Douds v. Beaver Valley Traction Co.
Douds v. Beaver Valley Traction Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
This action of trespass has been tried three times in the court below, the first trial resulted in a verdict in favor of the husband and wife of $2,800; the second $3,415.68, and the present one $2,185. A new trial was granted in the two first cases for the reason that the trial judge was of the opinion that the verdicts were excessive and against the weight of the evidence, and refused this time because “no matter how often the case might be tried, it will always be a question for the jury, and the probabilities are that another trial would result in another verdict for the plaintiff.”
In Kohler v. Penna. R. R. Co., 135 Pa. 346, the rule to be followed in such cases is stated as follows: “The remedy for a perverse verdict, or one against the weight of the evidence, is to set it aside and grant a new trial, a remedy which we take occasion to say should be freely and firmly exercised, especially in those classes of cases which are apt to be affected by local or narrow views and interests or by popular sympathies or prejudices,” — and the duty of the appellate court is declared in Smith v. Times Pub. Co., 178 Pa. 481, as follows: “Where there is an allegation of the court’s abuse of its discretionary powers in passing upon an application for a new trial, the court will inquire into the facts, and if it clearly appears that the discretion has been abused, the improper action below will be reviewed and the wrong done corrected.” After a careful examination of all the testimony we fail to find any abuse of discretion in the action of the court below.
The one fact in dispute was in regard to the condition of affairs when the plaintiff received her injuries — Was the car from which she was alighting in motion, so as to convict her of contributory negligence in attempting to get off? Many witnesses in the car and on the street testified that it was in motion when she either fell, jumped or stepped off. The plaintiff and two other eyewitnesses were subjected to a prolonged and severe examination,
It is the special function of the jury to fix the amount of the plaintiff’s damages, if under the law he is entitled to recover any. The preponderance of evidence is not to be determined solely from the number of the witnesses, and it is the peculiar province of the jury to determine the credibility of the witnesses and weigh the evidence. A verdict will not be set aside merely because the court, if trying the question of fact would have found differently. It must be manifestly and palpably wrong to justify a new trial. After a fair trial it should be sustained if it is warranted by any fair construction of the evidence, and after concurrent verdicts have established the plaintiff’s right to recover, the trial court is loth to continue the controversy merely to assess the amount of damages founded on contradictory testimony, particularly so, when it does not clearly appear that another trial would produce a substantially different result.
The charge of the court while of unusual length was a painstaking review of the testimony, and the disputed facts were fairly submitted. The assignments of error are overruled and the judgment is affirmed.'
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.