Deer v. Suckow Co.

110 N.E. 700, 60 Ind. App. 277, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 41
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 14, 1915
DocketNo. 8,811
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 110 N.E. 700 (Deer v. Suckow 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
Deer v. Suckow Co., 110 N.E. 700, 60 Ind. App. 277, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 41 (Ind. Ct. App. 1915).

Opinion

Ibach, J.

This is an action for damages by Lewis M. Deer, administrator of the estate of Joseph E. Deer, deceased, against appellee, a corporation employing five or more persons and engaged in the milling business and manufacture of- flour in the [279]*279city of Franklin, Indiana, for injuries sustained’ by decedent, and resulting in his death, and alleged to have been caused by appellee’s negligence. Trial by jury resulted in a verdict for appellee. The only error assigned is the overruling of appellant’s motion for new trial.

1. [280]*2802. [279]*279Errors are argued relative to the giving of several instructions on the court’s own motion, and at the request of appellee. Appellee urges that the instructions are not properly in the record under §561 Burns 1914, Acts 1907 p. 652. The record shows that on April 9, 1913, the evidence was concluded and the argument of counsel heard, and under date of April 10, 1913, there is the following entry: “Come now the parties herein by their attorneys. Comes also the jury heretofore sworn. Instructions Nos. 1 to 6 inclusive tendered by the defendant, are read to the jury, to the reading of each of which to the jury the plaintiff at the time objects and excepts. Instructions Nos. 1 to 32 inclusive tendered by the court are read to the jury, to the reading of each of which to the jury the plaintiff and defendant each separately and severally for himself and itself at the time object and except, and all instructions are signed by the court, filed with the clerk and ordered made a part of the record, which is now' done, and which instructions are in the words and figures as follows, to wit”: The instructions given by the court appear to have been signed by him on April 9, 1913, and following these instructions is the entry, “Instructions Nos. 1 to 32 inclusive tendered by the court, read to the jury, to the reading of each of which to the jury plaintiff and defendant, each separately and severally for himself and itself at the time objects and excepts. April 9, 1913. ¥m. E. Deupree, Judge.” Then appears a request of defendant before argu[280]*280ment to the court to instruct the jury in writing, and a request to the court to give to the jury six instructions. • These instructions follow, with the marginal notation “Given” on each, and they are not signed immediately at the close of the instructions but the following entry appears: “Instructions Nos. 1 to 6 inclusive tendered by the defendant read to the jury, to the reading of each of which to the jury, plaintiff at the time objects and excepts. April 9, 1913. W. E. Deupree, Judge.” It then appears that the jury retired to deliberate on a verdict, and the verdict was returned on April 11, 1913, There was no attempt to make the instructions a part of the record- by bill of exceptions, and therefore, if a part of the record, they are such because of the order of the court under date of April 10, 1913. We think however, that a sufficient compliance with §561 Burns 1914, supra, is shown, a,nd that the oral exceptions to the, instructions given by the court of its own motion are sufficiently shown by the record entry. The mere fact that it is shown that the judge signed the instructions the day before they were given to the jury is immaterial for the statute, fixes no particular time for the signing, and there is nothing in the record to indicate that the instructions signed were not given to the jury without change or modification. This is an action under the act approved March 2, 1911. Acts 19.11 p. 145, § §8020a-8020k Burns 1914. Under this statute, where negligence of the employer is shown, the defenses of assumption of the risk, and of contributory negligence because of dangers and hazards inherent in the employment are removed, and the burden of proving that the employer did not know of the defect alleged to constitute negligence, or was not chargeable with knowledge, is placed on the employer. [281]*281Benkowski v. Sanders-Egbert Co. (1915), 60 Ind. App. 374, 109 N. E. 924.

3. It is stated specifically in the act (§3 Acts 1911 p. 145, supra),'that an “employe shall'not be held to have assumed the risk of any defect in the place of work furnished to such émplóye, or in the tool, implement or appliance furnished him by such employer, where such defect was, prior to such injury, known to such employer or by the exercise or ordinary care might have been kn'own to him in time to have repaired the same or to have discontinued the use of such defective working place, tool, implement or appliance. The burden of proving that, such employer did not know of such defect, or that he was not chargeable with knowledge thereof in time to have repaired the same or to have discontinued the use of such working place, tool, implement or appliance, shall be oñ the defendant.” Under this section, when a plaintiff employe has proved a defect in a working place, or in an implement, appliance or tbol furnished to him by the employer,' he has made out a prima facie case of negligence against the employer, ’ and he can not be held'to have assumed the risk where it has not been proved .that the employer did not know of the defect, or was nbt chargeable with eon-. struetive knowledge thereof. Therefore, instructions Nos. 20, 21, 22, in the following words, were erroneous: “No. 20. The decedent, by entering the employment of the defendant company, and engaging in' the work he did, as engineer, assumes the ordinary risks and dangers incident thereto, not only so far as they were known to him, but also, so far as they could have been known to him by the exercise or ordinary care upon his part; and if you believe from the evidence, that decedent at and prior to the time of the accident knew the condition of the cup[282]*282board, in question, and tbe' floor surrounding it, or that he could bave known its condition-and tbe manner' in- wbicb it was set and excavated, by tbe exercise of! ordinary care and prudence upon bis part, then plaintiff can not recover and in that event your verdict should be for. tbe - defendant. No. 21. It was decedent’s duty to be careful and to guard against accidents; and if you believe from tbe evidence that decedent knew tbe manner in wbicb tbe cupboard, in question, stood on tbe floor, and the condition of tbe floor, or if tbe condition of tbe cupboard and floor was apparent and decedent by looking and using ordinary care, could readily bave discovered tbe danger, if any, tben your verdict should be for .the defendant. No. 22. If decedent knew of tbe condition of tbe cupboard and trenches in tbe engine room, as alleged in tbe complaint, if they wére as alleged, or could bave known, if they were of such character as an' ordinarily observant person would bave known, and the condition of tbe -cupboard or trenches caused the-accident, tben plaintiff can not recover.” Although decedent knew of tbe condition of tbe cupboard and tbe excavation near it wbicb caused it to topple over and crush him when be'went to-it for a tool, be was not, under tbe statute, chargeable with contributory negligence because of such a risk inherent in the employment, nor could be be charged with assumption of tbe risk, where the employer knew of the- defect, or was chargeable with- constructive knowledge thereof. Tbe instructions above set out omit these elements of tbe law as stated in tbe statute under consideration,’ and- were therefore incorrect instructions

[283]*2834. [282]*282There was also error in tbe giving of.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
110 N.E. 700, 60 Ind. App. 277, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 41, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deer-v-suckow-co-indctapp-1915.