Harman v. Southern Ry. Co.
Harman v. Southern Ry. Co.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
This is an action for actual and punitive damages, alleged to have been sustained by the plaintiff, through the wrongful acts of the defendant, in causing injury to a carload of horses and mules shipped from Paris, Ky., to Lexington, ¡3. C., on the 10th of January, 1913. The jury rendered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for $984.40 actual damages and $765.60 punitive damages. (The actual damages were afterwards reduced to $759.90.)
(1) “This is an action for injury to freight and loss of freight, and any recovery to which the plaintiff may be entitled is limited to actual damages.”
(2) “This action grows out of an interstate shipment, controlled by the Federal statutes regulating interstate commerce, under which any recovery to which the plaintiff maybe entitled is limited to compensatory damages.”
His Honor, the presiding Judge, overruled the demurrer, on the ground that:
“The acts of Congress, including the Carmack Amendment, do not deprive a shipper of his common-law right of action for punitive damages.”
*211 The case of DeLoach v. South. Ry., 106 S. C. 155, 90 S. E. 701, shows conclusively that the ground upon which his Honor, the presiding Judge, based his ruling was erroneous.
Judgment reversed as to punitive damages.
Footnote.—As to carrier’s liability to exemplary damages for act of servant, see Deloach v. So. Ry. (ante), 106 S. C. 155, 90 S. E. 701, and notes in 48 L. R. A. (N. ,S.) 35, 27 L. R. A. 193, 9 L. R. A. (N. S.) 403. order refusing a nonsuit or direction of a verdict is not appealable
Reference
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- Syllabus
- 1. Carriers—Live Stock—Negligence—Punitive Damages—Carmack Amendment.—Under the Carmack Amendment (Act June 29, 1906, c. 3591,-sec. 7, pars. 11, 12, 34 Stat. 593) to the Interstate Commerce Act (Act Feb. 4, 1887, c. 104„sec. 20, pars. 11, 12, 24 Stat. 386 [U. S. Comp. St. 1913, sec. 8592[) as to carrier’s liability for “loss, damage, or injury,” to goods, etc., delivered to it for shipment, punitive damages are not recoverable against a carrier for the mere wrongful acts of its servant not authorized nor ratified by it. 2. Commerce—Interstate Commerce—Act by Congress.—The acts' of Congress relating to interstate commerce are exclusive in that respect, and no damages for injury to a shipment are recoverable except those allowed by the Federal statutes.