Denver City Tramway Co. v. Cobb
Opinion of the Court
This was an action to recover for personal injuries sustained by the plaintiff in a collision with a street car in the city of Denver. In its answer and at the trial the defendant took the position that, even conceding its negligence, the plaintiff was without right of recovery, because of contributory negligence on his part; and our attention has been chiefly directed fo the question of whether or not this defense was established so conclusively that a verdict for the defendant should have been directed. In that view of the evidence which .is most favorable to the plaintiff,' and is yet a reasonably permissible one, the facts are these:
The collision occurred at the junction of Tremont and Broadway streets, where the defendant has a double-track electric street railway passing from one street into and along the other. Broadway extends north and south, and Tremont departs from it in a southwesterly
The negligence of the defendant consisted in a failure to give a timely signal or warning of the approach of the car, and in a failure to make timely observation of the surroundings at the crossing, so that the speed might be checked, or the car stopped, in time to avoid a collision, if there was occasion to apprehend one. But the injury was not willfully or wantonly inflicted. On the contrary, when it was
But it is urged that the plaintiff’s duty was performed because, before leaving the sidewalk, he looked along both streets and saw no car. It must he held otherwise. The purpose in requiring him to look at all made it necessary that he should do so at a place and time when it would be reasonably calculated to be effectual for his protection. His looking at the time and place selected did not satisfy this requirement. Plis view along Broadway was then so obstructed that the car, which the collision showed was in close proximity to the crossing, could not be seen by him. It was after he passed the coal wagon that his view became unobstructed. He should have looked again at that time, and his failure to do so was negligence. Chicago Great Western Ry. Co. v. Smith, 73 C. C. A. 164, 141 Fed. 930; Saltman v. Boston Elevated Ry. Co., 187 Mass. 243, 72 N. E. 950; Bartlett v. Worcester Consolidated St. Ry. Co., 189 Mass. 360, 75 N. E. 706; Hafner v. St. Louis Transit Co., supra; Colorado & S. Ry. Co. v. Thomas, 33 Colo. 517, 81 Pac. 801, 70 L. R. A. 681.
It is also urged that the case is within that exception to the general rule making contributory negligence a defense, which is known as the “last clear chance doctrine.” But there are two reasons why that is not so: First. The exception does not apply where there is no negligence of the defendant supervening subsequently to that of the plaintiff, as where his negligence is continuous and operative down to the moment of the injury. St. Louis & San Francisco Ry. Co. v. Schumacher, 152 U. S. 77, 81, 14 Sup. Ct. 479, 38 L. Ed. 361; Illinois Central R. Co. v. Ackerman, 76 C. C. A. 13, 144 Fed. 959; Missouri Pacific Ry. Co. v. Moseley, 6 C. C. A. 641, 57 Fed. 921; Gilbert v. Erie R. Co., 38 C. C. A. 408, 97 Fed. 747. Second. The exception does not apply where the plaintiff’s negligence or position of danger is not discovered by the defendant in time to avoid the injury. Chunn v. City & Suburban Ry. Co., 207 U. S. 302, 309, 28 Sup. Ct. 63, 52 L. Ed. 219; Illinois Central R. Co. v. Ackerman, supra; Fonda v. St. Paul City Ry. Co., 71 Minn. 438, 451, 74 N. W. 166, 70 Am. St. Rep. 341; Alger, Smith & Co. v. Duluth, etc., Co., 93 Minn. 314, 101 N. W. 298; Bennichsen v. Market St. Ry. Co., 149 Cal. 18, 84 Pac. 420; Cullen v. Baltimore & P. R. Co., 8 App. D. C. 09; Rider v. Syracuse Rapid Transit Co., 171 N. Y. 139, 63 N. E. 836, 58 L. R. A.
As it follows that a verdict for the defendant should have been directed, the judgment is reversed, with a direction to grant a new trial.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DENVER CITY TRAMWAY CO. v. COBB
- Cited By
- 50 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. STREET Raihroads — Injury at Crossing — Contributory Negligence. The law gives no right of recovery for an injury sustained by a pedes» trian in k collision with a car at a street crossing, where both parties are negligent, each disregarding his own duty and seemingly relying upon a performance of the duty of the other, and where the injury resulting from their concurring negligence would have been avoided if the duty of either had been performed. 2. Same —Duty of Pedestrian — Looking Along Tracks for Approaching Car. The law requires a pedestrian, about to cross over a street railroad, to look along the tracks to ascertain whether a car is approaching near by, and to do so at a place and time when it will be reasonably calculated to be effectual for his protection. [Ed. Note. — For cases in point, see Cent Dig. vol. 44, Street Railroads;. § 208.] 3. Same — Contributory Negligence — “Last Chance Doctrine.” The exception to the general rule making contributory negligence a defense, known as the “last chance doctrine,” does not apply where there is no negligence of the defendant supervening subsequently to that of the plaintiff, as where his negligence is continuous and operative down to-the moment o£ the injury, or where his negligence or position of danger is not discovered by the defendant in time to avoid the injury. [Ed. Note. — For eases in point, see Cent. Dig. vol. 44, Street Railroads, § 219.1 (Syllabus by the Court.)