Wilkins v. Detroit United Railway
Wilkins v. Detroit United Railway
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff alleged, and his testimony tended to prove, that he was injured by the negligence of defendant’s servants while he was alighting from a car. Some assignments of error relied upon are based upon exceptions to rulings admitting and rejecting testimony, but the argument of appellant is addressed principally to the point that a new trial, which the court below refused, should have been granted because the verdict was exees
But we find no want of testimony supporting the theory of the plaintiff, and are not inclined to interpose the judgment of this court for that of the jury, whose particular duty it was to weigh and value the testimony of the medical, as well as that of other, witnesses. There is no such demonstrable, scientific infirmity in the views expressed by the physicians that this court may assume a knowledge with respect thereto superior to that possessed by the jury. The jury was warranted in finding that plaintiff was injured in the manner aad with some of the consequences alleged in the declaration, and that he Was entitled to recover substantial damages.
Nor do we think we should interfere upon the ground
It may be noticed here that error is assigned, based upon the alleged refusal of the court to permit proper cross-examination of plaintiff upon the subject of his earning capacity and the amount of work he did after receiving his injury. The ruling excepted to was ’one refusing counsel the right to go further into the details of certain litigation conducted by plaintiff. Plaintiff had testified concerning a certain cause that it took considerable time in court, involved about $18,000 upon the papers, involved about $700 in the end. We cannot say that cross-examination was unduly restricted. Plaintiff testified:
“I can perform my duties as a lawyer now. I do perform duties as a lawyer at a greater strain, that is all.”
But there is also testimony of pain endured, and probably to be endured, and of permanent physical injury affecting the nervous system; of neuritis, and of a gradual hardening of muscles. Upon the testimony submitted to the jury, the award of damages was not clearly excessive.
As has been stated, appellant contends that the testimony which was submitted to the jury is not the testimony which should have been submitted to them, and we notice the further assignments of error, based upon exceptions to rulings admitting or rejecting testimony.
“ Do you want it to go out to the people of this county that your earning capacity is lessened by reason of the accident ?”
It is well enough, perhaps, to show what occurred previous to the asking of this question, and for this purpose we insert the testimony immediately preceding it:
“Q. You are asking this jury for some damages. Will you eliminate from consideration any question of your lessened earning capacity ?
“A. No, sir; because I consider that a practicing attorney, as a practicing attorney in the active practice work, that I am not as capable as before, that my earning capacity is permanently decreased.
liQ. But not as a judge ?
“A. I do not think I can get around as well as I could get at all hours of the day and night and attend to the work of a practicing attorney, the work that a practicing attorney has to attend to. As an attorney I would have to jump away any hour of the night to see some client or some witness; particularly in personal injury cases. I would not feel that I could do it. I used to be able to do it but it would be a drain upon my reserved force now. But I think I can work as a judge. I think that I could do better work than ever before because I am older and have heard more.
“Q, Then you want the people of this county—
“ Mr. Dohany: I object to it because the people of this county have nothing to do with this case.
“<9. You are a candidate for judge ?
“A. I am a candidate for nomination.
“Q. You have gone through one primary and have been through the law association and have been a candidate before your fellow members of the bar and they have recommended you to the people of this county ?
“A. Yes, sir.”
The witness had given his testimony publicly. Whether he wanted it to go out to the people that his earning capacity had been lessened was not material to any issue which
‘c State whether or not your physical condition now is one of the things that has held up your final determination to be a candidate for the office of circuit judge. (This was objected to as leading.)
“The Court: He may answer it. Note an exception.
“A. Yes; that is advanced tome as an argument by different lawyers.
“The Court: I will exclude the last part of that answer.
“Mr. Hall: I move that it all be stricken out.
“The Court: It may be stricken out. Note an exception.”
It is probable that counsel overlooked the fact that the testimony was stricken out on his motion.
The following question was asked of one of plaintiff’s medical witnesses:
“What, if anything, has been the effect upon the spinal column from the shrinking of the muscle ? ”
The objection was that:
“ There is nothing in the declaration about any spinal column.
“Mr. Dohany: We have a right to prove the condition resulting from the atrophy of muscle of the shoulder.
“ The Court: I think any condition which exists, which follows from the injuries complained of, that is not the direct injury but consequent upon a direct injury, may be shown. In other words, what effect upon the other conditions may be shown which are due to conditions caused by the accident ? ”
The ruling was excepted to, and the witness answered:
“There is a curvature to the right, which in my opinion is due to the muscular condition of the left side.”
It is quite possible that the record as printed does not
A witness sworn for plaintiff exhibited certain plates, known as X-ray pictures, of portions of plaintiff’s body. On cross-examination he was asked whether or not the pictures demonstrated anything abnormal, and he answered, “ I would not be positive about that.” On redirect examination he said that he noted in the pictures the deposit of a foreign substance in the muscle and that it was quite marked; that it indicated a deposit of lime in the muscle which would result in hardening or ossification of the muscle. On recross-examination he was asked whether the condition he referred to was abnormal, and he said, “Yes.”
“Q. Then why did you tell me in answer to my question that you found nothing abnormal in these plates ?
“A. I should like to have the court stenographer refer back to my testimony so that I would be precise in what I said.”
It appears in the record that the stenographer read his testimony, but it does not appear that he was asked any further questions. Now, the only objection to his testimony at any time appears to have been the one that a cer
“ Now, doctor, do you note in these pictures the deposit of any foreign substance in the muscles ? ”
We have so many times discussed the subject of the discretion of the trial court to permit leading questions, that a reference to the decided cases is uncalled for. It is often proper, and frequently necessary, to ask leading questions to develop the facts, and it was entirely competent in this case, after the doctor had answered that he was not positive that the plates disclosed anything abnormal, to ask him directly whether, as he read the plates, or the pictures, there was indicated the deposit of any foreign substance in the muscles.
The grounds for the motion for a new trial were those which have already been discussed, and, further, that if the affidavit of Dr. Polglase, filed with the motion, was true, plaintiff had been guilty of wilful perjury and the verdict should not be permitted to stand, and that the defendant is deprived of the testimony of Dr. Polglase, who treated the plaintiff, prior to his alleged accident, for alcoholism, and that, theplaintiff having deniedsuch treatment, the defendant was prevented from framing a necessary hypothetical question to the medical witness and from properly cross-examining the medical witnesses produced on behalf of the plaintiff. One of the affidavits attached to the motion, upon which the motion is based, is made by one of the attorneys for defendant, who states that he cross-examined the plaintiff with a view of establishing from the testimony of the plaintiff that he had been treated for alcoholism prior to 1909, and especially by Dr. Polglase. The testimony of the plaintiff in that behalf is set out at large, and the affidavit concludes with the statements that, before and at the time plaintiff gave his testimony, the deponent made a diligent search for Dr. Polglase, was informed that he was somewhere on the Pacific Coast, and could not discover his exact address; that after
The court was not in error in ruling that the affidavits presented no ground for granting a new trial, and we need state but one reason for our holding, which is that if
Careful consideration of appellant’s contentions and argument has not led us to the conclusion that reversible error is made out.
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WILKINS v. DETROIT UNITED RAILWAY
- Status
- Published