Feiser v. Philadelphia & Reading Railway Co.
Feiser v. Philadelphia & Reading Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Appellant contended in the court below and contends here that there was not sufficient evidence of negligence in the case at bar to submit to the jury, and that it was error not to direct a verdict, for defendant as requested at the trial. In the printed argument learned counsel for appellant states his position as follows: “It was the duty of the plaintiff to prove that some employee of the defendant company in charge of the train saw the plaintiff attempting to board the train or was in a position where he could have seen him. If the time for the departure of the train had come before the plaintiff approached it and the signal had been given to start it and the employees had gotten upon the train, then there was no duty upon them to stop it and hold the train until the plaintiff could get on board.” One answer to this argument is that there is no evidence that the signal to start the train had been given, or to show what position the employees were in when plaintiff stepped on the platform of the car. It is argued that there was no testimony to show that the train was started before schedule time, or that any employee saw the plaintiff approaching for the purpose of boarding the train, or to indicate that, he was an intending passenger. This position, which is very strongly pressed in the argument, has made it necessary to carefully examine all the facts and circumstances disclosed by the record for the purpose of determining whether there was sufficient testimony, to carry the case to the jury. Without offering any testimony counsel for defendant at the conclusion of plaintiff’s case asked for binding instructions. Under these circumstances all the facts stated by the witnesses produced by the plaintiff, and the inferences to be drawn therefrom, must be accepted as established. This means that the facts testified to are undisputed and that it is the province of the jury to draw the inferences that may properly arise under such a state of facts. The precise question for decision here is whether, giving to the un
The fourth assignment of error relates to the instructions of the trial judge on the question of the measure of damages. While these instructions might have gone into the question more fully, we cannot find anything therein contained which can be said to be clearly erroneous. Indeed, the charge as a whole was full, fair and impartial, and as we view it appellant has no just ground of complaint about the manner in which the learned trial judge submitted the case to the jury.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Feiser v. Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company
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- 2 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- Negligence — Railroads — Passengers boarding cars — Sudden starting of train — Case for jury. In an action of trespass to recover damages for personal injuries sustained by plaintiff in consequence of being thrown under the wheels of a train which he was attempting to board, the case is for the jury and a verdict for the plaintiff will be sustained where it was undisputed that plaintiff, after waiting for the train in the station of defendant, was notified by the employee when the time for departure had arrived; that he went through an open gate having a sign indicating the train he wished to take; that he walked directly along the platform to the last passenger car of the train, took hold of the rail for the purpose of boarding the car at the rear end, and that while he was in the act of boarding, the train jerked violently and started, throwing him under the wheels of a baggage car attached to the passenger car, whereby his leg was severed.