By: Derek Hawkins//October 17, 2016//
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Case Name: James Blasius v. Angel Automotive, Inc
Case No.: 15-2994
Officials: MANION and ROVNER, Circuit Judges, and BLAKEY, District Judge. *
Focus: Negligence – Sufficiency of Evidence – Res Ipsa Loquitur
In July 2009, Appellant James Blasius purchased a used 2005 Ford Excursion. In June 2012, Blasius entrusted Appellee Angel Automotive, Inc. (“AAI”) with upgrading the vehicle to make it “safe” and “reliable.” Blasius alleges that AAI negligently betrayed that trust when, one day and about 200 miles after pick up, the vehicle caught fire and was destroyed. The district court granted summary judgment for AAI after concluding that: (1) Blasius failed to present evidence that AAI’s work proximately caused the fire; and (2) the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur did not apply. Blasius appealed. For the reasons explained be‐ low, the decision of the district court is REVERSED.
Reversed and remanded