Chaffin v. Brame

Chaffin (plaintiff) was driving at night when an oncoming driver, Garland, refused to dim his high beams, temporarily blinding Chaffin. Chaffin slowed but did not stop, reasonably expecting Garland to dim his lights, and then collided with Brame's (defendant) truck, which was unlit and blocking the right lane. Brame argued Chaffin was contributorily negligent as a matter of law for driving faster than he could stop within his headlights' range. The trial court refused to find contributory negligence as a matter of law, and the jury found for Chaffin.