Kierkowsky v. Connell
Kierkowsky v. Connell
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
This is an action by a father and son for damages by
J. B. Connell, the general manager of the store, lived away and in his absence Hugh Duffy had full charge of the business including the store and stable. According to the evidence for plaintiff, Mr. Duffy had for a long time permitted him to go with the wagon in making deliveries, and to be in the stable about the mules and to assist in caring for them, etc. Some evidence also tends to show that other boys were often there under like circumstances.
Much evidence was offered by defendants to the effect that plaintiff and other boys were mere trespassers on the wagon and at the stable, and had been repeatedly driven away, and that plaintiff on the day of the accident had been ordered by the driver from the wagon and out of the stable. The jury believed plaintiff’s evidence. Assuming that he was repeatedly permitted to go in the stalls with the mules, and to be around and behind them, and to harness or unharness them, was he thereby ex
The jury on plaintiff’s evidence could properly find that the proximate cause of the accident was permitting the boy to be and to work around and about the mules. The court below well say:
“It is too plain for argument that the presence of the boy and his attempt to remove the harness resulted in his injury. If the defendant invited him or requested him to be there and to assist in such removal, why should it not be answerable for the consequences which might reasonably be expected to flow from his act. Whether or not these consequences should have been expected, and whether or not the defendant should have foreseen them are surely questions of fact for a jury, and not questions of law for a court.”
That Mr. Duffy was a vice-principal for whose acts defendants are liable is unquestioned, and if he repeatedly permitted plaintiff to be on the wagon, in the stable and working around the mules, as he was at the time of the accident, the fact that such vice-principal was not then present would not exonerate defendants. Whether plaintiff was there by their permission was a question for the jury.
The verdict is not excessive either for the father or the son. The boy’s jaws were broken, sixteen of his teeth knocked out, other teeth rendered practically useless, he is unable to properly masticate his food, cannot stand the cold, is sick more or less each month, has not normal strength or efficiency and is to some extent disfigured.
The statement of the questions involved makes no mention of variance between the allegation and the proof. In any event we think that complaint is without substantial merit. The court below tried the case with painstaking care and marked fairness, and if the result is unjust to defendants it is because the jury erred in finding the facts.
The assignments of error are overruled and the judgment is affirmed.
Reference
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- Negligence — Animals—Mules—Children—Invitees—Trespassers —Case for jury. 1. The case was for the jury in an action against the owner of a mule for injuries sustained hy a twelve year old boy in consequence of being kicked by the mule while he was removing the harness therefrom where it appeared that defendant’s vice-principal had for a long time permitted the boy to go with the wagon in making deliveries and to be in the stable about the mule and to assist in earing for it, although defendant’s evidence showed that plaintiff had been ordered by the driver to leave the stable before the accident. 2. Where in such ease it appeared that the boy was healthy before the accident, but as the result thereof his jaws were broken and he was unable to properly masticate his food, could not stand the cold, had lost his normal strength and was to some extent disfigured, a verdict of $3,000.00 for the boy and $500.00 for the father was not excessive. 3. In such case the fact that the boy was so immature as to be without. earning capacity did not deprive the plaintiffs of the right to recover for such loss of earnings as the jury might find from all the facts and circumstances had been or would be sustained as a result of the accident.