Bressan v. Herrick

205 P. 555, 35 Idaho 217, 1922 Ida. LEXIS 29
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 3, 1922
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 205 P. 555 (Bressan v. Herrick) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bressan v. Herrick, 205 P. 555, 35 Idaho 217, 1922 Ida. LEXIS 29 (Idaho 1922).

Opinion

MCCARTHY, J.

This is an action for negligence. The original respondent, Steve Bressan, died subsequent to the judgment and will be referred to in this opinion- as the deceased. His administrator, the present respondent, was substituted.

About July 7, 1916, Steve Bressan was employed by the appellant to work on the ground floor of his sawmill as a clean-up man. The work consisted of sweeping up the sawdust and shoveling the bark and debris into the conveyor which carried the same to the burner. On the floor were [220]*220various pulleys, belts, conveyor chains, and chutes, transmission shafts and other machinery which propelled the saws and machinery on the floor above. Deceased was injured by being caught on the conveyor chain which ran lengthwise of the lower floor and carried to the burner the sawdust and debris coming from the floor above.

Deceased had been engaged in this work about six weeks when the accident happened.' The conveyor chain on which he was injured is an endless chain composed of large links about a foot square, which travels at a speed equivalent to a slow walk. It starts at the head or north end of the ground floor at an elevation of a foot or so above the floor and runs through a trough to the tail end of the mill on a gradual upward slope, at which point it passes under an idler stationed on the floor. The idler is a large iron wheel about twenty-four inches in diameter and about two feet wide. From the sprocket wheel near the ceiling down to the idler the conveyor chain was not covered, but left open, to allow the slack in the chain to work and also to permit repair when needed.

"While at work, back of the idler and under the chute, the deceased got against the chain and one foot was caught in the chain, which pulled his leg under the idler and injured him severely.

The deceased alleged and contended this appellant did not provide him a reasonably safe place in which to work, the alleged negligence being the failure to guard or protect the conveyor chain at the point in question. He testified that blocks had in the past jumped out of the chute, that he heard a loud noise caused by the falling of blocks into the chute, 'and, fearing they might fall out and on him, he stepped back, and in so doing was caught by the uncovered chain.

The answer denied any negligence on appellant’s part. Appellant contends that the failure to cover the chain was not negligence. The evidence is conflicting as to whether or not reasonable care requires that such a chain be covered [221]*221at the point in question. Appellant also alleged that the danger, if any, entailed by the uncovered chain, was an ordinary risk of the employment, and assumed by deceased; also that he was clearly guilty of contributory negligence. Appellant contends that the evidence clearly shows that the deceased was trying to step over the chain, instead of adopting the safe method of stepping around it.

Appellant made motions for nonsuit and for a directed verdict in his favor. From a judgment, based on the jury’s verdict for $5,000 in favor of deceased, and an order denying a motion for a new trial, this appeal is taken.

The first specification of error which we will mention is that the court erred on voir dire in permitting respondent’s counsel to ask certain jurors as to whether they had had any connection or relation with surety or casualty companies.

“In. a suit for personal injuries, evidence that the defendant carries casualty insurance is incompetent and immaterial; but counsel for plaintiff may be permitted on the voir dire examination to ascertain whether the jurors have any interest in the result of the litigation, although this may show such juror’s connection with a casualty company, so long as the privilege is not abused or used as a subterfuge to communicate improper matter to the jurors.” (Wilson v. St. Joe Boom Co., 34 Ida. 253, 200 Pac. 884.)

Under the above ruling, no error appears in this record.

We will next consider the specification of error that the court should have sustained the motion for a nonsuit, or at least the motion for a directed verdict for appellant. Appellant contends both should have been sustained, because, first, the evidence shows as matter of law that deceased assumed the risk of any danger entailed by the conveyor chain, and second, it shows as matter of law that deceased was guilty of contributory negligence.

“A servant or employee,' in accepting a service or employment, assumes the risk incident to such employment only when the employer furnishes a reasonably safe place [222]*222and reasonably safe machinery and appliances with which to perform his work. A risk which arises from the use of defective machinery or appliances is not a risk incident to the employment.” (Maw v. Coast Lumber Co., 19 Ida. 396, 114 Pac. 9; 3 Labatt’s Master-and Servant, 2d ed., sec. 894.) A risk arising from the master’s failure to provide a reasonably safe place and machinery is not an ordinary risk, but an extraordinary one, and is not assumed by the servant unless it is clearly shown that he both knew the facts out of which the risk arose and appreciated the danger. (3 Labatt’s Master and Servant, 2d ed., secs. 1186a, 1190.) The question of assumption of risk is generally one of fact for the jury and becomes one of law only when the evidence is reasonably susceptible of no other interpretation than that the injured party assumed the risk, which, in the ease of a risk arising out of the employer’s negligence, would mean that the servant both knew the facts and appreciated the danger. Under the evidence in this case the question was one of fact and as such was- properly submitted to the jury. Contributory negligence is generally a question of fact for the jury.

“Contributory negligence is generally a question of fact for the jury and only becomes one of law when the evidence is reasonably susceptible of no other interpretation than that the conduct of the injured party contributed to his injury, and that, because of his negligence and carelessness, he did not act as a reasonably prudent person would have acted under the circumstances.” (Testo v. Oregon W. R. & N. Co., 34 Ida. 765, 203 Pac. 1065; Smith v. Oregon Short Line R. R. Co., 32 Ida. 695, 187 Pac. 539.) Applying this rule to the evidence in this case, the question was clearly one for the jury.

We conclude that the trial court did not err in denying appellant’s motions for nonsuit and for a directed verdict.

Appellant also specifies as error the refusal of the trial court to admit in evidence the deposition of one Dr. Didier. At the time this was offered it had already developed in [223]*223evidence that the doctor was employed by appellant to care for men in his employ who might become sick or injured, under an arrangement by which the men, including the deceased, paid appellant one dollar a month and were entitled to such services when needed. At the time the deposition was offered the following took place:

“Witness excused.
“ (Nelson.) I offer in evidence the deposition of Di*. Didier.
“ (Whitla.) Objected to. I object to the deposition as having been given by the doctor who attended this man, and it is absolutely barred by the provisions of the statutes of this state.

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Bluebook (online)
205 P. 555, 35 Idaho 217, 1922 Ida. LEXIS 29, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bressan-v-herrick-idaho-1922.