Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis R. R. v. Wells
Illinois Supreme Court
Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis R. R. v. Wells, 66 Ill. 321 (Ill. 1872)
Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis R. R. v. Wells
Opinion of the Court
Under the decision made and principles declared in Lesher v. The Wabash Nav. Co. 14 Ill. 85, Hinde v. Same, 15 ib. 72, and Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac R. P. Co. v. McCarthy, 20 ib. 388, there is no doubt about the liability of the railway in this case for the acts of its contractors injurious to the premises of the plaintiff. If the injury was wanton or wilful the company might be required to respond in exemplary damages., as the court instructed the jury. In the case before us, however, the verdict does not seem too large, independently of exemplary damages. There is no ground for reversing the judgment.
The judgment of the court below is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The Rockford, Rock Island and St. Louis R. R. Co. v. Rinnah Wells
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- 4 cases
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- Syllabus
- Bailboad—liability for torts of its contractors. Where the contractors of a railway company are guilty of trespasses upon the land of another, in constructing the road, the company will be liable for their acts; and if the injury is wanton or wilful the company may be required to respond in exemplary damages.