Coulter v. Union Laundry Co.

87 P. 973, 34 Mont. 590, 1906 Mont. LEXIS 109
Montana Supreme Court·Decided December 22, 1906·No. No. 2,292·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinions

MR. JUSTICE MILBURN

delivered the opinion of the court.

This is an action to recover damages for damage done to the respondent, in that her hand was caught, burned, and crushed by and between the rolls of a mangle, which machine she was working at appellant’s laundry.

It is alleged in the complaint that the defendant is a corporation; that plaintiff was injured by the mangle about May 1, 1902; that she was hired by the concern about March 10, 1902, [596] to run a machine called a neckband ironer, and continuously worked for the defendant until the time of her injury. Soon after being thus hired she, in addition to running the ironer, was ordered by the foreman of the company to assist from time to time in running and operating the mangle, and that, after finishing her regular work on the neckband ironer, by the direction of the foreman she would assist other-employees in running the mangle; that on the first day of May, while so assisting, and without fault on her part, as she alleges, her right hand was caught between the rollers of the mangle, they being of iron or steel and heated to a very high degree and revolving with great speed, and her fingers and hand were drawn in between the rollers, which were very close together. Her fingers and hand were severely burned and injured, and by reason of such injury she has been permanently disabled and prevented from following her occupation and incapacitated from doing any considerable work or labor.

It is further alleged that the defendant, regardless of its duty to provide fit, suitable, and reasonably safe machinery and appliances with which she could perform her duties while at work for the defendant, failed and neglected so to do, but, on the contrary, at the time the injury occurred it did carelessly, negligently, and recklessly furnish and provide an unsafe, defective and dangerous mangle for her to do her said work upon, and directed her to work with such dangerous and unsafe machine; that it was dangerous, unsafe and defective in this: That it had no reasonably safe and proper ‘ ‘ guard, ’ ’ such as sueh machines should have, the guard being for the special purpose of protecting workmen in operating the machine; that the guard' was twisted and bent out of its proper shape, so that it furnished little or no protection; .that, as a result, of the guard being twisted and bent, the machine became dangerous, defective and unsafe, by reason of which the injury was occasioned.

The defendant admits the employment and injury, but denies all the other material allegations of the complaint. “Further' answering the said amended complaint, the defendant avers that [597] such injuries as the plaintiff received were received in consequence of the ordinary risk attendant upon the employment in which she was engaged, and for which she was employed, and which she had assumed; and that whatever defects there may have been in the said mangle, if there were any, were fully known to the plaintiff at the time she was injured and for a long time theretofore.” Defendant also pleads contributory negligence. No point is made in the brief as to her alleged negligence. A replication was filed denying the new matter of the answer.

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Coulter v. Union Laundry Co., 87 P. 973, 34 Mont. 590, 1906 Mont. LEXIS 109 (Mo. 1906).

87 P. 973 (Coulter v. Union Laundry Co.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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