Pintar v. Pitt Iron Mining Co.
Pintar v. Pitt Iron Mining Co.
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff, while working for the defendant Pitt Iron Mining Company in its iron mine near Elba, this state, was on August 21,1907, injured by an explosion of dynamite. He brought this action in the district court of the county of St. Louis to recover damages for such injury, on the ground that it was caused by the alleged negligence of the defendant in furnishing him with a fuse which was defective and unsafe with which to do his work, and in failing to warn and instruct him as to the dangers incident to the work of blasting. The answer denied any negligence on the part of the defendant, and alleged that plaintiff’s injury was due to his own negligence, and, further, that he assumed the risks. Verdict for the plaintiff for $7,000. The defendant appealed from an order denying its motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or for a new trial.
The first contention of the defendant is that the verdict is not sustained by the evidence, for the reason, as stated by counsel, that “there is no justification for this verdict, as the negligence alleged in the complaint was not proven. I apprehend that it is yet the rule that the happening of an accident does not create a case of liability or sufficient cause for submitting a personal injury case to the jury.” The apprehension of the counsel is correct, and, if the record does not disclose evidence tending to establish evidentiary facts from which the jury might have reasonably inferred that the defendant was negligent as alleged, the verdict must be set aside. The record discloses evidence tending to show the facts following:
In making the foregoing statement we have assumed the credibility of the testimony of the plaintiff, which was a question for the jury. We are of the opinion that the jury might fairly draw, from the evidentiary facts stated, the inference of fact that the defendant failed to exercise due care with reference to the fuse kept in the box and in failing to warn the plaintiff, who had ño experience in blasting or using explosives, as to the dangers incident to the work he was set to do, and was therefore guilty of negligence as alleged in the complaint. Laitinen v. Shenango Furnace Co., 103 Minn. 88, 114 N. W. 264. The case of Murphy v. Great Northern Ry. Co., 68 Minn. 526, 71 N. W. 662, relied upon by the defendant is clearly distinguishable from this case, for its facts do not justify any reasonable presumption that the defective fuse had been placed in the box by any unauthorized person. Clearly the question of the plaintiff’s contributory negligence and whether he assumed the risks was one of fact.
We hold that the verdict is sustained by the evidence. Many errors are assigned and urged as to the rulings of the trial court in the admission of opinion evidence, and also in its instructions to the jury. We have examined them in detail, and our conclusion is that no reversible error was committed by the trial court either in its rulings or its instructions to the jury. The basis of most of the alleged errors is that there was no evidence warranting the reception of the opinion evidence objected to, or for the giving.of the instructions excepted to. We have stated the facts which there was evidence tending to prove, and we are of the opinion that such evidence justified the rulings and instructions of the court, of which the defendant complains as not justified by the evidence.
Qrder affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- TONY PINTAR v. PITT IRON MINING COMPANY and Another
- Status
- Published