Burkes v. Northern Texas Traction Co.
Burkes v. Northern Texas Traction Co.
Opinion of the Court
Appellant sued appellee to recover for personal injuries caused by being thrown from a street car while it was in motion. The allegation is, in substance, that appellee was a passenger, and when approaching the place where he was to alight he pushed the button, arose from his seat, walked down the aisle to the rear entrance and got down on the step preparatory to alighting. While standing there, the car moving slowly, gave a sudden jerk, causing him to fall to the street, whereby he was injured. Appellee answered by general demurrer, general denial, and contributory negligence. A trial was had before a jury, who returned a verdict for appellee, and judgment was rendered accordingly.
The first assignment of error complains of the giving of appellee’s requested charge No. 2, which is as follows:
“Gentlemen of the jury, you are instructed that if you find and believe from the evidence that upon the question of which plaintiff complains he left a place of safety within defendant’s ear while the car was moving, and before it had stopped for him to alight therefrom, and proceeded to the step of the car while it was still in motion, and you further find that at such time both of his hands were incumbered and be did not have hold of anything to support or aid himself, and that while in such position and while so incumbered, and while the car was still moving and before it had stopped for him to alight, he attempted to alight therefrom; and you further find that an ordinary prudent person would not have so acted under the same and similar circumstances — then such act on his part would be negligence which proximately contributed to any injury he may have received, and if you so find, you will return your verdict for the defendant, regardless of your finding upon any further issue herein.”
Under this assignment is submitted the proposition that:
“Plaintiff having pleaded and the evidence being uncontroverted that defendant’s servants in charge of the car caused it to start forward suddenly with a violent jerk, precipitating him from the step upon which he was standing, the requested charge which eliminated this question from the jury’s consideration should not have been given.”
It will be noted that said special charge, after grouping the facts, closes with this language:
“Then such act on his part would be negligence which proximately contributed to any injury he may have received, and if you so find you will return your verdict for the defendant, regardless of your finding upon any further issue herein.”
“You are instructed, if you believe from tbe evidence that at tbe time, or about tbe time, plaintiff complains be suffered with swelling and discoloration of the scrotum and tbe contents thereof, or parts thereof, and if you find that sucb condition was due to infection caused by scratching a pimple upon sucb part, thereby producing an ulcer, swelling, or discoloration, that you could not, in any event, allow plaintiff anything for such condition.”
Tbe evidence shows that tbe swelling and discoloration existed before tbe infection was caused by scratching. Damages, if any recoverable, could only be diminished by tbe negligence, if any, of appellant in aggravation of such swelling and discoloration.
We are of tbe opinion that tbe evidence does not show any invitation or act of tbe conductor that raised the issue of appellant being induced thereby to occupy tbe step that warranted a charge, and therefore tbe court did not err in refusing the requested charge by appellee.
For the errors indicated in giving requested charge No. 2 by appellee, tbe judgment is reversed and cause remanded.
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Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.