Onell v. Chappell

This was an action to recover damages for personal injuries resulting* from a collision between defendant’s automobile and a wagon of the plaintiff.

In this case the trial court applied the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, and instructed the jury in effect that it is the law that “when a thing that caused the injury is shown to be under the management of the defendant, and the accident is such as in the ordinary course of things does not happen if those who have the management use proper care, it affords reasonable evidence in the absence of explanation by the defendant, that the accident arose…