Missouri, K. & T. Ry. Co. of Texas v. Doyal
Missouri, K. & T. Ry. Co. of Texas v. Doyal
Opinion of the Court
Appellee brought this suit to recover damages for personal injuries alleged to have been received by him while.working as a brakeman in the employ of appellant, and alleged to have. been caused by being knocked down in a caboose of a freight train by cars violently shoved against the caboose. The defendant’s answer embraced a general demurrer, general denial, contributory negligence, and a special plea, which was stricken out by the court, and no error is assigned upon that ruling. There was a jury trial, which resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff for $1,100; the jury specifying that $1,000 was for damages and $100 for doctor’s bill. The court rendered judgment for the plaintiff for $1,100, and the defendant has appealed.
In view of the -rule so well established by the decisions of our Supreme Court, we feel compelled to hold that the trial court committed error when it admitted the testimony referred to. In Southern Pacific Co. v. Mar *611 tin, 98 Tex. 324, 83 S. W. 675, the Supreme Court, speaking through its present- Chief Justice, reversed the case on account of the admission of testimony tending to show certain injuries that were not alleged in the plaintiff’s petition, and the court there said: “There is but one question presented by the application; that is, that the district court erred in admitting the testimony of the two physicians to show an injury- to plaintiff’s hip and the shortening of his limb, because there was no allegation in the petition under which the evidence was admissible. The rule upon this subject is well stated by Judge Stayton in the following language: ‘The general allegation of damages will suffice to let in proof and to warrant recovery of all such damages as naturally and necessarily result from the wrongful act complained of. The law implies such damage — that is, damages of that sort — and proof only is necessary to show the extent and amount. But where damages actually sustained do not necessarily result from the act complained of, and consequently are not implied by law, the plaintiff must state in his declaration the particular damage which he has sustained, for notice thereof to the defendant; otherwise the plaintiff will not be permitted to give evidence of it on the trial. (Citing 3 Suth. on Dam. 426.) The same rule is adopted by Mr. Sedgwick, who refers to the more enlarged and particular statement of the rule made by Mr. Chitty as the correct rule and exposition of the reasons on which it is based. (Citing 2 Sedg. on Dam. 606.) This is a just rule of pleading; for it requires the person seeking relief, by his pleadings, to inform the adverse party of the facts upon which he intends to rely for a recovery, thereby avoiding surprise.’ Texas & Pacific Ry. Co. v. Curry, 64 Tex. 87; Campbell, Receiver, v. Cook, 86 Tex. 632 [26 S. W. 486, 40 Am. St. Rep. 878]. More especially applicable to this ease is this rule: ‘While it may be sufficient to specify the main fact, yet if it is attempted to particularize the injuries arising from the principal one, all that it is designed to prove should be alleged.’ Smith v. McConathy, 11 Mo. 524; 16 Enc. Pl. & Prac. 380; Pinney v. Berry, 61 Mo. 365, 366; I. & G. N. R. R. Co. v. Beasley [9 Tex. Civ. App. 569], 29 S. W. 1121. After making the general allegation, ‘his body was bruised and lacerated from head to foot by heavy boxes and other articles falling upon him,’ the petition entered with remarkable particularity into the statement of the various injuries which the plaintiff claimed to have received in the accident, which were sufficient in number and character to justify, if true, the statement that he was ‘bruised and lacerated from head to foot,’ and one reading the petition is impressed with the view -that the pleader .intended to specify in what manner his ‘body was bruised and lacerated from head to foot.’ Having undertaken to state particularly the injuries which were received and the consequences which flowed from each injury, it was important to the defendant that the plaintiff should be confined to the allegations in his petition; otherwise the railroad company would be utterly without any guide in the preparation of its- defense. We have examined carefully the averments of the petition, and we find no statement to the effect that there was a fracture of the femur or thigh bone, or that there was any shortening of the limb, nor an allegation of any injury from which they would necessarily result.”
In the case at bar the plaintiff in his petition undertook to specify the various injuries he had sustained, and those which would probably follow in the future, and nowhere did he allege that his mind had been or probably would be affected. Insanity or other impairment of his mind would not necessarily result from the injuries described in the plaintiff’s petition, and therefore the testimony referred to was not admissible.
We rule against appellant on all the other questions presented in its brief; but, on account of the error pointed out in the first and second assignments, the judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded.
Reversed and remanded.
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