Owens v. City of Kansas City
Owens v. City of Kansas City
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The action was one to recover compensation for injuries received by plaintiff while in the employ of the city and to set aside a release. Plaintiff prevailed and defendant appeals.
The question involved is whether plaintiff’s mental incapacity resulting from the injury was sufficient to toll the statute of limitations. He filed his petition December 2,1925, alleging, substantially, that on March 1,1923, while in the employ of defendant as a blacksmith, a large window in an iron frame fell from its fastenings and struck him on the head, rendering him unconscious; that he was treated by defendant’s physician, and at the expiration of ten days told that he could return to work; that he was paid compensation for the time lost, and signed some paper which he believed to be a receipt for the money received; that after so doing he became physically incapable by reason of the accident to further perform his duties. An arbitrator, appointed by agreement, in a hearing March 4, 1926, found that the accident complained of occurred on May 26, 1921, instead of March, 1923, and that on June 13, 1921, plaintiff
Was the evidence of plaintiff’s incapacity sufficient to toll the statute? We think not. Plaintiff himself testified as to his age and occupation; of his working for the water and light plant; how he was hurt; told the nickname of the man who was working with him, and how the window fell on him; failed to remember the date but told the details of how they wiped the blood off and took him to the doctor’s and how he was then taken home and put to bed. He testified that he went to see the doctor on the avenue, but didn’t remember his name; that he didn’t go by himself at first, but later did; went to Chicago, and was off from work perhaps a month; was in debt and went back to work in order to get money; that after he went to work something would press down and he would forget himself; that he would get a kind of unconscious spell, and that would wear away and he would go on working, and that
Plaintiff’s testimony, in our opinion, does not support a finding of incapacity which began within two years of the accident sufficient to toll the statute of limitations. The fact that he was nervous, had dizzy spells, found it difficult to sleep, was forgetful, did not make him mentally incapable of understanding. He was not mentally incapable because he couldn’t remember the names of the doctors who examined him, or the name of the building where he was examined. Other testimony referred to by plaintiff as sustaining the court’s finding need not be analyzed. It is of no more force or virtue than that above quoted. The records of the timekeeper showed plaintiff to have worked four hours May 26, 1921 (the day of the injury); to have been off from then until June 13, 1921 (17 days); that he worked from that time till August 6,1922 (nearly 14 months), when he was off until August 14, 1922, and returned to work and worked until February 28, 1923, inclusive; was off then until March 6, 1923, and returned to work; lost three days’ time from then until November 28, 1923. His alleged mental incapacity did not prevent him from working.
The plaintiff seeks to avoid the statute of limitations under the authority of Lantis v. Davidson, 60 Kan. 389, 56 Pac. 745; Howard v. Carter, 71 Kan. 85, 80 Pac. 61; Bank v. Bay, 90 Kan. 506, 135 Pac. 584; Gillmore v. Gillmore, 91 Kan. 707, 139 Pac. 386; Jenkins v. Jenkins, 94 Kan. 263, 146 Pac. 414. It is not necessary to analyze these authorities. The evidence in the instant case does not bring plaintiff within the doctrine there announced and adhered to.
The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded with instructions to enter judgment for the defendant.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.