The Little Silver
The Little Silver
Opinion of the Court
In response to the monition issued in this suit Borrea Johnson and Hans Johnson have answered the libel and claim damages for injuries sustained as a result of the collision of the steamboat Little Silver with a car float in charge of the steamtug Slatington. Mrs. Johnson claims $25,000, and Hans Johnson claims $10,000.
Being a passenger, and injured in the manner stated, the burden is upon the libelant to show a want of negligence on the part of the Little Silver. In the petition libelant charges that, the Slatington “carelessly and negligently slackened her speed” and collided with the Little Silver. This charge is not sustained by the proofs. It was, in fact, abandoned. The Little Silver’s master expressly exculpated the Slatington from any negligence. The defense that the “upset” tide — that is, where the ebb tide of the East River and that of the Hudson river meet — was responsible, is not tenable. That such title might influence the movement of the boats at the place of collision may be conceded, but that is one of the factors in navigation that is to be taken into consideration by the navigator. The fact of an “upset” 'tide at that place and of its probable effects on navigation because of the slack * or swirling waters were well known to the Eittle Silver’s pilot, and it was his duty to consider it as well as other things that might affect the navigation of boats in his course, and to so direct his steering and regulate his speed as to avoid collision. The Little Silver did not slacken her speed or starboard her helm, but kept straight on. The pilot did not answer the first alarm given by the Slatington,, and made
Mr. Johnson testified that he was a carpenter by trade, and dependent upon his exertions for a living; that all through their married life and until the time of the accident his wife did all the household work, assisted only by their children, that, after the accident, she was unable to do it, and, as he had. not the means to employ a nurse, he had to give up his work and give his personal attention to the care of his wife; that he stayed with her in her room nine or ten weeks; that for about six weeks he never had his clothes off day or night— part of November, December, and January; that he had to sta)' in the room with his wife; that she was almost out of her mind, in spells ; that his regular pay was $3 a day; that he sometimes did jobs on his own account; that he had opportunity of employment during his wife’s illness, but could not accept it because he was needed at home; that he was in attendance upon his wife from the day of the collision
Josephine Bowser, the next door hut one neighbor of the Johnsons, testified to her frequently seeing Mrs. Johnson during her illness beginning with October, 1909; that she could see her every _ day from her own house; that she frequently ran in to see her, finding her in bed; that before the accident Mrs. Johnson did her own housework; that she never heard of her being ill before, except at the birth of her children, and that after the accident she had not seen her do any work at all; that it was at her instance that Dr. Karp was sent for; that she was called in by the children, the husband being away; and that she,'being afraid Mrs. Johnson was dying, sent a young man on a bicycle for the doctor. Dr. William J. Kavanagh had his attention called to her condition immediately after the collision. He aided in restoring her to consciousness, assisted her when transferred to another boat, and gave her his attention until she arrived at Dong Branch. From there she went to her home at Seabright, N. J., accompanied by her daughter, who was with her on such trip. Dr. Kavanagh said he found her very nervous, and, from a superficial examination, the only one practicable in the circumstances, found that she had a contusion on the right side of the head, and a convulsion of the muscles of the right shoulder. To him she complained of pains in the back of her head, shoulder, spine, and buttocks, fie gave it as his opinion that her condition required medical treatment. No doctor, however, was called in by the Johnsons until a week after. The family physician not being found at such time, Dr. Karp of Seabright was called in. He testified that he first called on October 26th at the Johnsons’ home, and found that she had sustained injuries to the chest, spine, and head; that she was very nervous and complained of headache, backache, nausea, vertigo, pains in breathing, and sleeplessness; that for the first few days she was unable to get out of bed; that her symptoms indicated that she was suffering from severe shock and nervous breakdown; that “she must have come in contact with something to have suffered the pains she had,” Regarding her condition, he said:
“I didn’t think it was serious. It wasn’t fatal, and I didn’t expect it would be fatal; but sbe was too sick to be about, and had to remain in bed, and should have been under treatment' continuously.”
He said he could not tell positively that she had any bones fractured ; that “she had tenderness over the rib; but I wouldn’t state positively that it was a fractured rib; it might have been a sprained rib;” that lie treated her for pleurisy, and he strapped her about the body to relieve her pains. He continued calling until about the 8tli
Dr. Reed, a practicing physician at Seabright, who had been the Johnson family physician for many years, said he was called in to-attend Mrs. Johnson on November 11, 1909, and continued to give her treatment pretty regularly for a year; that she improved so that he did not think it was-necessary to further atténd her, as they were poor people, and he never went oftener than necessary. He said:
“I made a thorough examination of the woman and found she had sustained a concussion of the spine and brain. The symptoms were not as severe, they told me, as they had been. She was in a stage of incipient insanity at that time. She had delusions, and it kept two people taking care of her and constantly watching her. She couldn’t walk. She rolled out of bed once,- and she was suffering severe pain. She sustained a fracture of three ribs.”
He also said that the ribs “had been strapped, and were practically" healed, * * * but the trouble was intercostal neurasthenia: that is, inflammation of the nerves supplying the muscles of the ribs. It is the muscles between the ribs.” He also said that “she still suffers from the effects of that neuritis.” As to her health before'she sustained such injuries, he said:
“She was in pretty good health except she had children frequently; otherwise she' was able to do her housework and washing and scrubbing and ironing, and such things.”
He also said that she was of a slightly nervous temperament prior to the accident, but that the accident aggravated such condition. He said that he called upon her “two or three times a day for a long while”; that he had never sent in his bill, but that he estimated it between $150 and $200, stating that the amount was reduced from what he would charge other people because they were poor. During the year "of his attendance she was taken to the Long Branch Hospital, where she remained for about four weeks, during which time Dr. Reed did not attend her. He said her condition was improved after she left the hospital, and that the last time he attended her she had a uterine trouble, due or incident to menopause or change of life, through which she was then passing; that that “is part of her trouble now.”
The libelant contends that the injuries of Mrs. Johnson were neither serious nor permanent, and that she was undergoing a change of life— menopause — at the time of the accident, and that her pains and sufferings were due to and in consequence of such condition, and not to any injuries received in such accident. Such contention is said to be sustained by the testimony of Drs. Field and Bennett, who also made an examination of Mrs. Johnson at the instance of those representing adverse interests. Dr. Field’s examination was made the Saturday previous to the taking of his testimony, which would make it the 8th day of April, 1911. He made his examination at the Johnson residence in the presence of Drs. Reed and Bennett; and in answer to the question, “Tell us what you found?” he said, “There was no objective symptoms. I examined her ribs. They had been broken and
Dr. Bennett examined her twice. He made such examinations upon the request of an insurance company. The first time was on November 30, 1909; that no other physician was present at that time; that he came from Dong Branch, his residence, with the expectation of having Dr. Reed accompany him to the Johnson residence, but, Dr. Reed being absent from Seabright, he went to the Johnson residence alotlte. Concerning that visit, he said:
“I did not make a thorough physical examination. She was sitting up in bed. I was admitted to her room. She had bandages on her chest. They didn’t wish fne to remove them in order to make an examination without their physician was present. All I could do was to take her statement.”
That her pulse and temperature were normal. That she said her age was between 44 and 45. That she “complained to me of being-very nervous. She complained of dizziness in the head, and of sleeplessness, insomnia and pains, and that she imagined queer things.” ITe next saw her with Drs. Reed and Field — the occasion referred to by Dr. Field. At this time she removed her outer clothing. He said:
“We allowed her to keep on her shirt. She said she was feeling fairly well ■except that she was nervous, and that her greatest trouble was due to menstruation. She had them every three weeks, and they were very profuse.”
Her heart and pulse were normal. He said he felt her ribs and felt no trace of a fracture; that, if it had been a very severe fracture, they would have been able to locate it. If there had been a little fracture, there would be no evidence. He gave it as his opinion that Mrs. Johnson was “undoubtedly passing through what is known as the climacteric or menopause — that is, the transition state from a woman’s normal (reproductive) functions to the cessation of the same"; that from what Mrs. Johnson said such menopause had begun a year previous, or October, 1909. Asked the question “During the menopause period what symptoms do you find in women ?” he answered:
“Tou find all sorts of symptoms, particularly you are apt to find nervous ■symptoms, hallucinations, dizziness, pain, fear of impending death, fear of going insane; in fact, women at that period do go insane, sometimes temporary, and sometimes it is permanent.”
tie also said:
“If there had been any trouble from the effects of (he collision, the trouble would have developed at once, and it would have been a necessity to have a physician at once.”
In response to the question asked by counsel for the claimant, '“And the condition of nervousness and headaches described to you by Mrs. Johnson, could that be caused by any other reason than this you have stated?” he said:
*986 “They'could have been caused by the menopause. X cannot conceive of any other reason which would cause the condition and symptoms and the train of symptoms she described. Certainly no accident could bare caused them.”
The- damages to be awarded are to be compensatory, not punitive. They are to be limited to those due to the injuries sustained in such collision. In the case of the wife, an allowance is to be made for her pain and suffering resulting from such injuries. If such injuries are of a permanent character, the allowance must include pain and suffering yet to be endured. The making of allowance for such affliction is always difficult and perplexing, for the reason that there can be no more a satisfactory measurement of such pain, etc., than there can be money equivalent therefor. In the present case such difficulties are more acute because Mrs. Johnson before the time of such collision had entered the menopause period, through which she was still passing when she gave her testimony, and many of her pains and sufferings are .symptomatic of menopause.' There is no doubt, however, that she sustained severe injuries to her head, chest, and ribs, and perhaps to her spine, and that she was confined to her bed and rendered incapable of service for a long time by reason thereof, and that most of her pains, etc., are due to such injuries. Of her pains some undoubtedly have their origin in the menopause, but these were considerably augmented by such injuries. A satisfactory differentiation in the effects of these two causes of safd pains, etc.', is impossible, as is also the determination whether the aggravation of the pains chargeable to menopause, will endure.during the whole period of such transition, and, if so, whether they will end with it.
In my examination of cases cited by counsel, and such others dealing with the awarding of damages for pain and suffering as time and the pressure of other judicial work permitted, I have not found a case even substantially parallel with the one at bar. This was not unexpected, and only emphasizes the rule that the particular circumstances of the case must control. Upon due consideration of the evidence and the arguments of counsel I have reached the conclusion that an allowance of «4,000 should be made to Mrs. Johnson as compensation for her injuries.
As to the compensation to he allowed for the loss of the aid, comfort, and society of his wife, a marital right which the libelant’s carelessness encroached upon, the observations heretofore made in dealing with the wife’s pains and sufferings are in the main applicable; and for this loss, after due consideration, including .therein ‘probable future deprivation and expenses, an allowance of $700 will be made, making a total allowance to Hans Johnson, the husband, of the sum of $1,147.
A decree -in accordance herewith in favor of claimants may be entered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THE LITTLE SILVER
- Status
- Published