Earle v. Kuklo, A--398

• Citation: 26 N.J.Super. 471,98 A.2d 107
• Decision Date: 24 June 1953
• Docket Number: No. A--398,A--398
• Parties: EARLE et al. v. KUKLO.
• Court: New Jersey Superior Court – Appellate Division

Page 471

26 N.J.Super. 471

98 A.2d 107

EARLE et al. v. KUKLO.

No. A--398.

Superior Court of New Jersey

Appellate Division.

Argued June 22, 1953.

Decided June 24, 1953.

J. Mortimer Rubenstein, Paterson, for appellants.

Before Judges GOLDMANN, SMALLEY and SCHETTINO.

The opinion of the court was delivered by

GOLDMANN, S.J.A.D.

Plaintiffs appeal from an order of the Superior Court, Law Division, Striking their amended complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Defendant is the owner of a two-family house and occupies the first-floor apartment with her husband and daughter. On or about June 22, 1951 she rented the second-floor apartment to the plaintiffs Donald C. Earle and Ruth Earle, his wife. A daughter, Bonita Susan Earle, was born shortly after.

This action was instituted on behalf of the infant by her father as guardian Ad litem, and by the Earlies individually. The amended complaint alleges that for some time prior to June 22, 1951 and until December 8, 1951, defendant, her husband and daughter 'were infected with a dangerous, contagious and infectious disease of tuberculosis, and this fact was known or should have been known' to defendant; that defendant was under a duty to notify plaintiffs of said condition and to abstain from close personal contact with plaintiffs at all times; that she failed to disclose the condition and allowed herself to come into close personal contact with plaintiffs on numerous occasions, and that as a result of defendant's negligence the infant plaintiff contracted tuberculosis and has been hospitalized for a long period of time. Plaintiff infant, by her guardian Ad litem, seeks damages for past and future pain and suffering, permanent injury to her present and future state of health, and impairment of future earning power. The father demands damages for hospital and medical expenses incurred, for future medical expenses, and for loss of companionship; the mother seeks damages for loss of companionship and future loss of the services and earnings of her daughter. Defendant filed an answer denying the material allegations of the amended complaint and at the same time moved to dismiss it on the ground that it failed to state a claim upon which relief could be granted.

The Law Division erred in granting the order of dismissal.

An infectious disease is one caused by the entrance, growth and multiplication of micro-organisms in the body. It may or may not be contagious, I.e., transmitted from one person to another by mediate or immediate contact. Maloy, Medical Dictionary for Lawyers (2d ed. 1951), p. 320. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Bacillus tuberculosis. Ibid., p. 550. The vast majority of tubercular patients gain their infection through inhalation of the bacilli directly into the lungs. Infection is usually due to the inhalation of wet sputum coughed into the air, where it may float about in the form of tiny globules for a considerable time and distance. 1 Gray, Attorney's Textbook of Medicine (3rd ed. 1949), § 36.11, p. 542.

New Jersey has recognized the infections and communicable nature of tuberculosis by including regulations concerning this disease in R.S. 26:4--1 et seq., N.J.S.A. For example, R.S. 26:4--15, N.J.S.A., requires a physician to report the existence of tuberculosis in any of its manifestations within 12 hours after his first professional attendance upon any person suffering from that disease. A like duty to report is placed upon a house owner or householder 'who has reason to believe that any person living, dwelling or being in any building under his control is affected by (tuberculosis), when no physician has professionally attended the sick person.' R.S. 26:4--16, N.J.S.A. Additionally, R.S. 26:4--61, N.J.S.A., provides that any person having tuberculosis, 'who shall dispose of his sputum, saliva, or other bodily secretion or excretion in such a way as to cause offense or danger to any person shall be deemed guilty of a nuisance.'

As stated in 25 Am.Jur., Health, § 45, p. 318:

'The general principle is well established that a person who negligently exposes another to an infectious or contagious disease, which such other thereby contracts, is liable in damages therefor. * * * The degree of diligence required to prevent exposing another to a contagious or infectious disease depends upon the character of the disease and the danger of communicating it to others. In...