Johnson v. Collier
Johnson v. Collier
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff recovered a judgment of $909 against the defendant, on account of personal injuries. The defendant, W. H. Collier, has appealed.
The case was tried to the court and a jury. The defendants, as contractors, were installing an oil burning plant in a building in Seattle. It was necessary to dig a pit in an alley in the rear of the building, in which pit the fuel oil tank was to be placed. This tank was to be connected with the basement of the building by means of pipes. The pit, twelve feet long by six feet wide and about thirteen feet deep, had been dug in the alley some three or four feet away from
The main point presented here is that the court erred in denying this motion, and it is argued that the respondent was guilty of contributory negligence as a matter of law, even though he obeyed the direction of the master in attempting to work as he was directed, and that by so doing he assumed whatever risk there was. Cases are cited from other courts which seem to support appellant’s position, but we think .the facts in this case bring it within the rule of Hilgar v. Walla Walla, 50 Wash. 470, 97 Pac. 498, where both of these questions were considered, and where we held, under similar facts, that both questions were for the jury. As bearing upon this question, the record shows, in addition to
It is also claimed that the court erred in refusing to give certain instructions, but an examination of the instructions given convinces us that these instructions were given in substance. The instructions in this case were fair, and correctly and completely covered the law of the case. We find no error therein.
The judgment must therefore be affirmed. Inasmuch as respondent has not appeared in the case by brief or otherwise, he is entitled to no costs on this appeal.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ole Johnson v. W. H. Collier
- Cited By
- 4 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- Master and Servant — Excavations—Contributory Negligence— Assumption of Risks — Question for Jury. In an action by an employee for injuries sustained through the caving in of the walls of a pit, whether the plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence or assumed the risks are questions for the jury, where it appears that the plaintiff, a young, inexperienced man, was directed to work in a pit dug in soft filled-in earth, which was soaked with water, that he did not know of the danger, was informed that the sliding earth did not amount to anything, and that two experienced men were working in the same pit at a more dangerous place than that assigned to the plaintiff. Costs — Appeal—Failure to Appear. Where respondent does not appear in the supreme court, he is not entitled to costs upon affirmance of the judgment.