Fabiano ex rel. Fabiano v. Berckes
Fabiano ex rel. Fabiano v. Berckes
Opinion of the Court
This case has been twice tried at the Hudson Circuit and on both occasions resulted in verdicts for the plaintiffs.
In the present case there was a verdict of $1,250 for Antonio and $325 in favor'of his mother, Giustina.
The defendant seeks to have the verdicts set aside as being contrary to the weight of the evidencé and against the charge of the court, and excessive in so far as the amount awarded to Giustina is concerned.
The plaintiff Antonio was eleven years of age at the time he met with his injury. While crossing Adam street, between Newark and First streets, in Hoboken, he was hit by defendant’s motor ear and sustained a fracture of the right thigh, a laceration of the right ear, causing disfigurement. The accident happened in broad daylight.
“A second concurring verdict upon the same state of facts or slightly varying evidence should cause the court to hesitate before granting a third trial.” Brown v. Paterson Paper Co., 69 N. J. L. 474; Fulton v. Grieb Rubber Co., 72 Id. 36; Johnson v. Central Railroad Co. of New Jersey, 109 Atl. Rep. 360; Lembeck v. Harms et al., 118 Id. 537.
The contention that the verdict in favor of Antonio’s mother is contrary to the judge’s charge finds no support in a fair reading of it. Nor can we say the award of $325 damages to the mother is excessive. She is entitled to the earnings of her son until he reaches the age of twenty-one, unless sooner emancipated. This fact in itself has a probable and a speculative value, and was eminently for a jury to pass upon and determine.
The rule to show cause is discharged, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ANTONIO FABIANO, A MINOR, BY HIS NEXT FRIEND GIUSTINA FABIANO AND GIUSTINA FABIANO v. ROBERT BERCKES
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published