Opinion
G056427
02-05-2020
GRANT TUTTLE et al., Plaintiffs and Appellants, v. HEAVENLY VALLEY, L.P., Defendant and Respondent.
The Simon Law Group, Thomas J. Conroy; Williams Iagmin and Jon R. Williams for Plaintiffs and Appellants. Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, Steven R. Parminter, Patrick M. Kelly and John J. Immordino for Defendant and Respondent.
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115. (Super. Ct. No. 30-2015-00813230) OPINION Appeal from a judgment and postjudgment orders of the Superior Court of Orange County, Nathan R. Scott, Judge. Affirmed. The Simon Law Group, Thomas J. Conroy; Williams Iagmin and Jon R. Williams for Plaintiffs and Appellants. Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, Steven R. Parminter, Patrick M. Kelly and John J. Immordino for Defendant and Respondent.
* * *
INTRODUCTION
Skier and Heavenly Valley season passholder Dana Tuttle died after she and a snowboarder collided at Heavenly Valley's resort in South Lake Tahoe. Tuttle's spouse and sons sued Heavenly Valley and the snowboarder. Defendant asserted as defenses the doctrines of primary assumption of the risk, on the ground Tuttle's accident was the result of the inherent risks of skiing, and express assumption of the risk, based on Tuttle's signed release of all claims and liability for defendant's negligence.
We refer to Dana Tuttle as Tuttle and to her spouse and sons collectively as plaintiffs. We refer to Heavenly Valley as defendant.
Plaintiffs erroneously identified Heavenly Valley in the complaint as the Vail Corporation. There is no dispute Heavenly Valley is the correct defendant in this case.
The trial court determined as a matter of law the release was unambiguous and covered Tuttle's accident. Despite these conclusions, the jury was still asked to decide whether defendant "unreasonably increased the risks . . . over and above those inherent in the sport of skiing." The jury found defendant did, but unanimously agreed defendant did not act with gross negligence. Finding Tuttle and defendant each 50 percent at fault, the jury awarded plaintiffs substantial damages.
A judgment in plaintiffs' favor typically would have followed as a matter of course unless defendant formally moved for, and was granted, a judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV). However, the trial court determined the jury's factual finding that defendant was not grossly negligent, coupled with its legal conclusion that the release provided a complete defense to plaintiffs' lawsuit, compelled entry of a judgment in defendant's favor, even without a posttrial JNOV motion.
Plaintiffs appeal, but do not challenge the jury instructions, the special verdict form, or the finding that defendant did not act with gross negligence. Plaintiffs urge this court to (1) review the release do novo and conclude it does not cover Tuttle's accident, (2) hold the release violates public policy, (3) find that defendant invited errors in the special verdict form and jury instructions and forfeited the opportunity for entry of judgment in its favor without first formally moving for JNOV, and (4) order a new trial. We find no error, however, and affirm.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
I.
THE RELEASE
On September 2, 2013, Tuttle purchased a season ski pass from defendant and executed a release. The release begins with an all-capital advisement: "WARNING, ASSUMPTION OF RISK, RELEASE OF LIABILITY INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING. THIS IS A RELEASE OF LIABILITY WAIVER OF CERTAIN LEGAL RIGHTS." Salient provisions of the release are found in paragraphs 1, 2, 5, 6, and 13.
Tuttle purchased the ski pass online. No actual signature was required; she "signed" the release by clicking the appropriate box on the electronic form.
In paragraph 1, Tuttle acknowledged snow skiing "can be HAZARDOUS AND INVOLVES THE RISK OF PHYSICAL INJURY AND/OR DEATH." In paragraph 2, she "ASSUME[D] ALL RISKS . . . known or unknown, inherent or otherwise [associated with skiing at the resort, including] falling; slick or uneven surfaces; surface and subsurface snow conditions; . . . variations in terrain; design and condition of man-made facilities and/or terrain features; . . . [and] collisions." Paragraph 5 advised: "The description of the risks listed above is not complete and participating in the Activities may be dangerous and may also include risks which are inherent and/or which cannot be reasonably avoided without changing the nature of the Activities."
Paragraph 6 included Tuttle's express agreement "NOT TO SUE AND TO RELEASE [DEFENDANT] FROM ALL LIABILITY . . . for . . . injury or loss to [her], including death." This paragraph specifically advised that Tuttle was releasing all "CLAIMS BASED ON [DEFENDANT'S] ALLEGED OR ACTUAL NEGLIGENCE . . . ." In paragraph 13, Tuttle agreed the release was "binding to the fullest extent permitted by law . . . on [her] heirs, next of kin, executors and personal representatives."
II.
THE ACCIDENT AND THE LAWSUIT
The accident occurred on December 21, 2013. Snowboarder Anthony Slater was proceeding out of defendant's terrain park and collided with skier Tuttle after their respective trails merged. The impact of the collision propelled Tuttle into a tree. Tuttle died the following morning. Factors that potentially contributed to the accident included defendant's signage, fencing, crowd control the day of the accident, Tuttle's ski path, and Slater's speed.
Plaintiffs sued defendant and Slater. Defendant raised the defenses of implied and express assumption of the risk: (1) "any injury, loss or damage purportedly sustained . . . by Plaintiffs was directly and proximately caused and contributed to by risks which are inherent to the activity in which Plaintiffs participated"; (2) "Plaintiffs either impliedly or expressly relieved Defendant of its duty, if any, to Plaintiffs by knowingly assuming the risk of injury"; and (3) defendant "is entitled to defense and indemnity of each and every cause of action alleged in the Complaint pursuant to the release agreement signed by Plaintiffs and/or Plaintiffs' representative or agent."
The jury exonerated Slater from liability. He is not a party to this appeal.
III.
THE JURY TRIAL
The jury trial spanned five weeks. The week before jury selection, the parties stipulated to a special verdict form that posed two liability questions: (1) whether defendant "unreasonably increased the risks to Tuttle over and above those inherent in the sport of skiing" and (2) whether defendant was grossly negligent. The special verdict form further instructed the jury that if it answered "yes" to either question, it was to make findings regarding the amount of damages and allocation of fault. Before the final witness concluded his testimony, the trial court confirmed that counsel were not making any changes to the special verdict form.
The appellate record is lengthy. Given the limited issues before this court, however, we do not recite the trial evidence in detail.
The following day, at the close of evidence and outside the jurors' presence, the trial court denied plaintiffs' motion for directed verdict and defendant's renewed motion for nonsuit. The trial court rejected plaintiffs' argument the release was fatally ambiguous with regard to the risks involved in the accident. Given the absence of competent extrinsic evidence regarding the release, the trial court determined its interpretation presented a legal question for the court: "So I will construe the release, relying on its plain language. I find that it is not ambiguous. It covers the risks here, most notably in paragraph 2 where it covers risks regarding design and collision, and later where it notes that the risks include injury, including death."
The trial court denied defendant's first nonsuit motion two days earlier. At that time, the trial judge announced he "would be prepared to find as a matter of law that colliding with a snowboarder or colliding with a tree is an inherent risk of skiing," but the jury would decide whether defendant unreasonably increased the inherent risk of the sport.
In the trial court's own words, the finding as a matter of law that the release unambiguously discharged defendant from liability for its own ordinary negligence meant "we still have questions for the jury about whether the contract was entered into and whether the defendant[] committed gross negligence that cannot be released. For these reasons, the plaintiffs' motion for directed verdict is denied."
The rulings prompted defendant's counsel to suggest additional jury instructions and a revision to the special verdict form might be necessary to address the fact issues surrounding Tuttle's execution of the release. The following colloquy then ensued: "[Plaintiffs' counsel]: Your Honor I'll shortcut the whole thing. With the court's ruling, I'll stipulate to the formation of the contract and proceed with the verdict form as is, so no need for additional instructions. [¶] [Defendant's counsel]: I'm sorry. To be clear, we have a stipulation that the contract existed and that the contract included the release and waiver language? [¶] [Plaintiffs' counsel]: Right. The release and—release of liability and waiver was executed—existed and was executed. That's the stipulation. [¶] [Defendant's counsel]: Accepted, your Honor. [¶] The Court: So stipulated." (Italics added.)
At this point, the jurors returned to the courtroom. The trial court read the jury instructions, and plaintiffs' counsel began his closing argument. He had this to say about the release: "What we're talking about here, the liability of the resort does not fall under this release. And you are not going to be asked any questions on the verdict form about the release. Yeah, [Tuttle] signed one, and she understood the inherent risks of skiing, and that's what the release releases. It does not release gross negligence. It does not release what we're talking about."
At the beginning of the afternoon session, before defendant's closing argument, the trial court and counsel met again outside the jurors' presence to discuss the stipulation concerning the release. Plaintiffs' counsel maintained the jury should not hear about the stipulation. When the trial court repeated its concern the jury could "end up finding that the release was not valid" and invited counsel to revisit the special verdict form, plaintiffs' counsel replied there was no need as "the release in evidence releases negligence. And the questions on the verdict form go[] to gross negligence, and—this doesn't have to do with the release, but the increase of unreasonable risk." Defendant's counsel remarked the "dialogue this morning, your Honor, was prompted in part by the plaintiffs' desire not to have to modify further the special verdict form." Plaintiffs' counsel concurred: "Right." Counsel then agreed the stipulation would not be read to the jury.
Closing arguments continued. Defendant's counsel did not mention the release in his closing argument. Neither did plaintiffs' counsel in his rebuttal argument. There, he referred to the special verdict form and told the jurors, "[a]t the end of the day, it's a simple exercise. That jury form . . . . [¶] . . . If you perceive wrong on the part of [defendant], you tick those two boxes. And there's two of them—you tick them both. Procedurally, you tick the one about increased unreasonable risk, and then you tick the one about gross negligence. If you perceive wrong, that's what you do."
The jury was never told the release provided a complete defense to defendant's ordinary negligence.
IV.
THE SPECIAL VERDICT
As to defendant, the special verdict form included three liability questions, three damages questions, and three comparative fault/apportionment of liability questions. The liability questions read as follows:
"3. Did Heavenly Valley do something or fail to do something that unreasonably increased the risks to Dana Tuttle over and above those inherent in the sport of skiing?
"Yes X No ___
"4. Was Heavenly Valley grossly negligent in doing something or failing to do something that caused harm to Dana Tuttle?
"Yes ___ No X
"If you answered 'Yes' to either question 3 or 4, then answer question 5. [¶] If you answered 'No' to both questions 3 and 4, and also answered 'No' to either question 1 or 2, then sign and return this verdict form. You do not need to answer any more questions.
"If you answered 'Yes' to both questions 1 and 2, and answered 'No' to both questions 3 and 4, insert the number '0' next to Heavenly Valley's name in question 11, skip question 5, and answer questions 6-11.
"5. Was Heavenly Valley's conduct a substantial factor in causing harm to Dana Tuttle?
"Yes X No ___"
Because the jury answered "yes" to question 5, it was instructed to answer the remaining questions. The jury determined plaintiffs' damages were $2,131,831, with Tuttle and defendant sharing equal responsibility.
Immediately after polling the jurors, the trial court asked plaintiffs' counsel to prepare the judgment and submit it the next morning. The trial court then thanked and discharged the jury without objection from trial counsel. No one noted on the record that express assumption of the risk was a complete defense to the jury's verdict.
V.
ENTRY OF A DEFENSE JUDGMENT
At the trial court's direction, plaintiffs' counsel prepared a proposed judgment awarding plaintiffs $1,065,915.50, plus costs and interest. Defendant objected on the basis the jury found defendant was not grossly negligent and the release provided "a complete and total defense to this entire lawsuit and Plaintiffs should take nothing."
Defendant also requested a statement of decision addressing the applicability of primary implied and express assumption of the risk doctrines; the trial court denied the request. The trial court's denial of this request is not at issue in this appeal.
After briefing and a hearing, the trial court sustained defendant's objection to plaintiffs' proposed judgment. In its March 9, 2018 order, the trial court reiterated its finding as a matter of law that Tuttle's release "clearly, unambiguously, and explicitly released defendant from future liability for any negligence against Dana Tuttle." The trial court explained its earlier finding concerning the scope of the release still left open fact questions as to whether Tuttle knowingly accepted the release agreement and, if she did, whether defendant acted with gross negligence. With the parties' stipulation that Tuttle knowingly executed the release and the jury's factual finding that defendant did not act with gross negligence, the trial court further explained there was only one legal conclusion: "[D]efendant has prevailed on the express assumption issue and 'negate[d] the defendant's duty of care, an element of the plaintiff's case.'"
The trial court acknowledged "the structure" of the special verdict form erroneously directed the jury to continue to answer questions on damages after finding defendant had not been grossly negligent. The trial court found, however, the jury's specific finding that defendant did not act with gross negligence was not inconsistent with, but instead overrode, the award of damages.
The trial court did not invite defendant to file a motion for JNOV or call for the filing of such a motion on its own initiative. Instead, it entered judgment in favor of defendant.
VI.
PLAINTIFFS' POSTJUDGMENT MOTIONS
The defense judgment reiterated the jury's special verdict findings and stated in relevant part: "It appearing that by reason of those special verdicts, and the Court's interpretation of the terms of the legal contract in Decedent Dana Tuttle's season ski pass agreement, and [the] legal conclusions as set forth in that certain Order entered on March 9, 2018, Defendants Heavenly Valley L.P., and Anthony Slater are entitled to judgment on Plaintiffs' complaint." (Some capitalization omitted.)
Plaintiffs filed a motion to set aside the judgment under Code of Civil Procedure section 663 on the ground the judgment was not consistent with the special verdict and adversely affected plaintiffs' substantial rights. Plaintiffs also filed a motion for JNOV or, in the alternative, a new trial, on the grounds there was insufficient evidence defendant had not acted with gross negligence, the special verdict was "hopelessly contradictory" because the jury's gross negligence finding imposed no liability, but its apportionment of fault between Tuttle and defendant did, and defendant invited errors.
Plaintiffs do not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence in this appeal.
The trial court denied plaintiffs' postjudgment motions. Plaintiffs timely appealed.
DISCUSSION
I.
THE RELEASE COVERED TUTTLE'S ACCIDENT.
The trial court found as a matter of law that defendant's release was not ambiguous and covered Tuttle's accident. Our review of the release is de novo. (Paralift, Inc. v. Superior Court (1993) 23 Cal.App.4th 748, 754.) No extrinsic evidence concerning the meaning of the release was presented in the trial court, so "the scope of a release is determined by [its] express language." (Benedek v. PLC Santa Monica (2002) 104 Cal.App.4th 1351, 1357 (Benedek).)
Rather than a straightforward argument the trial court erred as a matter of law in interpreting the release, plaintiffs contend the release was narrow in scope and applied only to risks inherent in the sport of snow skiing. But a release that applies only to the inherent risks of a sport is the legal equivalent of no release at all. (Cohen v. Five Brooks Stable (2008) 159 Cal.App.4th 1476, 1490 (Cohen); Zipusch v. LA Workout, Inc. (2007) 155 Cal.App.4th 1281, 1291 (Zipusch).) To understand the distinction, we detour briefly to discuss the doctrines of implied and express assumption of the risk.
A.
OVERVIEW: ASSUMPTION OF THE RISK
The California Supreme Court's decision in Knight v. Jewett (1992) 3 Cal.4th 296 (Knight) and its progeny have established that a ski resort operator is not liable for injuries caused by risks inherent in the sport of snow skiing. Instead, pursuant to the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk, participants in active sports assume responsibility for injuries sustained as a result of the sport's inherent risks. (Id. at p. 321.) Stated another way, the defendant owes no duty of care to protect the plaintiff from the inherent risks of an active sport. (Allan v. Snow Summit, Inc. (1996) 51 Cal.App.4th 1358, 1367 (Allan).) Because no duty of care is owed and the plaintiff has assumed the risk of injury, no release is necessary to absolve a defendant of liability when a plaintiff is injured as the result of an inherent risk in an active sport such as skiing.
Knight, supra, 3 Cal.4th 296 was a plurality decision authored by Chief Justice George that all members of the court except Justice Kennard subsequently accepted. (Luna v. Vela (2008) 169 Cal.App.4th 102, 107, citing Shin v. Ahn (2007) 42 Cal.4th 482, 491.)
Whether a risk is inherent to a particular active sport presents a question of law for the court. (Hass v. RhodyCo Productions (2018) 26 Cal.App.5th 11, 23 (Hass).)
A ski resort operator "still owe[s] a duty, however, not to increase the risks of injury beyond those that are inherent in the sport. This distinction is closely tied to the policy underlying the finding of no duty, i.e., there should be no liability imposed which would chill normal participation or fundamentally alter the nature of the sport, but liability may be appropriate where the risk is not 'inherent' in the sport." (Allan, supra, 51 Cal.App.4th at p. 1367, italics omitted.) This is the doctrine of secondary assumption of the risk, and it is an exception to the complete defense of primary assumption of risk. (Knight, supra, 3 Cal.4th at p. 308.)
Comparative fault principles apply in secondary assumption of the risk cases. The trier of fact considers the "plaintiff's voluntary action in choosing to engage in an unusually risky sport, whether or not the plaintiff's decision to encounter the risk should be characterized as unreasonable" and weighs it against the defendant's breach of the duty not to increase the risks beyond those inherent in the active sport. (Knight, supra, 3 Cal.4th at p. 314.) Where a plaintiff's "injury has been caused by both a defendant's breach of a legal duty to the plaintiff and the plaintiff's voluntary decision to engage in an unusually risky sport, application of comparative fault principles will not operate to relieve either individual of responsibility for his or her actions, but rather will ensure that neither party will escape such responsibility." (Ibid.; see Allan, supra, 51 Cal.App.4th at p. 1367.)
A different analysis applies when a skier signs a written release that expressly holds the ski operator harmless for its own negligence. This triggers the doctrine of express assumption of the risk. Unlike secondary assumption of the risk, but like primary assumption of the risk, the doctrine of express assumption of the risk provides a complete defense in a negligence action.
However, unlike both implied primary and secondary assumption of the risk, which focus on risks inherent in an active sport like skiing, express assumption of the risk focuses on the agreement itself. A valid release "operates to relieve the defendant of a legal duty to the plaintiff with respect to the risks encompassed by the agreement and, where applicable, to bar completely the plaintiff's cause of action." (Knight, supra, 3 Cal.4th at p. 309, fn. 4, italics added.) The legal issue in an express assumption of the risk case "'is not whether the particular risk of injury appellant suffered is inherent in the recreational activity to which the Release applies [citations], but simply the scope of the Release.'" (Hass, supra, 26 Cal.App.5th at p. 27.)
Additionally, a plaintiff does not need to have "'specific knowledge of the particular risk that ultimately caused the injury. [Citation.] If a release of all liability is given, the release applies to any negligence of the defendant [so long as the negligent act that results in injury is] "'reasonably related to the object or purpose for which the release is given.'" [Citation.]' [Citation.] As we have said, '[t]he issue is not whether the particular risk of injury is inherent in the recreational activity to which the release applies, but rather the scope of the release.'" (Cohen, supra, 159 Cal.App.4th at p. 1485; see Allan, supra, 51 Cal.App.4th at p. 1374 [courts will enforce a skier's agreement "to 'shoulder the risk' that otherwise might have been placed" on the ski resort operator].)
There is an outer limit to the scope of a release from liability for one's own negligence in the recreational sports context: As a matter of public policy, if a skier proves the operator unreasonably increased the inherent risks to the level of gross negligence, express assumption of the risk is no longer a viable defense; and the operator will be liable for damages notwithstanding the existence of a valid release of liability for ordinary negligence. (See City of Santa Barbara v. Superior Court (2007) 41 Cal.4th 747, 777 (Santa Barbara).)
To recap, snow skiing has inherent risks, and a ski operator does not owe skiers any duty to protect against them. If a skier is injured as a result of a risk inherent in the sport, the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk provides a complete defense to a lawsuit against the ski operator. But a ski resort operator owes a duty not to unreasonably increase the risks beyond those inherent in the sport. If a ski operator breaches this duty, the doctrine of secondary assumption of the risk makes the ski resort liable to an injured skier on a comparative fault basis. If the skier executes a release that absolves the ski resort operator of liability for the operator's negligence, the release is a complete defense, provided the ski operator did not act with gross negligence. That is to say, the ski operator is entitled to judgment as a matter of law if the skier has signed a valid release and the ski operator's conduct, although negligent, was not grossly negligent.
B.
ANALYSIS
The parties stipulated Tuttle executed the release with full knowledge of its content; consequently, the validity of the release is not before us. The jury unanimously agreed defendant's conduct did not constitute gross negligence, and plaintiffs do not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to support that finding; thus, no public policy considerations preclude its enforcement. Our only concern is "'whether the release in this case negated the duty element of plaintiffs' causes of action.'" (Eriksson v. Nunnink (2015) 233 Cal.App.4th 708, 719.) If so, it applied to any ordinary negligence by defendant. (Benedek, supra, 104 Cal.App.4th at p. 1357.)
Defendant's release did precisely that. Tuttle assumed "ALL RISKS associated with [skiing], known or unknown, inherent or otherwise." She also agreed not to sue defendant and to release it "FROM ALL LIABILITY . . . BASED ON [DEFENDANT'S] ALLEGED OR ACTUAL NEGLIGENCE." No more was required.
Defendant's use of the phrase, "inherent or otherwise" did not create any ambiguity or confusion. As the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has recognized, "[t]he term 'otherwise,' when 'paired with an adjective or adverb to indicate its contrary' . . . is best understood to mean 'NOT.' Webster's Third New Int'l. Dictionary 1598 (2002). The plain language and meaning of the phrases therefore reflect a clear intent to cover risks that are not inherent to skiing." (Brigance v. Vail Summit Resorts, Inc. (10th Cir. 2018) 883 F.3d 1243, 1256-1257.)
Plaintiffs' contention that defendant's release "bears many similarities to the release" in Cohen, supra, 159 Cal.App.4th 1476 misses the mark. The plaintiff in Cohen fell from a rented horse on a guided trail ride. She sued the stable, alleging its employee, the trail guide, negligently and "unexpectedly provoke[d] a horse to bolt and run without warning" (id. at p. 1492), causing her to lose control of her horse (id. at p. 1482). The trial court granted the defendant's motion for summary judgment based on the plaintiff's written agreement "'to assume responsibility for the risks identified herein and those risks not specifically identified.'" (Id. at p. 1486, italics omitted.)
The Court of Appeal reversed. The Cohen majority noted "the trial court apparently granted summary judgment on the theory that the risks 'not specifically identified' in the Release include the risk that misconduct of respondent or its employee might increase a risk inherent in horseback riding." (Cohen, supra, 159 Cal.App.4th at pp. 1486-1487, italics omitted.) This interpretation was erroneous because the stable's agreement did not explicitly advise that the plaintiff was releasing the defendant from liability for the defendant's negligence. Although a release is not required to use "the word 'negligence' or any particular verbiage . . . [it] must inform the releasor that it applies to misconduct on the part of the releasee." (Id. at pp. 1488-1489.) The release in Cohen used the word "negligence" only once, in reference to the plaintiff's negligence, not that of the defendant. The stable's release also did not "indicate that it covers any and all injuries arising out of or connected with the use of respondent's facilities." (Id. at p. 1489.)
Having found the release ineffective to trigger the doctrine of express assumption of the risk, the Cohen majority turned to the doctrines of implied assumption of the risk, i.e., it focused on the inherent risks of horseback riding. Summary judgment could not be granted on that basis, either, because a triable issue of fact existed as to whether the trail guide acted recklessly and increased the inherent risks of a guided horseback ride. (Cohen, supra, 159 Cal.App.4th at p. 1494-1495.)
Here, in contrast, Tuttle assumed all risks associated with her use of defendant's facilities and expressly released defendant from all liability for its negligence. That language applied to ordinary negligence by defendant and provided a complete defense to plaintiffs' lawsuit, so long as defendant's conduct did not constitute gross negligence. (Knight, supra, 3 Cal.4th at pp. 308-309, fn. 4.)
The release in Zipusch, supra, 155 Cal.App.4th 1281 mirrors the one in Cohen, but not the one in this case. As in Cohen, the plaintiff in Zipusch did not agree to assume the risk of negligence by the defendant gym. Accordingly, the agreement was ineffective as an express release; and the issue for the Court of Appeal was whether the plaintiff's injury was the result of an inherent risk of exercising in a gym, in which case the primary assumption of the risk doctrine would apply, or whether it was the result of the gym increasing the inherent risks of exercise, in which case the secondary assumption of the risk doctrine would apply. (Id. at pp. 1291-1292.)
Hass, supra, 26 Cal.App.5th 11 is instructive. Plaintiffs cite Hass in their opening brief, but do not attempt to distinguish it, even though the release in Hass is similar to the one Tuttle signed. The analysis in Hass applies in this case.
In Hass, the plaintiffs' decedent suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after finishing a half marathon organized and sponsored by the defendant. His heirs sued for wrongful death. The Court of Appeal held that cardiac arrest is an inherent risk of running a race, but a triable issue of material fact existed as to whether the defendant acted with gross negligence in failing to provide timely and adequate emergency medical services. (Hass, supra, 26 Cal.App.5th at p. 18.)
Addressing the release, Hass held: "By signing the Release in the instant case, we conclude that [the decedent] intended both to assume all risks associated with his participation in the race, up to and including the risk of death, and to release [the defendant] (on behalf of himself and his heirs) from any and all liability with respect to any injuries he might suffer as a result of his participation. This was sufficient to block the [plaintiffs'] wrongful death claim for ordinary negligence." (Hass, supra, 26 Cal.App.5th at p. 27.)
So it is here. Paragraph 13 of Tuttle's release also binds her "assignees, subrogors, distributors, heirs, next of kin, executors and personal representatives."
A wrongful death action is not a derivative action. Nonetheless, "although an individual involved in a dangerous activity cannot by signing a release extinguish his heirs' wrongful death claim, the heirs will be bound by the decedent's agreement to waive a defendant's negligence and assume all risk." (Ruiz v. Podolsky (2010) 50 Cal.4th 838, 851-852; see Hass, supra, 26 Cal.App.5th at p. 25 ["In other words, although a decedent cannot release or waive a subsequent wrongful death claim by the decedent's heirs, that decedent's 'express agreement to waive the defendant's negligence and assume all risks' acts as a complete defense to such a wrongful death action"].)
Our independent examination of defendant's release convinces us Tuttle assumed all risks that might arise from skiing at defendant's resort, including risks created by defendant's ordinary negligence. With a valid release and no gross negligence by defendant, the issue of inherent risk was no longer relevant. (Willhide-Michiulis v. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, LLC (2018) 25 Cal.App.5th 344, 353 [where the doctrine of express assumption of risk applies, implied assumption of the risk is no longer considered].)
II.
ENFORCEMENT OF THE RELEASE DOES NOT VIOLATE CALIFORNIA'S PUBLIC POLICY.
Plaintiffs next argue the release's exculpatory language violates California's public policy. The linchpin of their argument is that defendant's act of unreasonably increasing the inherent risk of an active sport was neither ordinary negligence nor gross negligence, but a separate category of "aggravated" negligence. Plaintiffs argue Santa Barbara, supra, 41 Cal.4th 747 "left open the question of whether public policy precludes the contractual release of other forms of 'aggravated' misconduct, in addition to gross negligence." (Some capitalization omitted.) The argument is raised for the first time on appeal; it has no merit.
In Santa Barbara, a parent signed an agreement releasing the defendants from liability for "'any negligent act'" related to her child's participation in summer camp. (Santa Barbara, supra, 41 Cal.4th at p. 750.) The child drowned. (Ibid.) The trial court denied the defendants' motion for summary judgment based on the release, and the appellate court denied defendants' petition for writ of mandate challenging that ruling. (Id. at p. 753.) The sole issue before the Supreme Court was "whether a release of liability relating to recreational activities generally is effective as to gross negligence." (Id. at p. 750.)
The defendants argued California law, specifically Civil Code section 1668, impliedly allowed recreational activity releases to be enforced against a claim of gross negligence. (Santa Barbara, supra, 41 Cal.4th at pp. 762-763.) At the time, no published California decision "voided[] an agreement purporting to release liability for future gross negligence." (Id. at p. 758.) The Santa Barbara majority turned to out-of-state authorities and rejected the defendants' position based on public policy principles. (Id. at pp. 760-762.)
Civil Code section 1668 lists the types of contractual releases that are unenforceable as a matter of public policy (i.e., those exempting "anyone from responsibility for his own fraud, or willful injury to the person or property of another, or violation of law, whether willful or negligent"). Gross negligence is not on the list.
References in Santa Barbara to "aggravated wrongs" (a term used by Prosser & Keeton, The Law of Torts (5th ed. 1984) § 68, p. 484) (Santa Barbara, supra, 41 Cal.4th at pp. 762, 765, 776) and "aggravated misconduct" (id. at pp. 760, 762, 777, fn. 54) do not suggest a new species of negligence that might affect a liability release for recreational activities. Rather, those phrases encompassed misconduct that included gross negligence and willful acts. (Id. at p. 754, fn. 4.) As the majority held, "the distinction between 'ordinary and gross negligence' reflects 'a rule of policy' that harsher legal consequences should flow when negligence is aggravated instead of merely ordinary." (Id. at p. 776.) With a valid release, "a theory of gross negligence, if supported by evidence showing the existence of a triable issue, is the only negligence-based theory that is potentially open to [the] plaintiffs." (Santa Barbara, supra, 41 Cal.4th at p. 781.)
Here, no public policy considerations preclude the enforcement of defendant's recreational activity release that exculpated it from liability for its own ordinary negligence. (Knight, supra, 3 Cal.4th at p. 309, fn. 4.)
III.
THE TRIAL COURT DID NOT ERR BY ENTERING JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF DEFENDANT.
Plaintiffs argue the trial court should have entered judgment in their favor regardless of the jury's finding concerning gross negligence because the jury made findings on damages and apportioned fault between Tuttle and defendant. They contend the responsibility to seek a JNOV or some other postjudgment remedy should have fallen to defendant, not plaintiffs. But once the trial court determined the special verdict was not inconsistent and Tuttle's express release provided a complete defense as a matter of law, entry of a defense judgment was proper. Even if the trial court erred in entering a defense judgment without a formal motion for JNOV, any error was harmless.
A.
LEGAL PRINCIPLES GOVERNING SPECIAL VERDICTS
A special verdict must include "conclusions of fact as established by the evidence . . . [so] that nothing shall remain to the Court but to draw from them conclusions of law." (Code Civ. Proc., § 624.) A special verdict is not a judgment. (Goodman v. Lozano (2010) 47 Cal.4th 1327, 1331-1332.) If a special verdict includes findings on inconsistent theories, the findings on the legal theory that does not control the outcome of the litigation "may be disregarded as surplusage." (Baird v. Ocequeda (1937) 8 Cal.2d 700, 703.) Additionally, "where no objection is made before the jury is discharged, it falls to 'the trial judge to interpret the verdict from its language considered in connection with the pleadings, evidence and instructions.'" (Woodcock v. Fontana Scaffolding & Equip. Co. (1968) 69 Cal.2d 452, 456-457; see Zagami, Inc. v. James A. Crone, Inc. (2008) 160 Cal.App.4th 1083, 1091-1092.)
B.
THE TRIAL COURT'S RULING
As noted, the jury was discharged before the parties raised an issue concerning the special verdict form and the jury's findings. The trial court recognized and fulfilled its duty to interpret the special verdict: "After [this] court rejected several unilateral proposals, the parties stipulated to a special verdict form. . . . But they did so before the court construed the release in response to defendant's nonsuit motion and before the parties stipulated Ms. Tuttle entered into the release. [¶] Thus, the form presented only two questions addressing the assumption of the risk. Question #3 asked whether defendant unreasonably increased the inherent risks of skiing. Question #4 asked whether defendant acted with gross negligence. [¶] The answer 'NO' to either Question #3 or #4 exonerates defendant. Answering 'No' to Question #3 would foreclose the only relevant exception to the primary assumption defense. Answering "NO' to Question #4 would foreclose the only relevant exception to the express assumption defense. [¶] But the form allowed the jurors to answer 'YES' to one question and 'NO' to [the] other one and continue to answer questions, including determining and allocating damages." (Italics and bold omitted.)
The trial court further explained: "Here, the specific finding that defendant did not act with gross negligence controls over the general award of damages. The jury was properly instructed with the definition of gross negligence. The jury received percipient and expert testimony that, if credited, showed defendant did not act with gross negligence. The parties argued whether defendant [did] or did not act with gross negligence. The answer 'NO' to Question #4 unambiguously shows the jury found defendant did not act with gross negligence. That resolved the only factual question on the express assumption issue in favor of defendant. [¶] . . . [¶] The award of damages is not a hopeless inconsistency so much as it is mere surplusage once the court honors the jury's unambiguous finding that defendant acted without gross negligence and draws the legal conclusion—a conclusion that [the] jury was not asked to draw—that the release covers these claims and effects an express assumption of the risk."
The trial court also correctly concluded the "jury's findings on Question[] #3 and Question #4 [were not] irreconcilable. The concept of unreasonably increasing inherent risks is distinct from the concept of gross negligence. In a particular case, the same facts that show an unreasonable increase in the inherent risks may also show gross negligence. [Citation.] Overlap is possible, [but not] necessary. In this case, the jury found no such overlap. There is no inconsistency in defendant losing on the primary assumption issue but prevailing on the express assumption issue. And that, after five weeks of trial, is what happened here."
C.
ANALYSIS
A validly executed express release of liability for a defendant's ordinary negligence means the only viable theory for a judgment in a plaintiff's favor is if the defendant acted with gross negligence. (Santa Barbara, supra, 41 Cal.4th at p. 781.) There is no inconsistency between findings that a defendant is ordinarily negligent by unreasonably increasing the inherent risks of snow skiing, but not grossly negligent. A finding of gross negligence would necessarily mean a defendant unreasonably increased the inherent risks of snow skiing, so that comparative fault principles apply. But an express release, coupled with an undisputed factual finding that a defendant did not act with gross negligence, necessarily results in a defense judgment. Accordingly, Question No. 3 concerning whether defendant unreasonably increased the inherent risk should have been removed from the special verdict form.
Also, the special verdict form should have instructed the jury that if it found defendant was not grossly negligent, it should not answer the remaining questions. The jury's compliance with the trial court's instructions and consequent damages-related findings were surplusage, but did not create an inconsistency with its finding that defendant did not act with gross negligence. The trial court correctly entered judgment in favor of defendant based on the dispositive finding of no gross negligence. The trial court's explanation of its ruling demonstrates the trial court's application of the correct legal principles in doing so.
In their appellate opening brief, plaintiffs argue defendant forfeited any objection to the special verdict form because it (1) failed to object to the special verdict before the jury was discharged; (2) invited the erroneous instructions in the special verdict form because it had participated in drafting it; and (3) failed to bring "a statutorily authorized post-trial motion" challenging the special verdict form. Although the special verdict form should have been amended before deliberations, there is no issue of forfeiture or invited error on defendant's part.
The parties jointly agreed on the wording of the special verdict form. Any fault in the drafting cannot be assigned to one side over the other, and all parties bear responsibility for the erroneous directions in the stipulated special verdict form. Nothing in the record suggests the special verdict form or the objection to entry of a plaintiffs' judgment was the product of gamesmanship. (See Lambert v. General Motors (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 1179, 1183.)
Additionally, plaintiffs' trial strategy to stipulate to Tuttle's knowing execution of the release was wise: Evidence Tuttle understood the release was overwhelming. As part of the discussion pertaining to the parties' stipulation, however, both the trial court and defendant's trial counsel questioned the adequacy of the special verdict form. But plaintiffs' trial counsel maintained the special verdict form was fine "as is" and persuasively argued against making any changes or advising the jury of the stipulation. This meant the doctrine of implied secondary assumption of the risk was not relevant unless the jury found defendant acted with gross negligence.
We agree the procedural aspects surrounding the entry of the defense judgment on what appeared to be a plaintiffs' verdict were unconventional; but the bottom line is once the jury found no gross negligence, defendant was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Under these circumstances, it would have been a waste of resources to require defendant, or the trial court on its own initiative, to formally notice a motion for JNOV (Code Civ. Proc., § 629, subd. (a)).
Even if we found the procedure to have been erroneous, the error would have been procedural, not substantive; and, plaintiffs have not demonstrated the likelihood of a different outcome. (See Webb v. Special Electric, Co., Inc. (2016) 63 Cal.4th 167, 179 [because the defendant "did not have a complete defense as a matter of law, the entry of JNOV was unjustified [on the merits]. In light of this conclusion, we need not reach plaintiffs' claims of procedural error"].) Defendant had a complete defense; there is no reasonable probability the trial court would have denied a formal JNOV motion.
Plaintiffs argue they relied on the state of the special verdict form in making the decision to stipulate to the validity of the release agreement. Plaintiffs suggest defendant, by agreeing to the special verdict form, tacitly stipulated to a deviation from the applicable law to allow plaintiffs to recover damages based solely on a finding defendant had unreasonably increased the inherent risk, notwithstanding the existence of a valid, applicable release. Such an argument is without support in the law. It is also belied by the record. As already discussed, both defendant's counsel and the trial court raised questions concerning the special verdict form once the parties stipulated to Tuttle's execution of the release. Plaintiffs' trial counsel maintained there should be no changes in the jury instructions or the special verdict form.
IV.
PLAINTIFFS ARE NOT ENTITLED TO A NEW TRIAL.
Plaintiffs argued in their motion for new trial that the special verdict was "hopelessly contradictory" and, consequently, against the law. Plaintiffs also asserted there were errors in the special verdict form, they "excepted to" those errors, but then were penalized because "the jury's finding of unreasonably increased inherent risk has ex post facto been deemed insufficient to impose liability on Defendant Heavenly Valley." Although plaintiffs did not claim instructional error in the trial court, they complained the modified version of CACI No. 431, to which they agreed, misled the jurors into thinking they could find defendant liable if they found it unreasonably increased the inherent risk of skiing or if they found it acted with gross negligence.
Plaintiffs do not challenge the modified version of CACI No. 431 in this court, either. The modified instruction read: "If you find that Heavenly Valley unreasonably increased the inherent risks of snow skiing, or that Heavenly Valley was grossly negligent, and also find that Heavenly Valley's conduct was a substantial factor in causing Dana Tuttle's harm, then Heavenly Valley is responsible for the harm. Heavenly Valley cannot avoid responsibility just because some other person, condition, or event, including but not limited to Dana Tuttle's own negligence or the acts of Anthony Slater were also a substantial factor in causing Dana Tuttle's harm."
On appeal, plaintiffs ask this court to reverse the denial of their motion for a new trial. They fail to cite applicable authorities to support their arguments. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.204(a)(1)(B).) Instead, they contend "the trial court changed the rules of the game only after the game had already been played, leaving the parties and their counsel without the opportunity to satisfy those new rules, and robbing the jury of the ability to assess all viable liability options." Plaintiffs add they stipulated to Tuttle's execution of the release "in reliance on the wording of the then existing Special Verdict form, which . . . made clear that a finding of gross negligence was only one of two disjunctive liability paths, and was not necessary to impose liability against Heavenly. As a consequence, [plaintiffs] . . . were . . . induced into a stipulation concerning that issue in light of the wording of the existing Special Verdict form, an unfair sequence which the trial court itself acknowledged worked against [plaintiffs]." This characterization misstates the record.
First, the trial court made legal rulings throughout trial when called upon to do so. The trial court did not change any of its pronouncements of law after the trial concluded. The record shows the trial court gave the parties every opportunity to revisit the jury instructions and special verdict form before they were given to the jury.
Second, although the trial court described the sequence of events, it did not suggest the events were unfair or "worked against" plaintiffs. As discussed ante, when the trial court denied defendant's renewed motion for nonsuit, it advised counsel the jury must decide whether Tuttle actually executed the release. Because neither side proposed jury instructions or questions on the special verdict form addressing the issue of contract formation, defendant's counsel suggested they should revisit both the jury instructions and the special verdict form. Plaintiffs' trial counsel immediately stipulated to Tuttle's execution of the release and advised he would "proceed with the verdict form as is." This statement calls into question plaintiffs' claim they were induced into entering into the stipulation.
Third-and significantly-plaintiffs' counsel did not discuss disjunctive liability paths in his closing arguments. Instead, plaintiffs' counsel focused on the evidence and urged the jury to find gross negligence: "What we're talking about here, the liability of the resort does not fall under this release. And you are not going to be asked any questions on the verdict form about the release. Yeah, [Tuttle] signed one, and she understood the inherent risks of skiing, and that's what the release releases. It does not release gross negligence. It does not release what we're talking about."
The jury unanimously found defendant did not act with gross negligence. The jury's function is to make ultimate findings of fact, and it is the trial court's responsibility to apply the law to the relevant findings of fact. Nothing in the special verdict form misled the jury with regard to the factors it should consider in making any particular finding. We conclude the trial court correctly applied the law and entered judgment accordingly.
DISPOSITION
The judgment and postjudgment orders are affirmed. Respondents shall recover costs on appeal.
DUNNING, J. WE CONCUR: BEDSWORTH, ACTING P. J. MOORE, J.
Retired judge of the Orange Superior Court, assigned by the Chief Justice pursuant to article VI, section 6 of the California Constitution.