Feldhaus v. City Railway Co.
Feldhaus v. City Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
This matter is before this Court on appeal on questions of law from the judgment of the court below instructing a verdict in favor of the defendant after the introduction of all the evidence offered by the parties.
It is asserted in the amended petition that the defendant, operated various street car lines in the City of Dayton; that there was at the corner of Fifth and Jefferson Streets in said city a curve in the track from Fifth Street into Jefferson Street; that on a stated day the plaintiff was walking southwardly with the green light on the west side of Jefferson Street across Fifth Street in the pedestrian lane over the double tracks of the defendant on Fifth Street; that when plaintiff had crossed the tracks, she found the pedestrian lane blocked by east bound automobiles standing in said pedestrian lane. She remained standing in said lane, her back toward the^ street car tracks, about two feet’
To this an answer is filed admitting certain formal matters, but denying all allegations of negligence on the part of the defendant and further that even if plaintiff was struck as alleged, her injuries were directly caused by the negligence of the plaintiff in placing herself in a position of danger from the overhang of said street car and in failing to keep a lookout for the rear end of said street car, although she knew, or in the exercise of ordinary care, should have known that said rear would overhang and swing out as the car made the turn.
The cause was submitted to a. jury which returned a general form of verdict in favor of the defendant signed by all the jurors. A motion was made to set aside the verdict for the reason, among other things, that the court erred in directing the jury to render a verdict for the defendant. The motion was overruled and it was ordered the amended petition be dismissed and judgment be rendered in favor of the defendant. Notice of appeal was given and the case lodged in this Court.
The plaintiff-appellant asserts-as assignments of error (1) That the Court erred in directing a verdict (2) In overruling the motion for new trial.
The defendant moved the Court, at the close of all the evidence to direct a verdict for the defendant and the plaintiff, at the close of all the evidence and following the defendant’s motion, moved that the court instruct the jury to return a verdict for the plaintiff.
There was considerable colloquy between the Court and counsel as to the effect of simultaneous motions of each side for directed verdict. However the Court appears to have taken the position that it was his duty to consider the evi^ dence as given and instruct the jury to bring in the verdict for the-defendant rather than assuming the responsibility of determining the cause as having been finally submitted to the Court without-the intervention of the jury by reason of each side making the-motions. The Court went to considerable extent in discussing the-evidence, which appears on Page-173, et seq. and need not here be elaborated upon except to state that the Court announced the fact that there was no evidence of the operating of the car against the red light. The Court states that, in
T’he Court on Page 175, et seq. comments in detail upon the various cases cited to support the doctrine of the last clear chance and thereupon sustains the ■ motion of the defendant for an instructed verdict. Thereupon the jury was instructed and signed an unanimous verdict in favor of the defendant. We do not consider that the doctrine of last clear chance is involved.
It is urged by defendant that when the plaintiff assumed her position at a spot where the overhang might strike her, she was guilty of contributory negligence and could not recover even though the defendant may have been guilty in starting the car around the curve against the red light and while the green light was still in favor of the plaintiff. The plaintiff was compelled to stop her passage across the street owing to the automobiles that impeded her progress. Of course she should have realized that her position was one of peril, but her action under the conditions does not determine that she was guilty of contributory negligence. That was a question for the jury. The rule is stated in Hamden Lodge v Gas Company, 127 Oh St, 469, syllabi 3 and 4,
“3. Upon motion to direct a verdict the party against whom the motion is made is entitled to have the evidence construed most strongly in his favor. But if upon any essential issue, after giving the evidence such favorable construction, reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to such party the judge should direct a verdict against him.
“4. Where from the evidence reasonable minds may reach different conclusions upon any question of fact, such question of fact is for the jury 4 *.”
We feel that under all the facts disclosed by the evidence reasonable minds may have reached different conclusions, both as to the alleged contributory negligence as well as the allegations of negligence in the operation of the car and the failure to give warning.
While the Court should not hesitate to direct a verdict where the facts warrant the same, we feel that there is danger in courts as
Judgment reversed. Cause remanded.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.