Field v. Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway Co.
Field v. Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
— These consolidated cases come to this court on appeal for the second time. The first judgments were re
The facts are all stated in the first opinion and will not again be referred to.
Two assignments of error are now urged. (1) That the lower court erred in denying a motion for a new trial, based upon newly discovered evidence as to the injuries sustained by Eliza Field; and (2) that each of the verdicts is excessive.
The first error is based upon the fact that, upon the second trial, an osteopath, who had been treating Mrs-. .Field subsequent to the first trial, testified to injuries to the spine and a'shortened leg, causing her to walk with a limp, and that these injuries were of a permanent nature. The amended complaint, upon which the case of Eliza Field was tried, makes no specific mention of injuries to the spine or a shortened leg, but confines itself to a general allegation that she was severely bruised and injured so that she became lame, sick and sore, suffering great pain, and her health permanently injured. At the first trial, no evidence was given tending to show any permanent injury to the spine, nor mention made of a shortened leg. No objection was, however, made to this evidence upon the second trial, which took place nearly four years after the accident, appellant accepting the issue and contenting itself with offering evidence of several of the jurors who were in attendance at the time of the first trial to the effect that Mrs. Field was not then lame nor limped when walking except when her attention was evidently called to it.
Upon its motion for a new trial, appellant read affidavits to the effect that upon a new trial the persons named in the affidavits would testify that Mrs. Field was not lame, did not walk with a limp, nor complain of injury to her spine. Respondents produced affidavits from these same persons to the effect that they had been misquoted in appellant’s affidavits,
Nor are we prepared to say the damages in either case are excessive. Medical testimony offered at the first trial, and which was made a part of the evidence at the second trial, would indicate that Mrs. Field’s injuries were only of a temporary nature. The evidence offered at the second trial as to her condition subsequent to the first trial, and at the time of the second trial, which occurred nearly two years after the first trial and four years after the accident, sustains respondents’ contention that Mrs. Field suffered a severe injury, and that its effects are serious, painful and permanent. We must, therefore, accept the verdict as a finding by the jury that the condition as shown at the time of the second trial is the true one rather than that shown at the time of the first trial, and with this view we are not prepared’ to say the damages are excessive. The injury to Ella Field was slight, and of a temporary nature. We cannot say, however, that the award of $500 in her case is excessive to such an extent
Neither verdict will.be disturbed, and the judgments are affirmed.
Ellis, Main, and Fullerton, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Eliza Field v. Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway Company, Appellant Ella Field v. Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway Company
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- New Trial — Newly Discovered Evidence — Surprise—Diligence. A new trial for newly discovered evidence is properly denied, where the new witnesses denied that they would testify as claimed: and their evidence was sought to meet evidence of the plaintiff showing the effect of her personal injuries subsequent to the first trial of the action, which was introduced at a second trial without objection to its relevancy or any claim of surprise. Damages — Personal Injuries — Excessive Verdict. A verdict for $4,000 for personal injuries, rendered at the second trial of the action, two years after the first trial and four years after the accident, cannot be held excessive because the evidence at the first trial tended to show only temporary injuries, where it was sustained by the evidence at the second trial. .