Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. v. Clarke
Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. v. Clarke
Opinion of the Court
Opinion op the Court by
Affirming.
This is a personal injury action, in which plaintiff, Lonvergne Clarke, recovered of the defendant, Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company, a verdict and judgment for $500.00. The railway company appeals.
The railway company operates a branch line from Carter City, in Carter county, to Garrison, in Lewis county. The passenger coach on this line is used to carry both freight and passengers. From the freight end of the coach there is no exit. TIence the passengers have to leave the coach from the other end. On June 23, 1913, plaintiff and her husband boarded the train at Carter City for the purpose of going to Garrison. The east end of the depot platform at Garrison is higher than the car steps and is practically level with the floor of the car. The west end of the platform is lower than the car steps. When the passenger coach was stopped opposite the elevated part of the platform, it was customary to place a plank from the car platform to the depot platform to enable passengers to alight. When the coach was stopped opposite the low part of the depot platform a box or stool was placed at the bottom of the steps for the use of passengers leaving the car. On all prior occasions when plaintiff was a passenger on the train the passenger coach was stopped opposite the lower part of the plat
The only error relied on is the refusal of the trial court to sustain the company’s motion for a peremptory instruction. It is argued that as the accident occurred in the daytime, plaintiff knew the distance from the coach to the depot platform. She also knew that there was no plank across the open space and no employes there to assist her. She did not call on her husband for assistance. With full knowledge of the conditions, she attempted to make the step. She did not step far enough and, therefore, fell. Hence, it is claimed that the accident was due to her own negligence. The facts of this case do not bring it within the rule laid down in the case of L. & N. R. R. Co. v. Keith, 58 S. W. 468. There the train upon which plaintiff was a passenger went beyond the station platform before stopping. The conductor offered to back the train to the platform. The offer was refused and the conductor was informed by plaintiff that she wished to alight from the train where it stood. Under these circumstances, it was held that she took the risk and could not recover. Nor does the doctrine of L. & N. R. R. Co. v. Keikets, 93 Ky. 116, 19 S. W. 182, apply. There the company had, provided for its passengers a well lighted platform and other reasonably safe facilities to enable them to alight from the train. It was held that a passenger who, with knowledge of the conditions, stepped off the opposite side of the train where there were no lights and no platform, did so at his- peril. The case under consideration is
Judgment affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.