Hankins v. Bates

This is an action to recover damages for personal injuries alleged to have been caused by defendants’ negligent conduct. The jury found for plaintiff but the trial court entered a judgment notwithstanding the verdict from which plaintiff appeals. The sole question raised by this appeal is whether plaintiff was a guest passenger of defendants as a matter of law.

On July 29, 1973, plaintiff accompanied her family on an outing at Cooper Creek Reservoir in southern Oregon for a picnic and with the prospect of water skiing behind a boat they had recently sold to a Ben Whitaker, who was to meet them…