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Negligence – Sufficiency of Evidence – Res Ipsa Loquitur

By: Derek Hawkins//October 17, 2016//

Negligence – Sufficiency of Evidence – Res Ipsa Loquitur

By: Derek Hawkins//October 17, 2016//

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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

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.

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