Robert Leigh v. The United States of America

On June 7, 1972, Leigh brought this action in negligence under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The district court dismissed because it was barred by Leigh’s contributory negligence. Leigh appeals, contending that Oregon's newly-enacted comparative negligence statute applies retroactively to his claim. We affirm the judgment of the district court.

On June 11, 1970, Leigh was seriously injured when the automobile he was driving collided with the exposed trailing end of a guardrail constructed by the Bureau of Public Roads of the Commerce Department on U. S. Highway 26 in Oregon. A year later the…