Cardwell v. United States

108 F. Supp. 578, 1952 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2322
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedDecember 1, 1952
DocketNo. 11457
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 108 F. Supp. 578 (Cardwell v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cardwell v. United States, 108 F. Supp. 578, 1952 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2322 (E.D. Pa. 1952).

Opinion

GRIM, District Judge.

This is an action against the United States of America brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b), by Baird Cardwell as father and guardian of James and Donald Cardwell, minor plaintiffs, and by Baird Cardwell in his own right. On the basis of the pleadings and testimony I make the following special findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Findings of Fact.

1. On September 13, 1949, at about 4:40 p. m., William McCandless was driving a 1938 Hudson four-door sedan automobile, owned by plaintiff Baird Cardwell, southward in the west lane on 50th Street in Philadelphia and was approaching the intersection of 50th Street and Greenway Avenue. Minor plaintiffs James Cardwell, sitting on the right in the back seat, and Donald Cardwell, sitting on the left in the back seat, were passengers in the automobile.

2. At the same time a mail truck, owned by the defendant, United States of America, and operated by an employee of defendant within the scope of his employment and upon defendant’s business, was proceeding westward in the north lane on Greenway Avenue and approaching the intersection of Greenway Avenue and 50th Street.

3. When the automobile reached the north house line of Greenway Avenue, Mc-Candless looked both to his right and left and saw no traffic on Greenway Avenue coming toward the 50th Street intersection. At the north curb line of Greenway Avenue McCandless again looked both to the right and to the left and saw no traffic ap[579]*579proaching. His view to- the left was partially blocked by an automobile parked on the north side of Greenway Avenue approximately seventy-five feet east of the intersection. He sounded his horn upon entering the intersection.

4. Defendant’s mail truck driver, travel-ling westward on Greenway Avenue, made no observation of traffic to his right and left on 50th Street as he approached and entered the intersection from the east. He did not see the Cardwell automobile until both the automobile and his truck were already in the intersection. He was driving the truck at an excessive speed under the circumstances. Upon seeing the Cardwell automobile in the intersection, defendant’s driver applied the brakes to the truck which skidded approximately eighteen feet, according to the skid marks, and crashed into the left side of the automobile.

5. The front of the truck struck the left side toward the rear of the automobile with such force that the truck’s bumper ripped off the left rear door and projected into the back seat, damaging the automobile in the amount of $345.

6. Defendant’s employee was negligent in the operation of the mail truck immediately preceding the collision, in that he drove the truck at an excessive speed under the circumstances, failed to take proper cognizance of traffic moving on 50th Street toward its intersection with Green-way Avenue, and failed to have his truck under proper control.

'7. The collision of the mail truck with the Cardwell automobile was proximately caused by the negligent operation of the mail truck by defendant’s employee. Mc-Candless, the driver of the Cardwell automobile, was not guilty of contributory negligence.

8. As a result of the collision Donald Cardwell, then fifteen years old, was knocked unconscious and was taken to Mercy-Douglass Hospital where he regained consciousness and then lost consciousness for the second time. He was given first aid at the hospital, where he spent two hours, and was then sent home, where he remained in bed for two days.

9. Donald’s injuries consisted of a brush burn, five by two and one-half inches, and 'bruises on the left thigh which developed into a cellulitis and muscle spasm; a concussion of the brain, which resulted in two brief periods of unconsciousness and in headaches; some injury to the lower back resulting in muscle spasm.

10. For about three weeks following the accident, in addition to the pain from the burns, bruises, and muscle spasm in his left thigh and the spasm in his lower back, Donald suffered nausea, some loss of weight, and headaches with pain particularly over the eyes.

11. Donald was first treated on September 15, 1949, by his family physician, Dr. Grahn, who applied salve and bandaged his left thigh, and treated it with shortwave diathermy - (heat). Dr. Grahn referred Donald to Dr. Rankin, an ophthalmologist, who found nothing wrong with his eyes. Donald used crutches for a few weeks following the accident.

12. On October 3, 1949, three weeks after the automobile accident, Donald while playing football was knocked unconscious for four minutes and was taken to Mercy-Douglass Hospital where he remained for three days. (About a year prior to this football injury Donald sustained a similar injury while playing football, lost consciousness, and was hospitalized for one week.) After the October 3, 1949 football accident Donald used crutches for approximately five weeks. He fainted eight or ten times between the time of the automobile accident and the time of the trial, as a result largely of the football injuries sustained after the automobile accident.

13. Up to the date of the trial, April 10, 1952, Donald was still suffering from headaches characterized by pain over the eyes, but decreasing in frequency and intensity. These headaches were in small part the result of the injuries sustained in the automobile accident and in large part the result of the injuries sustained in the football accident three weeks later. These recurrent headaches are not a permanent condition, but will gradually disappear entirely.

[580]*58014. Donald passed the required physical examination and enlisted in the United States Navy on January 25, 1952.

15. Donald missed two and one-half months of school after the automobile accident. Only two or three weeks of that time can be attributed to the automobile accident, with the remaining lost time chargeable either to the subsequent football accident .or to voluntary absence.

16. Donald failed in his schoolwork two consecutive times after the automobile accident, but his academic failures were in no way connected with the accident. He failed in three courses in school prior to the accident.

17. Dr. Grahn’s bill was $97 for the treatment of both Donald’s automobile injuries and his subsequent football injuries. However, the entire bill, which was fair and reasonable, can fairly be charged to his automobile injuries alone.

18. As a result of the injuries he sustained in the automobile accident, Donald was unable to serve his newspaper route for three weeks, at a loss of $8 .a week or a total loss of $24. He would have given half of these lost earnings ($12) to his parents.

19. I assess Donald’s pain and suffering resulting from the automobile accident to be in the amount of $400.

20. James Cardwell, then thirteen years old, was knocked unconscious in the-automobile collision and regained consciousness in Mercy-Douglass Hospital a short time later. His mother took him home the same day and put him to bed where he remained until the following night.

21.

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108 F. Supp. 578, 1952 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2322, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cardwell-v-united-states-paed-1952.