St. Louis Southwestern Railway Co. v. Walker
St. Louis Southwestern Railway Co. v. Walker
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff-appellee, J. H. Walker, sued the defendant-appellant for damages under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, 45 U.S.C. A. § 51 et seq., and the Safety Appliance Act, 45 U.S.C.A. § 1 et seq., for injuries sustained by the appellee on January 9, 1958. Appellee was a brakeman and was engaged in switching some cars when a knuckle was broken between two cars and he and a fellow brakeman were engaged in making repairs. At the time the knuckle was broken, the two cars separated and were about 75 feet apart. The brakeman had already signaled the engineer to stop, and had not given any other signal for the moving of the train. While the appellee and his fellow brakeman were repairing the knuckle, no signal whatever being given by them, the cars attached to the engine were moved into the brakemen from the rear, without warning, with such force as to move the entire train about 100 to 150 feet. Appellee was struck in the back, knocked down, and finally emerged from the track. This movement inflicted injuries on appellee for which he sued. Trial was to a jury, resulting in a verdict and judgment in favor of the appellee for the sum of $51,600.00 for his injuries and $223.-50 for extra medical expenses. From this judgment, the appellant has perfected its appeal and brings forward twelve points of error.
By Point One it complains of the misconduct on the part of the jury in ar
By its points, 2, 3, 4, and 5, it says the trial court erred because of the exces-siveness of the verdict, because there was no evidence, the evidence is insufficient, that the verdict was actuated by sympathy, passion or prejudice or improper motive outside of the record in this case, and the jury did not take into consideration the present value of money in arriving at the same. Seven witnesses testified as to his injuries. Dr. P. M. DeCharles testified about the injuries which included subluxation of a vertebra in his back, about the disability to his neck, about the scar tissue and its effect, that in his opinion the condition was permanent and he could never have the use of his neck as he had before the injury. The doctor did not testify as to the percentage of disability, but he did testify that on occasions it would run to as high as 75%, and sometimes he wouldn’t have any. He testified that was what could be expected in an injury of the type that he found with the appellee. An accountant testified as to the gross earnings of the appellee, and another witness brought forth annuity tables showing the sum of $120,-212.68 would be required to provide a single premium immediate life maturity to pay $471.72 monthly to a person 43 years of age over his life expectancy. The evidence is sufficient to support the jury verdict. Dallas Consolidated Electric St. Ry. Co. v. Motwiller, 101 Tex. 515, 109 S.W. 918; Verhalen v. Nash, Tex.Civ.App., 330 S.W.2d 676, wr. ref., n.r.e.
The verdict is not excessive. Houston and Great Northern Railroad Company v. Frank T. Randall, 50 Tex. 254. The verdict was not occasioned nor influenced by passion or prejudice. Louisiana & A. Ry. Co. v. Chapin et al. (Tex.Civ.App.), 225 S.W.2d 614, wr. ref. See, also, 16 A.L.R.2d 306, § 117, and A.L.R.2d Supp.1961, Jan. issue, p. 189, § 22, and p. 204, § 117; McCollum v. McKellar, Tex.Civ.App., 337 S.W.2d 693, er. ref., n.r.e. The points are overruled.
By its points 6 and 7 the appellant complains of the argument of one of the attorneys for the appellee. From the Bills of Exception brought forward in the case, and qualified by the trial court, it seems that the argument was not objected to at the time it was given. The appellant waived the error, if any. Younger Broth
Points 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are without merit and are respectfully overruled.
The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.