Howland v. Oakland Consolidated Street Railway Co.
Howland v. Oakland Consolidated Street Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
Action for damages resulting from personal injuries.
The action was against both defendants, the injuries having resulted from a collision of the cars of defendants at a point where their roads crossed. Verdict and judgment were in favor of plaintiff, against the defendant Oakland Consolidated Street Eailroad Company alone, and the latter appeals from the judgment and an order denying it a new trial.
1. The first point urged for a reversal is that the court below erred in not granting appellant a new trial upon the ground of newly discovered evidence. The evidence at the trial upon the question as to which one of the two defendants was guilty of the greater degree of negligence in bringing about the accident was conflicting, but that there was evidence tending directly to show negligence on the part of appellant there is no question. The newly discovered evidence, if it may be so regarded, bears only upon the question of the relative degree of negligence of the two defendants, and in no way tends to rebut or defeat plaintiff’s right to recover from one or both of the defendants. While it may not be purely cumulative, it is largely of the same general character, and to the same point, as much of the evidence adduced at the trial, and, in any event, is not such as in our judgment would be likely to render a different result upon a new trial reasonably probable. Under these circumstances the court below was not only justified in deny
2. The evidence showed that about three months after the receipt of the injuries complained of, plaintiff, who was pregnant at the time of the accident, suffered a miscarriage, and the evidence tended to show that such miscarriage was a result of those injuries. Dr. Huntington, who treated plaintiff for the injuries, and subsequently attended her at the time of the miscarriage, was a witness in her behalf, and described to the jury the character of the injuries inflicted upon her, and testified in effect that, in view of her condition, and the character of the injuries which he described, it was his judgment that the miscarriage was produced thereby. Another physician, Dr. Stratton, who was present and heard the testimony given by Dr. Huntington, was then called as a witness for plaintiff, and testified that he had been called in consultation with Dr. Huntington at plaintiff’s bedside, shortly before the miscarriage, but too late to-note personally the immediate character of her injuries. After describing plaintiff’s condition at the time he was so called, he was asked by plaintiff this question: “Assuming the statement made by Dr. Huntington to be true, and the character of the injuries he has described to have been inflicted by a collision of two street-cars,, what, in your judgment, was the cause of the condition that you observed? Was it the accident, or any other cause?” The appellant objected to the question “as irrelevant, immaterial, and incompetent,” which was-overruled, and the witness answered that in his opinion the condition was due to the accident. The question was then repeated in a slightly modified form, thus: “Now, assuming again that Dr. Huntington’s statement was true as to the character of the injuries which were inflicted, as I have stated, what, in your judgment, was-the cause of the miscarriage, if there was a miscarriage?” To which appellant made the same objection as before, and, further, that it was not a proper hypothetical question. The objection was again overruled, and
If, however, we were to assume that the question is open to the criticism now urged, we do not think the objection could avail defendant here, for the reason, as claimed by respondent, that it was not taken in the court below. The objection there was that the question
For like reasons the general objection made did not sufficiently point the further specific objection now urged that it was improper in framing the hypothetical question to refer the witness generally to the facts testified to by Dr. Huntington, as a basis for his opinion, but that the question itself should have contained a statement of such facts. Obviously, the general and sweeping suggestion “ not a proper hypothetical question” would not be calculated to direct the court’s or opposite counsel’s attention to what objection was aimed at. It might refer to one of a dozen supposed reasons why the question was deemed improper. If, however, the objection were sufficient to raise the point, we are not prepared to hold that in an instance such as this, where the witness has heard a statement of facts by another, it is not sufficient, in putting the question, to direct his attention to such statement as the basis upon which his opinion is desired.
. 3. We cannot say the court abused its discretion in holding that the witness McCarthy had shown himself sufficiently qualified to answer the hypothetical question, tending to elicit his opinion as to whether ihe car of appellant could, with proper care and attention, have been stopped in time to avoid the collision. This is a question largely for the determination of the trial judge, and his ruling will not be disturbed except error clearly appears. In this case it does not so appear. We think
Not is there any question but that the subject was one upon which the opinion of the witness was admissible. The manner of running electric cars, their rate of speed, and the facility with which they can be stopped or handled, is not a matter of such common knowledge that the jury could judge as intelligently as one skilled in their use. It was, therefore, proper to resort to expert evidence.
4. There was no error in admitting evidence on behalf of appellant’s codefendant as to the custom between street railroad companies of giving the older company the right of way at crossings. The codefendant had been jointly sued with appellant for the alleged injury, and it had a right, if such custom existed, to establish the fact, as tending to show to the jury which defendant was guilty of the more culpable negligence, and thus save itself, if possible, from being mulct in damages.
5. The jury gave a verdict for ten thousand dollars, and it is claimed that this amount is excessive. While we might not, had the question rested with us, have awarded damages in so large an amount, yet we are unable, under all the circumstances, to say that the amount is so far excessive as to imply that it was awarded under the influence of passion or prejudice. The evidence as to the extent of plaintiff’s injuries, and suffering therefrom, and the resulting condition of her physical system, as exhibited at the time of the trial, was not controverted by appellant, and, consequently, stands without conflict for whatever it tends to establish. While that evidence does not show that the immediate result of the accident was the infliction of any very great external injury, it does show resulting injury, flowing proximately therefrom, of a very serious character. According to the testimony of the medical witnesses,
6. The other questions discussed do not require special notice. The objection that the evidence does not sustain the verdict is clearly untenable, and, in our judgment, the verdict sufficiently finds upon the issues submitted.
The judgment and order denying a new trial are affirmed.
Garoutte, J., and Harrison, J., concurred.
Hearing in Bank denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CLARA HOWLAND v. OAKLAND CONSOLIDATED STREET RAILWAY COMPANY, CONSOLIDATED PIEDMONT CABLE COMPANY
- Cited By
- 68 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Negligence—Collision op Street Railways—New Trial—Newly Discovered Evidence.—In an action to recover damages from a collision of the cars of two street railways, where a verdict and judgment was passed in favor of the plaintiff against one of the street railway companies alone, a motion for a new trial of such street railway company upon the ground of newly discovered evidence, is properly denied, where the newly discovered evidence bears only upon the question of the relative degree of negligence of the two street railway companies, and does not tend to rebut or defeat plaintiff’s right to recover from both of them, and presents evidence of the same general character, and to the same point, as much of the evidence adduced at the trial, and is not such as would render a different result upon a new trial reasonably probable. Id.—Result op Injuries — Testimony op Physicians—Opinion—Evidence.—Where a physician who treated the plaintiff for injuries caused by the collision of the street railway cars, and who subsequently attended plaintiff at the time of a miscarriage, testified that the miscarriage was, in his judgment, produced as the result of the injuries, a. question asked of another physician who had been called in consultation too late to note personally the immediate character of the injuries, as to whether, assuming the statement of the other physician to be true, and the character of the injuries described by him to have been inflicted by a collision of the street cars, what, in his judgment, was the cause ■of the condition that he observed, does not improperly call for the opinion of one expert based upon that of another expert, but simply calls for the opinion of the witness as to the inducing cause of the condition in which he found the patient when called in, assuming the injuries to have been as described. Id.—Expert Evidence—Hypothetical Question—General Objection— Waiver op Specific Objections.—An objection to a hypothetical question asked of a physician in the general form that it is irrelevant,' immaterial, and incompetent, and not a proper hypothetical question, is insufficient to call the court’s attention to the more specific objections that the question calls for the opinion of one expert based upon that of another, and that it should have contained a statement of the facts calling for the opinion; and the party making such general objections will not be permitted to avail himself upon appeal of specific objections which were not made in the court below. Id.—Statement of Testimony Heard by Expert Witness.—It seems that where an expert witness has heard a statement of facts testified to by another witness, it is sufficient, in putting to him a hypothetical question, to direct his attention to the testimony heard as the basis upon which his opinion is desired, without repeating the testimony, Id.—Qualification of Expert Witness—Discretion of Trial Judge.— The qualification of an expert witness to answer a hypothetical question calling for his opinion is a question largely for the determination of the trial judge, and his ruling will not be disturbed unless error clearly appears; and, where the witness disclosed a sufficient knowledge of the subject to entitle his opinion to go to the jury, the question of the degree of his knowledge goes more to the weight of the evidence than to its admissibility. Id.—Opinion Evidence as to Running of Electric Cars.—The manner of running electric-cars, their rate of speed, and the facility with which they can be stopped or handled, is a proper subject for expert evidence, and not a matter of such common knowledge that the jury can judge as intelligently as one skilled in their use. Id.—Right of Wat between Street Railway Companies — Evidence OF Custom.—Where the plaintiff was injured by the collision of two street railway companies, both of which were joined as defendants charged with negligence, the court may admit evidence, in behalf of one of the street railway companies, as to the custom between such companies of giving the older company the right of way at crossings, as tending to show the jury that the other defendant was guilty of the more culpable negligence. Id.—Excessive Damages—Passion or Prejudice.—Before the appellate court can interfere on the ground of excessive damages, the verdict must be so plainly and outrageously excessive as to suggest, at the first blush, passion or prejudice on the part of the jury.