Ross v. Omaha & Council Bluffs Street Railway Co.
Ross v. Omaha & Council Bluffs Street Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
Action by plaintiff, Herbert P. Ross, to recover damages alleged to have been sustained by reason of a collision between the motor truck which he was driving and a street car of defendant, Omaha & Council Bluffs Street Railway Company. The accident occurred on January 23, 1918, at the intersection of Nineteenth and Yinton streets in the city of Omaha. Plaintiff approached and entered the intersection from the south, find, he alleged, was struck by defendant’s street car with great force, knocking his truck to one - side and causing personal injuries. Suit was brought to recover damages in the sum of $6,700. Defendant, in its answer, denied each and every allegation of plaintiff’s amended petition, and alleged the street car was proceeding northeasterly along Yinton street at a proper, lawful and safe rate of speed; that as it approached the intersection the motorman sounded his gong; that plaintiff operated the automobile truck unlawfully, driving at a rate of speed in excess of six miles an hour at the street intersection;
Appellant contends that the case comes within the rule laid down by the United States federal court and by severel state courts^ and urges the following proposition: “The failure of the plaintiff to look for a street car. and to stop - his automobile truck before attempting to drive onto the'.track directly in front of or against the front end of the moving street car was such an act of gross negligence as would have justified and required the court to direct a verdict for defendant company.” A careful examination of the record discloses facts which make a case not within the rules discussed by counsel for appellant and which justifies and sustains the jury’s finding in plaintiff’s favor.
The issue then is a question of fact and must be decided as such according to law, and being a question of fact,, what the jury finds3 as a matter of law, .cannot undér the rules of this court be disturbed unless clearly wrong.. This is .one of the substantial rules of this court , and -vye are not justified in going behind it under the facts in this. case. The verdict of the jury is in accordance with the facts. -.
• The following is a quotation from -the, trial judge’s instructions: “The burden of proof is upon the defendant to. establish by a preponderance of the,evidence that the plaintiff was guilty of negligence contributing to ’ cause the collision in question in a degree- sufficient
The evidence' of the witness Swanson is invaluable to ' this case. He Was- with the plaintiff and' in a position to see the car in question, to note and judge the speed at" which it. ran and the control of the same as handled by the motorman. This testimony was •" valuable,' inasmuch' as it corroborated the essential parts of the testimony of ‘ plaintiff. ' '
It is noticeable that the street car “was running at a proper and reasonable rate of speed,” which statement, it is claimed, is confirmed by the motorman' and other witnesses for the defendant- company. The story of plaintiff’s witnesses wás confirméd by undisputed physical conditions. The witness Swanson testified substantially that the street car was running 20 or 25 miles an hour When it struck the motor truck.
According to plaintiff’s testimony the accident happened at 8:15 , in the morning. The day was clear. He was driving a truck for Sunderland Brothers Coal Oofiipany and: was accompanied by a helper, the witness-Swanson.: Plaintiff made a delivery' of coal ón South
The claim is made that the verdict is excessive and is not borne out by the record. The following testimony was given concerning his injuries: “Q. After you recovered consciousness, while you were at the hospital, to what extent did you suffer "pain, either in your head or other párts of your body? ,A. Well, I suffered with my back, my head and my arm. Q. What arm? A. My right arm. Q. 'Now, referring to your head, where was the pain in that? A. In the upper part óf my jaws, I was struck in the temple here (indicating) ; I had a large lump on my temple; my nose was all stopped up, I couldn’t breathe, and blood was coming through my mouth. Q. What was that, fresh blood? A. Yes, sir. Q. You say your nose was plugged up. ’ What do you mean by that? A. The doctors took cotton and medicine and
The plaintiff was injured in the back and on the hip or side, also his hearing was affected and was not nearly as good at the time of the trial as before the injury. He was at the hospital about two weeks and had internal bleeding in the head all the time he was there and for some time afterwards. He was injured to such an extent that he had hemorrhages every few weeks and they continued nearly every day until some time in the winter. His hearing in the right ear since the accident is affected, making it very difficult and almost impossible for him to hear. He is highly nervous and irritable and does not sleep well at night. Such being the true condition, we do not believe a verdict Of $5,000 is in any way excessive.
Taking all matters into consideration, we hold that the verdict should 'be and 'it is,
Affirmed. .
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
Disregarding all the testimony for the defense, and considering alone that given by the plaintiff’s witnesses in its most favorable aspect, it clearly establishes that plaintiff, the driver of the truck, was grossly negligent-in failing to see the street car until it was within a few feet from him. He testifies that the first and only time he saw the street car was when the front wheels of the truck were on the first rail of thé nearést street car
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Herbert P. Ross v. Omaha & Council Bluffs Street Railway Company
- Status
- Published