ÿWPCw 3# ÚUNå %3 0(9w@a4¡µÄ 0lÌ 0D8 0J| 0TÆ 0^ 0hx 0rà 0|R 0†Î 0T 1uä 0dY 0@½ D3ý B0 U>M B)‹ DC´ AM÷ U*D AQn Æ¿ 0D… 0DÉ D/ B< Y Æ`v~&vÓ¤˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ Le€VV‚Vƒ…†D‡ˆÓ€”B\J#ed)23|x”((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò""""'ÿÿdxd d< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d%%%%7Border 1dd* &Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial*+ ,-Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó..'÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd ýÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€$ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ+"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€(ÔÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€(XÔÌÌò òNovember€19,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€(ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó ¼Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€$ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ý€€On€redirect€examination€of€Dr.€Bizzoco€during€his€deposition,€Dr.€Bizzoco€testified€asÏfollows:Ìà8 àQ:€Doctor,€does€the€fact€that€Mr.€Biddle€hunts€as€a€hobby,€does€that€change€yourÏdiagnosis€as€to€the€causation€of€his€foot€and€ankle€problems?Ìà8 àÌà8 àA:€No,€because€I€look€at€whatððs€done€most€and€I€make€a€decreasing€concern.€.€.€.€IÏalways€go€to€what€you€do€the€most€of,€because€the€foot€is€the€terminal€structure€ofÏweight„bearing.€€So€the€question€is:€what€do€you€bear€weight€on€more€thanÏanything€else.€€Thatððs€number€one.€ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€$ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ\R AØ'\Ñœò òÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEó óÌà@ àò òWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSON€€€Ìà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌóóÌWALTER€J.€BIDDLE,€SR.,€€€€€à àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àó óPlaintiff/Appellee,€ò òà àà àà à)à àó óShelby€Circuit€No.€37195€T.D.€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à à€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)̜ـ*ÙßR€'/&A1-j|&1` Å `€€@ÿRß›NORFOLK€SOUTHERN€RAILWAY€€€€€€à à)à àó óAppeal€No.€02A01„9605„CV„00122Ìò òCOMPANY,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìó óà àDefendant/Appellant.à àò òà àà à)à àÌòòó óÌò òóóÌ€€€ÌÌÌà@ àó óAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€SHELBY€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€MEMPHIS,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€DððARMY€BAILEY,€JUDGE€€€€€€òòÌÌÌFor€the€Plaintiff/Appelleeóó:òòà àà àà àFor€the€Defendant/Appellantóó:òòÌóóÌPatrick€S.€OððBrien€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à àEverett€B.€Gibson€€€€€€€€€ÌC.€Marshall€Friedman€à àà àà àRalph€T.€Gibson€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌSt.€Louis,€Missourià àà àà àà àMemphis,€Tennessee€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌEugene€A.€LaurenziÌMemphis,€TennesseeÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌò òÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àAFFIRMEDÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àó óHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌòòÌóóW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.ÌÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ÇØØÙ  ÙÓÓÑ7€œàXXdðXXdð7ÑÑ  Ñà@ àò òOPINIONó óÌà àThis€case€involves€a€claim€of€negligence€under€the€Federal€Employersðð€Liability€Act.€€TheÏplaintiff€railroad€employee€suffered€foot€and€ankle€injuries€from€walking€on€oversized€ballast€overÏan€extended€period€of€time.€€The€jury€found€the€railroad€fifty€percent€negligent€and€the€employeeÏfifty€percent€negligent.€€In€response€to€a€post„trial€motion,€the€trial€court€struck€the€juryððs€findingÏthat€the€employee€was€negligent.€€We€affirm.Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee€Walter€J.€Biddle,€Sr.€(ð ðBiddleðð),€was€an€employee€ofÏDefendant/Appellant€Norfolk€Southern€Railway€Company€(ð ðNorfolk€Southernðð).€€From€the€mid„1980's€to€1991€or€1992,€Biddle€worked€about€seventy„five€percent€of€the€time€in€the€forwardingÏyard€of€the€DeButts€Yard€in€Chattanooga,€Tennessee.€€His€job€as€a€carman€required€him€to€walkÏbetween€the€tracks€and€examine€the€railway€cars.Ìà àThe€ground€in€the€forwarding€œyard›€is€covered€with€a€mixture€of€rocks€called€ð ðballast.ðð€ÏBiddle€was€required€to€walk€on€this€ballast€while€he€conducted€railroad€car€inspections.€€RailroadÏstandards€in€effect€in€1987€required€that€the€ballast€used€in€walkways€and€yards€consist€of€rocksÏthree€quarters€of€an€inch€in€diameter.€€This€ballast€is€known€as€number€five€ballast.€€During€theÏyears€in€which€Biddle€worked€in€the€forwarding€year,€however,€the€ballast€in€the€yard€wasÏgenerally€larger€in€size.€Some€of€the€rocks€in€the€DeButts€forwarding€yard€were€two„and„one„halfÏto€three€inches€in€diameter.€€Over€the€years,€several€workers€complained€about€the€size€of€theÏballast€in€the€forwarding€yard,€but€the€situation€was€not€remedied.Ìà àLate€in€1987,€Biddle€began€having€problems€with€his€feet.€€His€podiatrist€diagnosed€him€asÏhaving€neuromas,€painful€enlargements€of€the€nerve€sheath€around€a€nerve.€€His€podiatristÏperformed€surgery€on€his€left€foot€early€in€1988€and€later€performed€the€same€procedure€on€hisÏright€foot.€€Subsequently,€in€late€1989,€Biddle€again€sought€medical€advice€for€pain€in€his€feet.€€InÏaddition,€he€was€suffering€from€pain€in€his€ankles.€€For€the€first€time,€Biddleððs€doctor€began€toÏquestion€Biddle€about€his€working€conditions,€and€Biddle€described€his€job€and€the€ballast.€ÏShortly€thereafter,€in€€December€of€1989,€Biddle€filed€an€accident€report€for€twisting€his€ankle.€€InÏJanuary€of€1991,€Biddle€filed€this€lawsuit,€pursuant€to€the€Federal€Employersðð€Liability€ActÍ(ð ðFELAðð),€45€U.S.C.A.€ðððð€51€through€60€(1986),€seeking€damages€for€injuries€caused€byÏwalking€on€the€oversized€ballast.Ìà àAt€trial,€Biddle€testified€about€his€duties€as€a€carman:ÌÓÓà8 àQ:€€Take€us€down€and€tell€us€what€you€do.€€You€have€coupled€the€air€hose.€€WhatÏdo€you€do€now€when€you€inspect€one€of€these€cars?ÌÌà8 àA:€€Once€Iððve€coupled€the€air€hose€and€looked€up€under€both€sides,€up€underneathÏto€check€the€couplers€and€the€running€gears€and€all€that€stuff,€I€come€up€and€IððmÏright€on€top€of€the€knuckles.€€Check€the€knuckles,€couplers,€bumper€castings,€carryÏirons,€seal€steps,€walk€ladders,€walk€boards,€and€retainer€valves,€anything€thatÏpertains€to€my€job€that€might€be€mechanically€defective.€€And€then€I€walk€around,Ïstart€walking€down€the€side€of€the€car,€make€a€visual€inspection€of€the€wheels,€theÏbrake€shoes,€truck€springs,€and€the€other€wheel.€€And€the€outside,€the€portion€of€theÏcar€as€I€walk€along€side€the€car.€€And€do€the€same€thing€when€I€get€to€the€other€end.ÌÌHe€testified€about€the€difficulty€of€performing€his€duties€and€watching€his€step€at€the€same€time:ÌÌà8 àQ:€€When€youððre€walking€down€the€middle€of€that€walkway€trying€to€inspect€theseÏcars,€are€you€looking€where€youððre€putting€your€feet,€or€where€are€you€lookingÏwhen€youððre€doing€this?ÌÌà8 àA:€€In€the€daytime,€you€might€glance€down€every€once€in€awhile.€€But€basicallyÏyouððre€trying€to€see€all€this€running€gear€here,€all€these€wheels€and€things€on€theÏside€of€these€cars€here.ÌÌÓ  Ó*€*€*ÌÓ  ÓÌà8 àQ:€€Mr.€Biddle,€you€said€that€you€feel€that€condition€is€an€unsafe€condition.€€WhyÏdo€you€feel€œthat€that›€ballast€rock€„„€or€that€rock€with€the€majority€of€being€over€twoÏinches€is€an€unsafe€condition€out€in€the€forwarding€yard?ÌÌà8 àA:€€Well,€itððs€not€a€very€stable€footing.€€Like€if€you€step€on€this€rock€here,€your€footÏis€going€to€tilt.€€And€thereððs€no€way€you€can€go€along€and€look€at€where€youððreÏwalking€and€pick€out€the€place€you€want€to€step€in€every€step€and€do€your€job.€€NoÏway.ÌÌÓÓBiddle€testified€that,€prior€to€his€foot€problems,€he€enjoyed€hunting€in€the€woods,€which€alsoÏrequired€walking€on€uneven€surfaces.€Ìà àOther€witnesses€testified€about€the€difficulty€of€watching€oneððs€footing€while€inspecting€theÏcars.€€Avery€Buckner,€a€carman,€testified,€ð ðWell,€ordinarily€on€the€inspections,€youððre€not€reallyÏlooking€where€youððre€walking,€you€assume€that€„„€your€inspections€are€with€the€trains,€and€yourÏfooting,€if€itððs€unlevel,€you€slide.ðð€€Another€carman,€Merlin€Wilson,€testified,€ð ðUsually€weððreÍpretty€well€loaded€with€equipment:€€radios,€lanterns€if€itððs€at€night,€sometimes€a€crowbar,€orÏwhatever,€and€weððre€inspecting€cars€if€weððre€walking,€an€inbound€cut,€and€you€canððt€concentrateÏon€where€youððre€walking€and€inspect€at€the€same€time.ðð€€A€witness€for€Norfolk€Southern,€CharlieÏHiggins,€a€senior€general€foreman,€admitted€that€a€carman€could€not€look€at€the€ground€the€entireÏtime€he€was€inspecting€a€car,€but€added€that€ð ðby€the€same€token,€you€canððt€look€at€the€car€and€notÏwatch€were€[sic]€youððre€going.ððÌà àBiddle€introduced€into€evidence€at€trial€parts€of€the€depositions€of€Dr.€Dennis€LukeÏBizzoco,€Biddleððs€treating€podiatrist,€and€Dr.€Alan€Odom,€the€orthopedic€surgeon€who€treatedÏBiddle€for€his€ankle€problems.€€Both€testified€that€Biddleððs€job€duties,€involving€repeatedlyÏwalking€on€the€ballast,€caused€his€injuries.€€Dr.€Bizzoco€acknowledged€that€walking€over€unevenÏterrain€while€hunting€could€have€been€a€problem€for€Biddle.€€However,€he€stated€that€BiddleððsÏprimary€functions€were€the€cause€of€his€injuries€and€that€the€fact€that€Biddle€hunted€as€a€hobby€didÏnot€change€his€opinion€that€Biddleððs€injuries€were€caused€by€his€job€duties,€walking€on€theÏballast.œ× ƒ0 ××  ×›€€In€addition,€Dr.€Bizzoco€testified€that€he€did€not€suspect€that€Biddleððs€work€was€the€causeÏof€his€foot€problems€until€late€1989.€€Dr.€Odom€stated€that€walking€on€any€uneven€terrain,€not€justÏballast,€could€have€put€stress€on€Biddleððs€ankle.Ìà àIn€charging€the€jury,€the€trial€court,€over€Biddleððs€objection,€instructed€the€jury€that€it€couldÏconsider€whether€Biddle€was€contributorily€negligent.€€The€jury€found€that€both€Norfolk€Southern€Ïand€Biddle€were€fifty€percent€negligent.€€The€jury€determined€that€Biddle€had€suffered€$125,000€inÏdamages.€€Because€Biddle€was€fifty€percent€negligent,€the€trial€court€ruled€Norfolk€Southern€wasÍliable€for€half€that€amount,€$62,500.Ìà àSubsequently,€Biddle€filed€a€motion€to€alter€the€judgment,€arguing€that€there€was€noÏevidence€from€which€the€jury€could€find€Biddle€contributorily€negligent.€€The€trial€court€granted€theÏmotion,€explaining:€ÌÓÓà8 àI€think€that€there€is€insufficient€evidence€here€on€which€the€jury€could€have€foundÏcontributory€negligence.€€And€I€refer€to€the€reference€in€the€òòMumma€v.€ReddingóóÏcase€.€.€.€where€the€court€observes,€according€to€the€language€cited,€that€the€recordÏwas€utterly€baring€[sic]€even€of€a€suggestion€that€the€plaintiff€could€have€actedÏotherwise€than€he€did,€short€of€stopping€work€entirely.€€And€since€this€whole€matterÏrevolves€around€this€man€walking€down€this€track€on€this€ballast€and€the€claim€thatÏwell,€he€should€have€been€watching€where€he€was€walking,€and€referring€to€theÏtestimony€of€Mr.€Biddle,€he€said,€ð ðBasically€youððre€trying€to€see€all€the€runningÏgear,€all€these€wheels€and€things€on€the€side€of€these€cars€here.ðð€.€.€.€I€just€donððt€seeÏhow€you€can€penalize€an€employee€who€is€attempting€to€do€his€job€conscientiously,Ïinspecting€a€car€and€heððs€walking€down€the€track,€and€say,€ð ðWell,€heððs€not€lookingÏenough,ðð€and€then€it€gets€to€be€some€highly€speculative€matter.€€I€mean,€obviouslyÏthe€man€canððt€do€his€job€inspecting€a€car,€which€means€that€heððs€got€to€move.€€ItððsÏnot€like€heððs€just€œÇà8 àinspecting›€the€hinges€where€he€can€walk€from€one€point€to€the€other,€stop€and€thenÏlook.€€But€apparently€his€job€involved€the€process€of€inspecting€going€down€the€lineÏof€cars,€not€just€at€points€where€he€could€move€and€stop.€€So,€obviously,€he€couldÏnot€then€look€always€at€where€he€was€stepping.ÌÌÓÓThe€trial€court€amended€the€jury€verdict€to€award€the€full€amount€of€damages,€$125,000,€to€Biddle.€ÏNorfolk€Southern€now€appeals€the€trial€courtððs€amendment€of€the€jury€verdict,€contending€that€theÏcourt€erred€in€striking€the€juryððs€finding€that€Biddle€was€fifty€percent€responsible€for€his€injuries.€€ÏNorfolk€Southern€asserts€that€Biddle€was€contributorily€negligent€in€three€respects:€(1)€his€failureÏto€notify€the€railroad€of€his€condition,€precluding€management€from€reassigning€him€to€another€jobÏthat€would€allow€him€to€recover;€(2)€his€hobby,€hunting,€which€requires€him€to€walk€on€unevenÏground,€aggravating€his€condition;€and€(3)€his€failure€to€follow€company€safety€rules€€requiringÏhim€to€watch€where€he€was€going€at€all€times.Ìà àBecause€the€plaintiffððs€post„judgment€motion€was€in€essence€a€request€for€a€judgmentÏnotwithstanding€the€verdict,€we€review€òòò òde€novoó óóó€the€trial€courtððs€grant€of€this€motion.€ò òòòSmelserÏv.€Norfolk€Southern€Railwayóóó ó,€105€F.3d€299,€306€(6th€Cir.€1997).€€ð ðA€JNOV€is€proper€whenÏthe€evidence€permits€only€one€reasonable€conclusion€as€to€the€verdict.ððòòò ò€Pierce€v.€SouthernÏPac.€Trans.€Co.ó óóó,€823€F.2d€1366,€1369€(9th€Cir.€1987)€(citing€òòò òPeterson€v.€Kennedyó óóó,€771ÏF.2d€1244,€1252€(9th€Cir.€1985)).€This€standard€requires€us€to€consider€whether€the€defendant€hasÏnot€proven€an€element€of€its€case.€€ò òòòSmelseró óóó,€105€F.3d€at€306.òòò ò€óóó ó€The€court€must€examine€only€theÏdefendantððs€evidence€and€draw€all€inferences€in€its€favor,€and€then€determine€whether€the€defendantÏhas€presented€more€than€a€scintilla€of€evidence€to€support€its€claim€of€contributory€negligence.€ò òòòId.ó óóó€ò òÌó ó€à àThis€lawsuit€was€filed€under€FELA.€€Under€FELA,€unlike€Tennesseeððs€comparative€faultÏdoctrine,€€the€finding€that€a€plaintiff€is€partially€responsible€for€his€injuries,€even€if€over€fiftyÏpercent,€merely€mitigates€his€damages.€45€U.S.C.A.€ðð€53€(1986)€(ð ð[T]he€fact€that€the€employeeÏmay€have€€been€guilty€of€contributory€negligence€shall€not€bar€a€recovery,€but€the€damages€shall€beÏdiminished€by€the€jury€in€proportion€to€the€amount€of€negligence€attributable€to€such€employee.€.€.Ï.ðð).€Assumption€of€the€risk€is€not€a€defense€under€FELA.€€45€U.S.C.A.€ðð€54€(1986)€(ð ð[S]uchÍemployee€shall€not€be€held€to€have€assumed€the€risks€of€his€employment€in€any€case€where€suchÏinjury€or€death€resulted€in€whole€or€in€part€from€the€negligence€of€any€of€the€officers,€agents,€orÏemployees€of€such€carrier€.€.€.€.ðð);€ò òòòsee€also€Birchem€v.€Burlington€Northern€R.R.ó óóó,€812ÏF.2d€1047,€1049€(8th€Cir.€1987).̜Ǜà àIn€its€oral€ruling€on€Biddleððs€motion,€the€trial€court€cited€ò òòòMumma€v.€Reading€Co.óóó ó,€247ÏF.€Supp.€252€(E.D.€Penn.€1965),€a€€FELA€case.€€In€ò òòòMummaó óóó,€the€plaintiff€railroad€employee€wasÏinjured€in€two€accidents,€only€one€of€which€is€pertinent€here.€€The€first€occurred€while€the€plaintiff,ÏMumma,€was€inspecting€engines€being€refueled€by€another€employee.€ò òòòId.óóó ó€at€254.€€The€fuel€hadÏoverflowed€onto€the€icy€walkway€that€Mumma€used€when€conducting€his€inspections.€€MummaÏslipped€on€the€walkway€and€was€injured.€€The€jury€found€that€Mumma€was€guilty€of€contributoryÏfault,€and€his€damages€were€proportionately€reduced.€€Mumma€filed€a€post„trial€motion€to€modifyÏthe€judgment.€€The€trial€court€stated€that€there€was€not€even€a€suggestion€in€the€record€that€MummaÏð ðcould€have€acted€otherwise€than€he€did,€short€of€stopping€work€entirely.ðð€òòò òId.€óóó óat€254.€€The€trialÏcourt€found€that,€at€most,€Mumma€could€have€been€guilty€of€assumption€of€the€risk,€a€defense€thatÏis€unavailable€in€FELA€actions.€€ò òòòId.ó óóó€at€254„55.€€Accordingly,€the€court€struck€the€juryððsÏassessment€of€fault€against€Mumma€and€entered€judgment€in€Mummaððs€favor€for€the€full€amount€ofÏdamages.€€ò òòòId.ó óóó€at€260„61.€€€à àIn€another€FELA€case,€òòò òWilson€v.€Burlington€Northern,€Inc.ó óóó,Ï670€F.2d€780€(8th€Cir.€1982),€the€plaintiff€was€injured€while€assisting€other€employees€in€railroadÏcar€maintenance€duties.€€At€trial,€€the€jury€was€given€an€instruction€on€contributory€fault€by€theÏplaintiff,€€and€the€jury€subsequently€returned€a€verdict€in€favor€of€the€employer.€€òòò òId.€ó óóóat€782.€€TheÏplaintiff€appealed,€claiming€that€there€was€no€evidence€that€he€contributed€to€his€injuries.€€TheÏdefendant€argued€that€the€plaintiffððs€actions€in€assisting€other€employees€were€the€employeeððsÏchoice,€and€that,€therefore,€it€was€not€error€to€instruct€the€jury€regarding€contributory€negligence.€Ïò òòòId.óóó ó€at€783.€€€The€Eighth€Circuit€reversed,€finding€that€the€contributory€negligence€instruction€wasÏerror.€€The€Court€stated:€€ð ðUnder€the€circumstances€present€here,€Wilsonððs€decision€to€help€.€.€.Ïwas€not€a€matter€of€free€choice€nor€was€it€in€any€way€unreasonable.€€He€was€simply€doing€his€jobÏand€assisting€other€employees€in€need€of€help€„€as€the€railroad€fully€expected€him€to€do.ðð€ò òòòId.€óóó ó€Ìà àIn€this€case,€Norfolk€Southern€asserts€that€Biddle€was€contributorily€negligent€by€notÏwatching€where€he€stepped€at€all€times.€€However,€like€the€trial€court,€we€do€not€see€how€BiddleÏcould€have€acted€otherwise,€ð ðshort€of€stopping€work€entirely.ðð€€ò òòòMummaó óóó,€247€F.Supp.€at€254.€ÍBiddleððs€work€required€him€to€walk€alongside€the€railroad€cars,€on€the€ballast,€visually€inspectingÏthe€cars.€€If€his€eyes€had€stayed€fixed€on€the€ballast,€he€could€not€have€performed€his€duties.€€œÇLikewise,›€he€could€not€stand€in€one€place€and€inspect€the€cars.€€The€evidence€on€this€issue€isÏinsufficient€to€support€a€finding€of€contributory€negligence.€€Ìà àNorfolk€Southern€also€asserts€that€Biddle€was€contributorily€negligent€because€his€hobby,Ïhunting,€required€him€to€walk€on€uneven€ground,€aggravating€his€injuries.€€In€order€to€support€aÏfinding€that€Biddle€was€contributorily€negligent,€Norfolk€Southern€must€show€not€only€Biddleððs€Ïnegligence,€but€also€that€this€negligence€proximately€caused€his€injuries.€€ò òòòSee€Wilsonóóó ó,€670€F.2dÏ780,€784€(8th€Cir.€1982)€(ð ð[S]ince€there€was€no€evidence€that€Wilsonððs€own€negligenceÏcontributed€to€.€.€.€his€injuries,€the€district€court€erred€by€permitting€the€jury€to€consider€the€issue.ðð)€ÏWhen€asked€whether€Biddleððs€hunting€could€have€caused€his€problems,€Dr.€Bizzoco,€BiddleððsÏtreating€podiatrist,€stated€that€the€fact€that€Biddle€hunted€as€a€hobby€did€not€change€his€diagnosis€asÏto€causation.€€Dr.€Odom,€who€performed€the€surgery€on€Biddleððs€ankle,€testified€only€that€any€kindÏof€uneven€surface€could€have€contributed€to€Biddleððs€ankle€pain.€€This€evidence€is€insufficient€toÏsupport€Norfolk€Southernððs€allegation€that€Biddleððs€hunting€worsened€his€condition.€€Therefore,Ïthe€evidence€of€Biddleððs€hobby€is€insufficient€to€support€a€finding€of€contributory€negligence.Ìà àNorfolk€Southern€also€alleges€that€Biddle€was€contributorily€negligent€because€heÏcontinued€to€work€in€the€same€job€for€over€sixteen€months€even€after€he€was€diagnosed€withÏneuromas,€without€telling€Norfolk€Southern€that€the€size€of€the€ballast€was€aggravating€hisÏcondition.€€Dr.€Bizzoco,€stated€that€after€he€performed€the€initial€surgery€on€Biddleððs€feet,€theÏpatient€recuperated€normally.€€Sixteen€months€later,€in€November,€1989,€Biddle€returned€to€Dr.ÏBizzoco,€complaining€of€pain€in€his€ankle€and€foot.€€Dr.€Bizzoco€testified€that€only€then€did€theyÏbegin€ð ðto€talk€about€the€type€of€surface€that€he€walked€on€and€whatnot.ðð€€This€was€the€first€timeÏthat€the€doctor€informed€Biddle€that€he€felt€that€Biddleððs€work€activities€were€causally€related€to€hisÏproblems.€€The€doctor€stated:€ð ð[W]e€went€over€all€of€the€facts,€that€itððs€an€uneven€surface.€€YouÏknow,€I€never€thought€of€that.€€[The€ballast]€is€an€uneven€surface€and€itððs€irregular€and€it€does€notÏsupport€weight.ðð€€At€trial,€Biddle€testified,€ð ðI€never€did€think€anything€about€this€neuroma€beingÏwork€related€or€have€[sic]€anything€to€do€with€any€sort€of€uneven€surfaces€or€whatever.€€I€didnððtÍeven€know€what€a€neuroma€was.ðð€€It€is€apparent€from€this€testimony€that€neither€Biddle€nor€hisÏdoctor€knew€that€walking€on€ballast€was€the€cause€of€Biddleððs€problems€until€he€returned€to€Dr.ÏBizzoco€with€new€complaints€after€his€recovery€from€the€first€surgery€was€complete.€€Therefore,ÏBiddleððs€failure€during€this€time€period€to€report€to€Norfolk€Southern€that€the€cause€of€his€foot€andÏankle€problems€was€work„related€cannot€be€considered€contributory€negligence.Ìà àThe€decision€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€are€assessed€against€the€Appellant,€forÏwhich€execution€may€issue,€if€necessary.€ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àò òóóHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.Ìó óà àò òÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.€J.,€W.S.ÌÌÌòòó ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìò òóóDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ó óÌÌÌÌà à€