Bean v. Western N. C. R. Co
Decision Date | 28 December 1890 |
Court | North Carolina Supreme Court |
Parties | Bean . v. Western N. C. R. Co. |
Negligence of Master—Pleading — Evidence— Fellow-Servants.
1. In an action against a railroad company for injuries to a brakeman, defendant pleaded a release of the damages due to the injury. The reply denied the execution of the release, and alleged that when it was executed it was under the impression, on plaintiff's part, that it was a receipt for wages due him, and that he was unable to comprehend the purport of the release by reason of the bodily pain and mental anxiety he was then suffering in consequence of his injuries. Held that, though there was no allegation of fraud, the reply shows matter sufficient to invalidate the alleged release.
2. Instead of the single issue as to the validity of the release, the court submitted to the jury three issues, viz., whether plaintiff executed the instrument thinking it was a receipt for wages; whether, at the time it was obtained, he was suffering bodily pain and mental anxiety due to his injuries; and whether, by reason of such suffering, he was unable to comprehend the effect of the release. Held, that this was not prejudicial to defendant.
3. A railroad company having cut its roadbed along the side of a mountain, it is negligence for it to leave masses of rock, which had been loosened in blasting, in such a position that they are liable to fall at any time upon the track; and it is not relieved from liability for a consequent injury to an employe on its train by the fact that it hires a track-walker, whose duty it is, before and after the passage of each train, to see whether rock has fallen, or is about to fall.
4. The danger in such case is not one with knowledge of which the trainmen are chargeable, where it is shown that they, when on the train, are on a level with the rock, which does not look dangerous from that point; and they will not be held to have assumed the risk, unless knowledge is proved.
5. Assuming that the track-walker is a fellow-servant of the trainmen, his negligence will not bar a recovery, because without the prior negligence of defendant his negligence could not have resulted in the injury.
Appeal from superior court, Buncombe county; Connor, Judge.
The plaintiff brought this action to recover damages for injuries sustained by him while he was in the service of the defendant railroad company as a brakeman on the freight train, occasioned by its negligence, etc. Among other things, it is alleged in the complaint: "The defendant denied the material allegations of the complaint, and alleged as affirmative defense: For a third defense to this action, defendant says: The plaintiff replied to this answer as follows:
At the trial, on motion of the plaintiff, the following issues were submitted to the jury: The defendant excepted to the above issues, and tendered the following as the issues arising upon the pleadings: Defendant excepted to the ruling of the court refusing to submit the issues tendered by it. The jury responded to the first issue, " Yes;" to the second, " No;" to the third, "Yes;" to the fourth "Yes;" to the fifth, "Yes;" to the sixth, "No;" to the seventh, "No;" and to the eighth, "$1,500, "—which responses duly appear in the record proper.
The following is so much of the evidence as has reference to the stone in the precipitous side of the mountain, the condition thereof, and the fall of parts of the same on the road: ...
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