Hastings v. Flaherty

The plaintiff was hurt while riding as an invited guest in an automobile operated by the defendant. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff. The defendant’s one exception, which was to the denial of his motion for a directed verdict in his favor, presents the issue whether the accident was caused by his gross negligence.

We summarize the evidence most favorable to the plaintiff: The plaintiff was injured after 11:45 p.m. on Christmas eve, 1940,. on a public way in that part of West Boylston known as Oakdale, while on the way to attend a midnight mass at a church in Oakdale. She was…