Lipski v. Boston Elevated Railway Co.
Lipski v. Boston Elevated Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff was a passenger on one of the defendant’s surface cars. She boarded the car at South Boston, near the corner of Washington and Boylston streets, she alighted and walked in the rear of the car “ about a foot ” from it, intending to cross the outbound tracks on Washington Street, and transfer to a Boylston Street car; she was struck by another car of the defendant, moving in an opposite direction on the outbound track.
She testified through an interpreter that she was listening, “ walking slow to hear,” and heard no sound of the gong or bell from the approaching car; that she knew cars ran in the opposite direction on the track she was about to cross, and attempted to look for the approaching car, when it “ came along fast and hit me in the head; ” that she had not gone as far as either rail of the opposite track when she was struck; that she saw no lights on the car that hit her, and did not see the car; that she had “ no chance to see anything,” u no chance to look, I got no time to look, as soon as I look in they caught me in the head.” In answer to the question, “ You knew that you had to be careful to make sure that there was no car coming in the opposite direction before you stepped out,” she replied, “ That was what I attempted to do but I ain’t got no chance to do, sir.”
The car from which she had alighted was standing. It was a box car, and the car that struck her was of the same type. Both ends of the cars were enclosed, and the overhang beyond the rails of each was eighteen and three quarters inches. The distance between the inner rail of the northbound track and the inner rail of the southbound track was five feet.
There was some evidence for the jury on the question of the due care of the plaintiff. They could have found that she
The fact that the plaintiff, in the Emery case, stopped, does not distinguish that case from the one at bar. Gibb v. Hardwick, 241 Mass. 546, relied on by the defendant, is to be distinguished. The plaintiff in that case was struck by an automobile. He did not listen for a signal for the approach of the automobile, and if he looked, no reason was shown why he could not have seen it. Mrs. Lipski, according to her testimony, was listening in a place where her range of vision was limited, and was attempting to pro-, tect herself and hear if a car were approaching. Doyle v. Boston Elevated Railway, ante, 89, is to be distinguished.
So ordered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Catherine Lipski v. Boston Elevated Railway Company
- Status
- Published