
After he had taken a few steps, Mr. Barringer's right foot became
entangled in an electrical cord. The electrical cord connected a
crock pot on the buffet table to an outlet on the wall. The
electrical cord was not taped down to the floor and was
approximately two to three inches off the ground. Mr. Barringer
stumbled and fell injuring his back. Plaintiffs' evidence details
extensive treatment, including numerous surgeries, and continuing
pain in Mr. Barringer's right leg and lower back.
The plaintiffs commenced this action on 4 November 1998 by
complaint alleging a personal injury claim based on defendant's
negligence and a loss of consortium claim. The matter was tried
during the 10 July 2000 Civil Session of Wake County Superior
Court. The jury returned a verdict finding defendant negligent and
Mr. Barringer contributorily negligent. The judgment entered on 31
July 2000 provided that the plaintiffs should recover nothing from
defendant; that the plaintiffs' complaint be dismissed withprejudice; and that the costs of the action be taxed against the
plaintiffs. On 27 October 2000, the trial court denied
plaintiffs' motion for a new trial and injunctive relief while
granting in part defendant's motion for costs and expenses in the
amount of $22,477.80. Plaintiffs appeal.
On appeal, plaintiffs contend that the trial court erred: (1)
by refusing to give plaintiffs' requested jury instructions on
diversion and contributory negligence; (2) by admitting the
unexplained conclusions of a psychological test in contravention of
State v. Hoyle, 49 N.C. App. 98, 270 S.E.2d 582 (1980), disc.
review denied, 301 N.C. 724, 274 S.E.2d 233 (1981); (3) by refusing
to allow plaintiff to cross examine Mid Pines' manager about
untruthful answers given in interrogatory answers concerning
insurance coverage; and (4) by taxing plaintiffs with an expert
witness fee of $15,000.00 which included deposition and trial
preparation time. After careful review, we reverse and remand.
Plaintiffs first contend that the trial court erred by
refusing to give plaintiffs' requested jury instructions on
diversion. Plaintiffs requested the following jury instruction on
diverted attention:
A plaintiff may be contributorially [sic]
negligent if he fails to discover and avoid a
defect that is visible and obvious. However,
this rule is not applicable where there is
some fact, condition or circumstance which
would or might divert the attention of an
ordinarily prudent person from discovering or
seeing an existing dangerous condition.
Walker v. Randolph Co., 251 N.C. 805, 810, 112
S.E.2d 551, 554 (1960) as cited in Newton v.
New Hanover Co. Board of Education, 342 N.C.
554, 564, 467 S.E.2nd [sic] 58, 65 (1996).
Plaintiffs argue that the doctrine of diverted attention has
been used to mitigate the harshness of contributory negligence.
Plaintiffs contend that the requested instruction was correct as a
matter of law and that they introduced evidence at trial to support
an inference that the buffet presentation was designed to be and
was in fact a diversion. Plaintiffs argue that the trial court's
instruction misled the jury in that it failed to encompass all of
the law on this issue. We agree.
The trial court did not give plaintiffs' requested
instruction. The trial court gave the following instruction with
regard to negligence:
Now, under the law of this state,
negligence refers to a person's failure to
follow a duty of conduct as imposed by law.
The law requires every owner of property to
use ordinary care to keep the premises in a
reasonably safe condition for lawful visitors
who use them in a reasonable and ordinary
manner.
Ordinary care means that degree of care
which a reasonable and prudent person would
use under the same or similar circumstances to
protect himself and others from injury. A
person's failure to use ordinary care is
negligence under the law of this state.
Now, ordinarily a person has that duty to
anticipate the negligence on the part of
others. In the absence of anything that gives
or should give notice to the contrary, a
person has the right to assume and to act
under the assumption that others will use
ordinary care and follow standards of conduct
enacted as law in the safety of the public.
However, the right to rely on this
assumption is not absolute, and if the
circumstances existing at the time are such as
reasonably to put a person on notice that he
cannot rely on the assumption, he is under aduty to use that degree of care which a
reasonable and prudent person would use under
the same or similar circumstances to protect
himself and others from injury.
With respect to the issue of contributory negligence, the trial
court stated that [t]he test of what is negligence is as I've
already defined and read to you, explained to you, is the same for
the Plaintiff as it is for Defendant.
When a party aptly tenders a written request for a specific
instruction which is correct in itself and supported by evidence,
the failure of the court to give the instruction, at least in
substance, is error. Faeber v. E. C. T. Corp., 16 N.C. App. 429,
430, 192 S.E.2d 1, 2 (1972). The trial court need not give
special instructions exactly as requested by a party so long as the
court's charge, taken as a whole, conveys the substance of the
necessary requested instructions. Alston v. Monk, 92 N.C. App.
59, 63, 373 S.E.2d 463, 466 (1988), disc. review denied, 324 N.C.
246, 378 S.E.2d 420 (1989). To prevail on appeal, plaintiffs must
show that (1) the requested instruction was a correct statement of
law and (2) was supported by the evidence, and that (3) the
instruction given, considered in its entirety, failed to encompass
the substance of the law requested and (4) such failure likely
misled the jury. Liborio v. King, __ N.C. App. __, __, 564 S.E.2d
272, 274 (2002).
With respect to diverted attention, our Supreme Court has
stated:
When a person has exercised the care and
caution which an ordinarily prudent person
would have exercised under the same or similarcircumstances, he is not negligent merely
because he temporarily forgot or was
inattentive to a known danger. To forget or to
be inattentive is not negligence unless it
amounts to a failure to exercise ordinary care
for one's safety. Regard must be had to the
exigencies of the situation, and the
circumstances of the particular occasion.
Circumstances may exist under which
forgetfulness or inattention to a known danger
may be consistent with the exercise of
ordinary care, as where the situation requires
one to give undivided attention to other
matters, or is such as to produce hurry or
confusion, or where conditions arise suddenly
which are calculated to divert one's attention
momentarily from the danger. In order to
excuse forgetfulness of, or inattention to, a
known danger, some fact, condition, or
circumstance must exist which would divert the
mind or attention of an ordinarily prudent
person; mere lapse of memory is not
sufficient, and, if, under the same or similar
circumstances, an ordinarily prudent person
would not have forgotten or have been
inattentive to the danger, such conduct
constitutes negligence.
Dennis v. Albemarle, 242 N.C. 263, 268, 87 S.E.2d 561, 565-66,
(citations omitted) (emphasis added), reh'g dismissed, 243 N.C.
221, 90 S.E.2d 532 (1955). See also Hill v. Shanks, 6 N.C. App.
255, 263, 170 S.E.2d 116, 121-22 (1969).
Plaintiffs must first show that their requested instruction
was a correct statement of law. Liborio, __ N.C. App. at __, 564
S.E.2d at 274. In Nourse v. Food Lion, Inc., 127 N.C. App. 235,
242, 488 S.E.2d 608, 613 (1997), aff'd, 347 N.C. 666, 496 S.E.2d
379 (1998), this Court reversed the trial court's grant of summary
judgment based on contributory negligence. This Court stated that:
[A] jury question is presented as to whether a
reasonably prudent person would have looked
down at the floor as she was shopping in the
grocery store. A reasonably prudent person'sattention could easily be diverted by
advertisements or fruit and vegetable
displays. We cannot hold that as a matter of
law under these circumstances the plaintiff in
the exercise of ordinary care should have
looked down at the floor.
Id. In Norwood v. Sherwin-Williams Co., 303 N.C. 462, 465, 279
S.E.2d 559, 561 (1981), the plaintiff was injured when she tripped
over a platform that protruded into the store aisle. Our Supreme
Court stated that:
[T]here is evidence that the display and the
placing of the impulse items were intended to
attract and keep the customer's attention at
eye level. When a merchant entices a
customer's eyes away from a hazardous
condition, we do not think he should be heard
to complain when his efforts succeed.
Id. at 469, 279 S.E.2d at 563-64. Plaintiffs' instruction is
correct in that the defense of contributory negligence cannot be
asserted where the defendant diverted the plaintiff's attention,
preventing the visitor from discovering the obvious hazard. Hall
v. Kmart Corp., 136 N.C. App. 839, 841, 525 S.E.2d 837, 839 (2000).
Next, plaintiffs' instruction must have been supported by the
evidence. Liborio, __ N.C. App. at __, 564 S.E.2d at 274. Here,
Helen Downie (Downie), the resort manager for Mid Pines Inn and
Golf Club, was asked whether she would agree that an attractive
display of food attracts someone's attention. Downie responded
that [y]es, we eat with our eyes. (Emphasis added.) Mr.
Barringer testified that there was an extraordinary buffet, . . .
all sorts of food and flowers. Dr. Gary Lebby, a research
professor of electrical engineering and a participant at the
workshop, testified about the buffet. Q. Now when you first walked through that
door and the Terrace Room, what's the
first thing that you noticed?
A. Seemed to be tables with different
dishes, meats, cakes.
Q. Are you talking about buffet tables?
A. Buffet tables, yes.
Q. How did it appear to you?
A. Looked delicious.
(Emphasis added.) The buffet table was huge, several tables slid
together. The buffet included all sorts of food and flowers
including potato, chicken, turkey, and ham salads along with fruit
bowls of fresh fruit, citrus fruit and melons. Plaintiffs'
requested instruction was supported by the evidence.
The next question is whether the instruction given,
considered in its entirety, failed to encompass the substance of
the law requested. Liborio, __ N.C. App. at __, 564 S.E.2d at
274. The trial court's instruction correctly stated a negligence
and contributory negligence instruction. However, the instruction
taken as a whole, does not convey[] the substance of the necessary
requested instruction[]. Alston, 92 N.C. App. at 63, 373 S.E.2d
at 466. Plaintiffs' requested instruction contained language which
would have instructed the jury that where there is some fact,
condition, or circumstance which would or might divert the
attention of an ordinarily prudent person from discovering or
seeing an existing dangerous condition, the general rule [of
contributory negligence] does not apply. Swinson v. Lejeune Motor
Co., 147 N.C. App. 610, 613, 557 S.E.2d 112, 116 (2001). The trialcourt's instruction here failed to encompass the substance of the
law requested. Liborio, __ N.C. App. at __, 564 S.E.2d at 274.
Plaintiffs must also show that the jury was misled or that
the verdict was affected by an omitted instruction. Bass v.
Johnson, 149 N.C. App. 152, 160, 560 S.E.2d 841, 847 (2002). The
trial court's instruction did not provide the jury with a complete
instruction on the law as it pertained to the facts of this case.
Because the jury returned a verdict of contributory negligence, we
cannot say that the trial court's refusal to give the plaintiffs'
requested instruction did not affect the verdict or mislead the
jury.
Accordingly, the decision of the trial court is reversed and
the matter is remanded to the trial court for a new trial. Our
decision to reverse is based on the failure of the trial court to
give appropriate instructions which would provide the jury with a
fair statement of the law to enable them to weigh the evidence and
testimony in this complex case. Even though inferences may be
drawn from the evidence to support one party's version of the
events, it is equally true that the same evidence can support
alternate inferences which support the other party's version of the
events. The jury is entitled to have complete instructions on the
applicable law so they can fairly weigh the evidence and inferences
when they deliberate.
We next consider the issue of the admission into evidence of
the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI).
Plaintiffs contend that the trial court erred by ignoring theholding of State v. Hoyle and admitting the unexplained
conclusions of the MMPI. Plaintiffs argue that Hoyle held that an
MMPI test, standing alone, is not admissible because it is
prejudicial hearsay. Plaintiffs contend that the MMPI summary
contained highly prejudicial terms, such as psychopathic deviate,
hypochondriasis, and hysteria. We agree.
In Hoyle, a psychiatrist testified about the results of an
MMPI administered by a psychologist who did not testify. This
Court held that the evidence in question was hearsay and
incompetent, and its admission was highly prejudicial to
defendant. Hoyle, 49 N.C. App. at 103, 270 S.E.2d at 585. In
reaching this holding, this Court stated that:
The record clearly shows that: (1) the
psychologist who administered the test was not
present at the trial of defendant and,
therefore, could not be cross-examined; (2)
there was not any testimony that the test in
question was properly administered as required
by instructions; (3) neither the psychologist
who administered the test nor Dr. Rood stated
whether the conditions found on the date of
the examination were temporary or permanent in
nature; (4) the complained of testimony was
admitted to prove the truth of the matter
asserted therein; and (5) the trial court did
not instruct the jury to limit the evidence
for a particular purpose.
Id. at 103, 270 S.E.2d at 584-85 (emphasis added).
Here, Mr. Barringer was given psychological testing, including
an MMPI, at the Duke Pain Clinic on 23 October 1996. Dr. Wells
Edmundson (Dr. Edmundson), Mr. Barringer's primary care
physician, testified that Elaine Crovitz, Ph.D. (Dr. Crovitz), a
fellow in the Academy of Clinical Psychology, performed theinterpretation of the MMPI. Defendant questioned Dr. Edmundson
extensively about Dr. Crovitz's report and introduced it into
evidence.
In Dr. Crovitz's report, the Analysis of Test Data section
stated that [d]espite defensiveness, clinical elevations were
obtained on the following: Psychopathic Deviate (T=71),
Hypochondriasis (T=88), Depression (T=80), Hysteria (T=82),
Psychaesthenia (T=72).
The trial court allowed defendant to question Dr. Edmundson
regarding the content of Dr. Crovitz's interpretation of the MMPI.
Dr. Edmundson read certain parts of the report into evidence and
also read certain definitions from a medical dictionary. His
testimony included:
A The MMPI profile obtained reflects a
highly defensive orientation to test
items, with the patient attempting to
present himself in both a perfect and
good light. He has strong needs to be
seen as . . . conscientious, reasonable,
beyond criticism or reproach, and is
likely to deny, minimize psychic issues.
Despite defensiveness, clinical
elevations were obtained on the
following.
. . . .
Q Elevation would be above normal?
A Right.
. . . .
A [C]linical elevations were obtained on
the following: Psychopathic, deviate, T
equals 71.
Q Do you know -- can you explain to the
jury what psychopathic, deviant or
deviate means?
A Some one [sic] who is out of the normal
of society, I guess.
. . . .
A Hypochondriac: A person with a somatic
over concern, including morbid attention
to the details of bodily function and
exaggeration of any symptoms no matter
how insignificant; second definition, a
person manifesting hypochondriasis; and
then the definition of hypochondria is:
A morbid concern of ones own health and
exaggerating attention to any unusual
bodily or mental sensations, a dilusion
[sic] that one is suffering from some
disease for which no physical basis is
evident.
. . . .
Q If I may, what were the main components
of hypochondriasis, was it morbid concern
for -- what was that?
A A morbid concern about ones own health.
Q If you can read on, I'll try to keep up?
A An exaggeration of any symptoms, no
matter how insignificant.
. . . .
Q How about hysteria?
A Well, you know, apparently he scored a
clinical elevation on hysteria, but I
just never -- I'll bet you got this
highlighted in the dictionary, too, but I
never thought --
. . . .
Q Okay. I understand in your assessment --
can you look that definition up just so
the jury can have that as one of the
things to consider?
A Sure. Hysteria: A somatic condition
where there is an alteration or loss of
physical function that suggests a
physical disorder such as a paralysis of
the arm or vision, but that's a
complexion of psychological conflict or
need.
(Emphasis added.)
In closing arguments, defendant made reference to the
definitions and argued the following:
Remember these diagnosis [sic]: Psychopathic
deviate, hypochondriasis, depression,
hysteria, and psychasthenia. Really want to
talk about a couple of these. I'll read their
definitions from Steadman's Medical
Dictionary: Hypochondriasis: A morbid concern
about one's own health and exaggerated
attention to any unusual bodily or mental
sensation. A delusion that one is suffering
from some disease for which no physical basis
is evident. Hysteria: A somataform disorder
in which there is an alteration or loss of
physical dysfunctioning that suggests a
physical disorder, such as paralysis of an arm
or disturbance of vision, but that is instead
apparently an expression of a psychological
conflict or need.
(Emphasis added.) Further, a defense exhibit which contained the
terms hypochondriasis and hysteria and their definitions was
admitted into evidence.
Here, as in Hoyle, the psychologist who administered the test
was not present at the trial, there was no testimony at trial to
establish that the test was properly administered, there was no
testimony whether results of the analysis were temporary or
permanent, the results were admitted for the truth of the matter
asserted, and the trial court provided no limiting instruction with
respect to the testimony regarding the MMPI. Defendant argues that the MMPI is admissible pursuant to Rule
803(6) of the North Carolina Rules of Evidence. Defendant argues
that Hoyle is not controlling since it was decided before the
adoption of the North Carolina Rules of Evidence. We are not
persuaded.
Rule 803(6) states that '[a] memorandum, report, record, or
data compilation, in any form, of acts, events, conditions,
opinions, or diagnoses, made at or near the time by, or from
information transmitted by, a person with knowledge . . .' is an
exception to the hearsay rule. Chamberlain v. Thames, 131 N.C.
App. 705, 716, 509 S.E.2d 443, 449 (1998) (quoting G.S. § 8C-1,
Rule 803(6)). Rule 803(6) expressly permits the use of a
custodian's testimony to establish a foundation for admission of
the record. CIT Grp./Commercial Servs., Inc. v. Vitale, 148 N.C.
App. 707, 709, 559 S.E.2d 275, 276 (2002).
The Commentary to Rule 803(6) states that this exception is
derived from the traditional business records exception. G.S. §
8C-1, Rule 803(6) official commentary (2001). The business records
exception is one of the well recognized exceptions to the hearsay
rule. Sims v. Insurance Co., 257 N.C. 32, 35, 125 S.E.2d 326, 328
(1962). Prior to the adoption of the Rules of Evidence, hospital
records and medical records were admissible under the business
records exception to the hearsay rule upon a proper foundation.
State v. Heiser, 36 N.C. App. 358, 359, 244 S.E.2d 170, 172 (1978).
A proper foundation consists of the testimony
by a witness familiar with such records and
the system under which they are made that the
record is authentic and that it was preparedat or near to the time of the event recorded
by a person having personal knowledge of such
event.
Id. A hospital librarian or custodian of the record could
provide the requisite foundation for admission of the records.
Sims, 257 N.C. at 35, 125 S.E.2d at 329.
The business records exception was followed by the courts of
this State when Hoyle was decided. Even with the availability of
the exception, the Hoyle court held that the [MMPI] was hearsay
and incompetent, and its admission was highly prejudicial to
defendant. Hoyle, 49 N.C. App. at 103, 270 S.E.2d at 585.
While a custodian's affidavit may provide the necessary
foundation for admission pursuant to Rule 803(6), we conclude that,
the adoption of the North Carolina Rules of Evidence
notwithstanding, Hoyle is applicable to the facts here.
Accordingly, the testimony regarding Dr. Crovitz's interpretation
of the MMPI, defendant's use of the terms and definitions in
closing argument, and the use of a trial exhibit containing the
terms and definitions prejudiced plaintiffs at trial and warrant a
new trial.
We further note in passing that as the cause must be remanded
for the error herein pointed out, the costs will follow the final
judgment. Barrier v. Troutman, 231 N.C. 47, 51, 55 S.E.2d 923,
926 (1949).
Accordingly, the decision of the trial court is reversed and
the matter is remanded for a new trial.
Reversed and remanded. Judge THOMAS concurs.
Judge TYSON dissents.
TYSON, Judge, dissenting.
The trial court properly withheld plaintiff's requested
instruction on diverted attention for two reasons: (1) the
requested instruction was not a proper statement of the law, and
(2) the requested instruction was not supported by the evidence.
The trial court also properly admitted into evidence medical
records under the North Carolina Rules of Evidence, Rule 803(6)
(2001). The trial court did not err. I respectfully dissent.
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