Genevieve Baier Et Al. v. Farmers Mutual

On January 11, 1957, Mrs. Genevieve Baier and her husband brought action against the insurer, employer, and executors of Alfred
Laatsch, deceased. The action was for damages resulting from personal injuries sustained by Mrs. Baier in a collision which
occurred February 10, 1956. The collision occurred between a car driven by Mrs. Baier, in which there was no passenger, and
a car driven by Mr. Laatsch, in which Mrs. Laatsch was a passenger. Mr. Laatsch had died from causes not related to the collision. The collision occurred at about 7:45 a. m. at an intersection of 2 town roads in a rural area. Mrs. Baier was traveling west,
and Mr. Laatsch south. There were no signs requiring either to stop. Mrs. Baier testified that she was traveling between 30
and 35 miles per hour, and did not change her speed. She testified that she made an observation to her right as she approached
the intersection, but saw no vehicle. There was testimony by Mrs. Laatsch that the Laatsch car was traveling 20 to 25 miles
per hour, and there was also testimony by Mrs. Baier that immediately after the collision, Mrs. Laatsch upbraided her husband
for going 'over the corner so fast.' The damage to the Baier car was on its right side, and the damage to the Laatsch car
was at its front. There was testimony that when the collision occurred, the front end of the Baier car was well through the
intersection. As a result of the collision. the Baier car spun around and rolled backwards to the west, and the Laatsch vehicle
came to rest, facing west in the center of the east-west road. There was testimony that there was frost on the windshield
of the Laatsch car, and on the window to the left of the driver. The Laatsch vehicle had started from the Laatsch home, which
was approximately a 1/4 of a mile north of the intersection. The witnesses testifying on the point did not agree on the extent
to which the windows and windshield had frost on them.