Harshaw v. Kansas City Public Service Co.
Harshaw v. Kansas City Public Service Co.
Opinion of the Court
This was an action for damages sustained in a collision between plaintiff’s automobile and defendant’s bus. Judgment was rendered for plaintiff, and defendant appeals.
This is the second appearance of this case in this court. On a previous trial plaintiff recovered a judgment which was reversed on appeal. (See Harshaw v. Kansas City Public Ser. Co., 154 Kan. 481, 119 P. 2d 459.) In that opinion the facts concerning the time and place of the collision, and the issues as disclosed by the pleadings are set forth and are made a part hereof by reference.
At the close of the second trial the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff and answered special questions, only the following of which need be set forth.
“1. How far was the rear end of the bus from the east curb when the vehicles stopped after the collision? A. 3 to 4 feet.
“2. Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant’s bus driver was guilty of any negligence at the time of or just before the collision of vehicles? A. Yes.
“3. If you answer question No. 2 in the affirmative, then state specifically any act or acts of negligence on the part of the defendant’s bus driver. A. Driving at an excessive rate of speed. Not observing driving condition of said street.
“8. When the bus came north on Rainbow Boulevard, after starting down the hill, where was its left side and wheels with reference to the center of the street? A. Near center of thoroughfare;
“9. At what rate of speed was the bus traveling north down, the hill? A. Approximately 40 miles per hour.
“11. When the auto which plaintiff was driving was going south on Rainbow, where was its left side and wheels with reference to the center of the street? A. Near center of thoroughfare.
“13. Did the plaintiff just before the collision turn his automobile across the center line of the'boulevard over into the east lane of traffic? A. No.
“14. Did the operator of defendant’s bus just before the collision turn the bus across the center line of the boulevard over into the west lane of traffic? A. Yes.”
Immediately upon the return thereof into court, plaintiff moved the court to require the jury to make its answer to question No. 3 more definite, and the motion being allowed, the jury retired and later returned the following answer:
“Driving at an excessive rate of speed. Not observing rough condition of Rainbow boulevard near the place of collision.”
Thereafter defendant filed two motions, one for judgment on the
In a preliminary way we note that in the briefs are many references to what the testimony showed and what occurred at the first trial. We have no doubt but that, so far as the same may have been developed at the second trial, the jury was adequately advised as to any discrepancies there may have been in the testimony of witnesses, and duly considered the same in reaching their verdict and in answering the special questions. Conduct of counsel at the former trial is not important to a disposal of this appeal and we shall not comment thereon. Our opinion is limited to what took place at the second trial.
Appellant’s first contention is that it was entitled to judgment on the answers to the special questions. Although it has been held repeatedly that such a motion concedes that the evidence supports the findings, e. g.: Witt v. Roper, 149 Kan. 184, 86 P. 2d 549, and cases cited; Webb v. City of Oswego, 149 Kan. 156, 162, 86 P. 2d 553; Eldredge v. Sargent, 150 Kan. 824, 829, 96 P. 2d 870; Behymer v. Milgram Food Stores, Inc., 151 Kan. 921, 922, 101 P. 2d 912; Montague v. Burgerhoff, 152 Kan. 124, 127, 102 P. 2d 1031; Haney v. Canfield, 152 Kan. 597, 600, 106 P. 2d 662; Sayeg v. Kansas Cas & Electric Co., 156 Kan. 65, 66, 131 P. 2d 648; appellant argues at length that the answer to question No. 3 is not supported by the evidence. Under the above decisions appellant cannot be heard to deny the answers are supported by the evidence and that phase of his argument needs no further attention here. The gist of the remaining part of the contention is that when the jury was asked to specify items of negligence and did so, it amounted to an acquittal of the defendant as to other grounds charged. Substantially the same contention was made on substantially the same answers to special questions on the first appeal and was not sustained. (See Harshaw v. Kansas City Public Ser. Co., supra, 483, 484.) What is there said will not be repeated here. The appellant was not entitled to judgment on the answers to the special questions.
It is next contended that the true facts as to how the accident occurred and defendant’s negligence in respect thereto were not
The next contention is that the verdict was excessive and must have included loss from eccentric dancing or hospital and doctor’s bills, neither of which was properly allowable. Taking up, first, hospital and doctor’s bills, it may be observed the trial court instructed the jury that no evidence had been produced thereon and they could not make any allowance therefor. Although defendant asked special questions, none was asked as to items of damages allowed, and we have before us only a lump-sum verdict. There is an entire lack of any showing the jury violated or ignored the court’s instructions, and we will not assume they did, as we must if appellant’s contention as to these items is to be sustained. On the question of loss of earnings from eccentric dancing, appellant directs our attention to a similar contention made on the first appeal and the language of the opinion treating thereof (154 Kan. 486) and contends that what is there said is the law of the case. Without attempting to assess blame therefor, it appears from the
Under the general title the trial court committed other trial errors and abused its discretion, appellant directs our attention to seven matters. The first consists of technical criticism of two instructions. We can discern no purpose in stating the criticism. The instructions given fairly presented the issues involved and the law applicable. The second is that the trial court abused its discretion in sending the jury hack to make its answer to question No.
The appellant’s specifications of error are not sustained. The judgment of the trial court is'affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.