Wagner v. New Orleans Ry. & Light Co.
Wagner v. New Orleans Ry. & Light Co.
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff brings this suit against the New Orleans Railway & Light Company for damages on account of personal injuries received by him in being pushed or jostled off of a Magazine street ear, while said car was in motion and just before stopping at the corner of Gainnie and Magazine streets. The amount sued for is $2,580, and is made up of the following items: For loss of ten days’ time from work, $69; for doctor’s bill, $8; for one knee brace, $3.40; for pain and suffering, $2,000; for future pain and reduced earning power, $500.
“Q. Did you pay the doctor anything for attending you?
“A. Yes; eight dollars.
“Q. Was that for setting your kneecap?
“A. He got me to buy. an elastic brace cap.
“Q. Did that cause you any suffering or pain?
“A. I was not able to work with it.
“Q. Did this cause you any suffering or pain?
“A. I was not able to work with it.
“Q. Did it hurt you at all?
“A. At times it would; yes, sir.”
It thus appears that the elastic cap interfered with plaintiff’s working and from that his knee would hurt him at times. The record is silent as to any evidence of any pain and suffering due proximately to the injury to the knee.
It has been the uniform ruling of this court to decline jurisdiction in cases where a claim for damages is manifestly fictitious
In an action for damages when it is apparent that the greatest possible amount that may be recovered is much less than $2,-000, the ¿supreme Oourt is without jurisdiction ratione materke, even though damages in a sum exceeding that amount are -asked in the petition. Wolf v. Stewart, 48 La. Ann. 1431, 20 South. 908; Tierman v. Johnson, 114 La. 112, 38 South. 75.
Adhering to the established precedent, we must decline to entertain this appeal and will send the case to the court having appellate jurisdiction of the amount in controversy.
It is therefore ordered and decreed that this case be transferred to the Oourt of Appeal for the parish of Orleans, and that the appellant pay the costs incurred in bringing the appeal to this court — all other costs to await the final disposition of the case.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WAGNER v. NEW ORLEANS RY. & LIGHT CO.
- Cited By
- 30 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by Editorial Staff.) 1. Courts i&wkey;224( 11) — Plaintiff’s damages from injury held insufficient to give Supreme Court jurisdiction. Where one receiving a slight bruise on the knee and slight injury to the kneecap when pushed from a street car, was earning $6.90 a day and lost ten days, after which he resumed work at $7 a day, and his only expenditures were $8 for doctor’s bill and $3.40 for á knee brace, which somewhat interfered with his work and hurt at times, and there was no evidence of any suffering due proximately to the injury to the knee, he could^ not possibly recover $2,000, and the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction of an appeal. 2. Courts The constitutional provision conferring appellate jurisdiction on the Supreme Court, when the amount in dispute exceeds $2,000, has reference to actual controversies and not to fictitious, unfounded, and inflated claims and demands obviously made to create jurisdiction, especially in view of Const. 1921, art. 7, § 10, relative to the determination of questions of fact affecting jurisdiction, and the court will decline jurisdiction where a claim for damages is manifestly fictitious and made merely to create jurisdiction. 3. Courts &wkey;'224(9) — Court not bound by allegations in determining amount in controversy. In determining the question of jurisdiction, the Supreme Court is not bound to accept allegations as to the amount in controversy but will look into the record to ascertain the real amount in dispute.