Bailey v. Indianapolis Abattoir Co.

118 N.E. 374, 66 Ind. App. 465, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 27
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 18, 1918
DocketNo. 9,460
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 118 N.E. 374 (Bailey v. Indianapolis Abattoir Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bailey v. Indianapolis Abattoir Co., 118 N.E. 374, 66 Ind. App. 465, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 27 (Ind. Ct. App. 1918).

Opinion

Hottel, J.

— This is a second appeal in an action brought by appellant in March, 1909, in the superior court of Marion county, to recover damages for a personal injury sustained by him while in the employ of appellee, and alleged to have resulted from appellee’s negligence.

A brief history of the pleadings, proceedings and disposition of the case up to and including the first appeal is necessary to an understanding of the pro-, ceedings since had therein, which give rise to the questions presented by this appeal. The case as it came to this court on the first appeal involved issues tendered by the following pleadings, viz.: A complaint in one paragraph which proceeded upon the theory that appellant had been injured while in appellee’s employ by being kicked by one of appellee’s horses, it being alleged that the horse was vicious, that appellee knew of its vicious character, that appellant did not, and that appellee negligently failed to warn, etc. There was an answer in general denial, and a special answer setting up a written release. To the latter answer appellant filed a reply in general denial and a special reply. A trial by jury resulted in a verdict for appellant. There was an appeal to this court, and the judgment below was reversed, because of error in the giving of an instruction. The trial court was directed to grant a new trial. The opinion of this court was spread of record below, whereupon the appellant, on January 1, 1914, filed an amended complaint in two paragraphs. A written motion filed by appellee to strike this complaint from the files was sustained. On March 11, 1915, appellant filed a second amended complaint in two paragraphs, which was likewise stricken from the files upon the written motion of appellee. Thq [469]*469appellant then filed an amended reply in two paragraphs to appellee’s original special answer setting up said release. A demurrer to these paragraphs of reply was sustained, whereupon the appellant withdrew his reply in general denial to said special answer, and elected to stand upon his pleadings, and the trial court entered the judgment in appellee’s favor, from which this appeal is prosecuted. Proper exceptions were saved by appellant to each of the several rulings of the trial court sustaining said respective motions to strike out and the demurrer to said amended replies. These several rulings are separately assigned'as error and relied on for reversal. The questions presented by each of such rulings respectively will be considered in the order of their disposition by the trial court as above indicated.

The theory of the first paragraph of the first amended complaint is not clear. It contains substantially all the averments of the original complaint up to and including the averments of the original injury alleged to have been caused by appellee’s negligence (for which see opinion of this court on the former appeal, Indianapolis Abattoir Co. v. Bailey [1913], 54 Ind. App. 370, 102 N. E. 970), and it then avers that immediately after appellant had received his injury, and while he was in great pain and suffering, appellee, recognizing its responsibility therefor, placed him in charge of a physician and surgeon' employed by it, and undertook and agreed to pay him his wages for such time as he was disabled and unable to work. Appellee thereafter paid appellant his usual weekly wage for a period of eighteen weeks, during which period appellant was under the care of said physician. At the expiration' of this period, appellee assured appellant that his condition was [470]*470favorable, that the bones of his leg had properly knit, and that he would soon be able to return to work, and proposed to pay him a lump sum, viz., $200, instead of weekly wages, which would compensate him for-his injuries, and more than pay his weekly wage to the time' when he would be entirely recovered and able to work. Said physician, knowing the condition of appellant’s injuries, assured him that the bones of his leg had thoroughly and properly knit, and that it was only a matter of a few weeks until he would be able to return to work fully recovered. Said statements of said physician were wholly false and fraudulent, and were made for the purpose of defrauding appellant, and inducing him to enter into a written discharge of appellee in consideration of the sum of $200, which was an inadequate and improper compensation for appellant’s injuries, appellee and said physician knew these facts. Appellant, relying upon said representations of said physician, procured to be made by appellee, received from appellee on August 22, 1907, the sum of $200, and then executed the following agreement for settlement in full of his claim for his injuries:

‘ ‘ Settlement in Full oe Claim eor Personal Injuries.
“I, Ollie E. Bailey, hereby admit and acknowledge that there has been paid to me in hand this day by Indianapolis Abattoir Company the sum of Two Hundred Dollars in full settlement, accord and satisfaction of any and all claims or demands of every description which I now have or may hereafter have against the said Indianapolis Abattoir Company of [on] account of an accident causing injury to me on or about April 8th, 1907.
“Tn testimony whereof, I have hereunto set [471]*471"my hand and seal this 22nd day of August, 1907.”
(seal) “Ollie E. Bailey.”
“The foregoing agreement was read by Ollie E. Bailey who said that he understood it; that he knew that in signing it he was signing away his right to any further claim for the injuries therein referred to; that he was satisfied with the settlement; and that he signed it of his own free will.”
‘ ‘ Charles Remster,
Indianapolis, Ind.
“Lida Bailey,
521W. Morris Street, Indianapolis.”

Appellee paid said sum and procured the execution of said release with the intent and purpose of defrauding appellant of his rights in the premises, and of preventing him from recovering $15,000, which was due him for the injuries inflicted upon him and from which he was at the time suffering, all of which appellee well knew. Afterwards, in consequence of the injury so received, it became necessary to amputate appellant’s leg, and said leg was amputated below the knee. Appellant did not know and had no opportunity to know of the condition of his leg and of the false and fraudulent representations made to him by appellee until after February 1,1908, when he was advised by a competent surgeon that there was no union of the bones of said leg, and that amputation thereof would be necessary. “In order to save his life and enable him to recover his health and strength said surgeon * * * removed his leg, and said plaintiff (appellant) became and. was rendered a cripple for life; all of which to his damage in the sum of” $15,000. Wherefore plaintiff demands judgment for $15,000.

[472]

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

Related

Monnier v. Central Greyhound Lines, Inc.
129 N.E.2d 800 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1955)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
118 N.E. 374, 66 Ind. App. 465, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 27, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bailey-v-indianapolis-abattoir-co-indctapp-1918.