Norton v. County of Bergen
Norton v. County of Bergen
Opinion of the Court
This action was brought by the plaintiffs against the defendant to recover judgment for damages alleged to have been sustained as a result of the plaintiff Marjorie S. Norton, stepping -into an opening which existed in the south passage walk of the Anderson street bridge, in the city of Hackensack, at the point where the movable span joined the stationary part of the bridge.
The case was tried before the judge, sitting without a jury, and he rendered judgment for the plaintiffs.
From the evidence the trial judge found as follows:
“I find from the testimony in this case that on November 1st, 1921, the plaintiff Marjorie S. Norton was walking westerly over the south passage walk of the Anderson street bridge, in the city of Hackensack, Bergen county, and at the point where the stationary part meets the movable span
Judgment was rendered for the plaintiff Marjorie S. Norton for $400 and for plaintiff William J. Norton for $70.
We see no reason to disturb this judgment.
The statute {Pamph. L. 1918, ch.: 185, arL. 13, § 1309) reads:
“In all cases where the board of chosen freeholders of a county, or boards of chosen freeholders of two or more counties, are chargeable by law with the construction, erection, rebuilding or repair of any viaduct or bridge, and the said board or boards shall wrongfully neglect to perform- their duty in that behalf, by reason whereof any person or persons shall receive injury or damage in his, her or their persons or property, such person or persons may bring an action at law against said county or counties and recover judgment to the extent of all such damage sustained as aforesaid.”
The defendant county argues that there should have been a nonsuit or a verdict directed for the defendant on the ground, which was urged on such motions at trial, that there was no evidence of “wrongful neglect” upon the part of the county, to which is added the argument that the judgment should have been for the defendant.
We are not impressed with these arguments.
The judgment will be affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MARJORIE S. NORTON AND WILLIAM J. NORTON v. COUNTY OF BERGEN
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published