Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co. v. Godard

92 S.E.2d 626, 93 Ga. App. 671, 1956 Ga. App. LEXIS 828
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedMarch 16, 1956
Docket35992
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 92 S.E.2d 626 (Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co. v. Godard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co. v. Godard, 92 S.E.2d 626, 93 Ga. App. 671, 1956 Ga. App. LEXIS 828 (Ga. Ct. App. 1956).

Opinions

Nichols, J.

Special grounds 4 and 5 of the amended motion for a new trial complain of the introduction of testimony regarding one Clarence Bennett, to the effect that he was seen on the defendants’ premises on numerous occasions in 1938; that he stayed in and around the depot waiting room for about six weeks; and that subsequently he burglarized a grocery store across the street. The objection that this testimony was too remote in point of time is not well taken for the reason that the plaintiffs were showing a series of incidents extending from that time up until the attack involved in this case to show that lawless characters, prowlers, and hoboes frequented the area. By itself it might be too remote to sustain a recovery, but its admissibility, in connection with other testimony as to more recent occurrences, is beyond doubt. It was not irrelevant or immaterial as not being illustrative of the issues involved.

Special grounds 6, 7, 8, and 9 complain of the admission of evidence by non-expert witnesses substantially similar to that set out in division 4 of the opinion in A. C. L. R. Co. v. Godard, supra, as to the physical condition of the deceased from the time of his attack until his death. Objections to that testimony, or very similar testimony, were held in the 4th division of the opinion in that case not subject to the objection that it was a conclusion because “the conclusion of a non-expert witness, or his opinion, is admissible when predicated upon facts stated by the witness.” This disposes of the objection that the testimony was inadmissible because it was not such testimony as may be given by a non-expert witness. See also American Fidelity &c. Co. v. Farmer, 77 Ga. App. 166 (17) (48 S. E. 2d 122). As to the foundation laid for the opinions given, E. A. Baker, Jr., testified that he visited his [673]*673father during the years preceding his death, had knowledge of his general health, knew the condition of his general health prior to the assault, observed his apparent condition at regular intervals after his assault, knew about his appetite, habits, bruises, complaints, and so on before and after the beating, and was able to form an opinion from these facts as to its effect on him. Mrs. E. A. Baker, Sr., gave similar testimony, adding that she lived with him continuously before and after until the time of his death, waited upon him constantly, and formed her opinion based on these facts. Accordingly, the testimony was not subject to the objection that no foundation had been laid. The witnesses also testified as to physical observation of the deceased, the location and general appearance of the marks inflicted on him, and his activities before and after the injury. These grounds are without merit.

In special ground 10 error is assigned on the introduction of four railroad rules, one of which provides that station agents must promptly advise the superintendent of all local matters which may affect the interests of the railroad, the grounds of objection being that the rules were irrelevant and immaterial. This rule might have had some slight relevancy, though little materiality, on the issue of notice by the defendant of prior law violations on the premises. However, the admission of irrelevant and immaterial evidence noü’bf such harmful character as that its admission taken alone would be cause for reversal will not cause the appellate court to grant a new trial. Crawley v. State, 150 Ga. 586 (2) (104 S. E. 410).

The admission of medical bills, contended to be erroneous in special ground 11, was justified by sufficient medical testimony to authorize the jury to find that the treatment necessitated, to which these bills made reference, was at least in part occasioned by the beating, and was not wholly attributable to illness resulting from cancer. The jury could also have found from this testimony that the cancer was aggravated by the beating. Evidence as to these medical expenses was accordingly admissible.

An assignment of error merely that the court erred in failing without request to charge “the measure of damages for the decreased earning capacity to labor and work in the event the injury was not permanent,” without setting out in substance what it is [674]*674contended the court should have charged on this subject, is too vague and indefinite for consideration. Spence v. Morrow, 128 Ga. 722 (1) (58 S. E. 356); Paulk v. Speer, 143 Ga. 621 (2) (85 S. E. 867); Jones v. Stokes, 145 Ga. 745 (3) (89 S. E. 1078). Ground 12 is without merit.

In special ground 13 it is contended that the court erred in charging as follows: “I charge you that the general rule that an intervening criminal act of a third person will insulate a defendant from liability for an original act of negligence does not apply where it is shown by the evidence that the defendants had reason to anticipate the criminal act, and whether or not the defendants in this case had reason to anticipate the criminal act of a third person with whom they had no relationship whatsoever and over whom they had no control whatsoever, if such be the case, is solely a question for the jury to determine under the evidence in this case.” Since the Supreme Court on the previous appearance of this case (211 Ga. at page 377) stated: “The general rule that the intervening criminal act of a third person will insulate a defendant from liability for an original act of negligence does not apply when it is alleged that the defendant had reason to anticipate the criminal act.” In answer to the defendant’s contention that its only duty being to exercise ordinary care, this charge placed upon it a burden greater than that required by law, it can only be said that it has already been established in this case that, upon proof of the acts of negligence alleged, it must be concluded that ordinary care under the circumstances included the duty to anticipate a repetition of criminal acts and to take measures to guard against them. This ground is without merit.

Special ground 14, contending that the verdict of $6,000 was grossly excessive, will be considered in connection with the general grounds. The testimony relative to the essential allegation that the defendant railroad company had reason to anticipate criminal acts of third persons on its premises because dangerous characters, hoboes, and prowlers frequented the area and the defendants, with knowledge thereof, failed to take precautionary measures, is substantially as follows: L. B. Chambers testified for the plaintiff: “There is a gin house property located in the general vicinity of the Georgia Railroad station, about a block from it. . . I have been around the gin house at night. In my visitations to the gin [675]*675premises I have not noticed hoboes or dangerous characters there. I don’t think I have been there when we would be ginning cotton at night. I haven’t made any particular observation of the depot to determine whether hoboes hang around it at night. I do not know whether hoboes hang around the depot at night.”

' George P. Saye testified for the plaintiff: “This is the 19th year that I have been sheriff of Morgan County. Part of my duties is to apprehend persons violating the law. I am familiar with the Georgia Railroad as it runs through Morgan County and know where the depot is in Madison. During my tenure in office as sheriff I have had occasion to apprehend persons violating the law or charged with stealing from the railroad.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Minahan v. Western Washington Fair Ass'n
73 P.3d 1019 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2003)
Phoenix Ins. of Hartford v. Weaver
183 S.E.2d 920 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1971)
Mincey v. State
119 S.E.2d 374 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1961)
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co. v. Godard
92 S.E.2d 626 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1956)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
92 S.E.2d 626, 93 Ga. App. 671, 1956 Ga. App. LEXIS 828, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/atlantic-coast-line-railroad-co-v-godard-gactapp-1956.