Clinger v. Director General of Railroads
Clinger v. Director General of Railroads
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Plaintiff was injured in a collision between defendant’s locomotive and a large motor truck he was driv
The decision of the case comes down to the resolution of a single query — Was plaintiff guilty of contributory negligence? — as defendant admits, under the proofs, its negligence was for the jury. It however insists plaintiff Avas so clearly contributorily negligent, it must be so determined as a matter of law.
The negligence charged against defendant, which the court submitted for the jury’s consideration, was the failure to have the headlight of the locomotive lit and neglect to give notice of the approach of the train by bell or whistle. Conceding, as defendant does, these two matters to be for the jury, and the jury having found for plaintiff, all the attending circumstances of the collision must necessarily be viewed, on defendant’s motion for judgment n. o. v., in the most advantageous light for plaintiff (Keinath v. Bullock, Receiver, 267 Pa. 589). Thus viewing the case, we have the following facts and circumstances to deal with:
Plaintiff in the early morning, before it was light, brought a large truck, which he was employed to operate, out of the building where it was kept, near defendant’s railroad, approached Avithin fifty feet of the track, alight
One of defendant’s assignments of error complains of the court’s refusal to submit to the jury certain requests which it presented for special findings. As defendant withdrew its motion for a new trial and stood solely on its motion for judgment, this assignment cannot be considered, as we are limited by the record to affirming the judgment or entering it for defendant.
The assignments of error are overruled and the judgment is affirmed.
Reference
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- Negligence — Railroads—Automobiles — Right-angled collision— Contributory negligence — Case for jury — Motion for judgment n. o. v. — Withdrawal of motion for new trial — Appeals—Limited by record. 1. Where a railroad company, against which a verdict has been rendered in an accident case, concedes that its negligence was for the jury, hut moves for judgment n. o. v. on the ground of plaintiff’s contributory negligence, the court will view all the attending circumstances of the accident in the most advantageous light for plaintiff. 2. Where, in an action against a railroad company for damages sustained in a right-angled collision between defendant’s locomotive and a motor truck operated by plaintiff, defendant withdrew its motion for a new trial, and stood solely on its motion for judgment n. o. v., the appellate court cannot consider assignments of error complaining of the refusal of the trial court to submit to the jury certain requests for special findings, being limited by the record to the affirmance of the judgment or entering it for defendant.