Ellwein v. Town of Roscoe

174 N.W. 748, 42 S.D. 298, 1919 S.D. LEXIS 129
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 8, 1919
DocketFile No. 4452
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 174 N.W. 748 (Ellwein v. Town of Roscoe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ellwein v. Town of Roscoe, 174 N.W. 748, 42 S.D. 298, 1919 S.D. LEXIS 129 (S.D. 1919).

Opinion

WHITING, J.

Action to recover damages for personal injuries. Verdict and judgment for plaintiff. Appeal from judgment and order denying a new trial.

In the cement crosswalks in • appellant town gutter openings-were left,- which openings were covered by planks Testing upon-rods embedded in the cement. Respondent met another woman, just at one of these gutters. This other woman stepped one one end of the plank covering, and the opposite end flew up, trippingf and throwing respondent down and causing her serious physical' injury.

[1] Respondent pleads negligence in the construction and' maintenance of the plank covering; also that appellant had actual' notice of such negligent construction and maintenance. She offered, and the trial court received, evidence that tended to prove that this covering was in an improper condition long after it was-constructed and a considerable time prior to the alleged accident. This evidence also -tended to corroborate the evidence of faulty construction and to prove the negligent maintenance pleaded; incidentally it tended to establish constructive notice of the defective-condition. The receipt of. this evidence is assigned as error. The only objection on which this assignment can be predicated is that such evidence was “not within the issues of this -case and incompetent.” That it was competent on the -question of negligent maintenance is clear. But appellant contends that it was not “within the issues,” as it tended to prove constructive notice of the defective condition when only actual notice was pleaded. -Appellant’s remedy, in case there was no evidence of actual notice, was by a motion to strike out such evidence, or a request that the court caution the jury to consider the evidence only upon the-question of whether the original construction was proper.

[303]*303[2] It is evident from the whole record that the trial court tried the case upon the theory that the pleadings were sufficient to sustain proof of constructive notice of the alleg'ed 'defective condition of the plank covering. To object to this evidence as “not within the issues” was insufficient to -base error, if any, in the court’s trying the case upon the theory above noted. The interposition of an objection should not be the mere setting of a hidden trap to be sprung upon motion for a new trial and upon appeal. Unless the objection is one that cannot be. cured, a general objection is insufficient. As said by the territorial court in Caledonia Min. Co. v. Noonan, 3 Dak. 189, 14 N. W. 426:

“If parties desire to avail themselves of * * * objections, they must make them in the trial court, with such particularity and so specifically that this court can see that such trial court has passed upon the very question presented here.”

We believe that the above announces a just Tule and provides a guide that the appellate court should follow. Certainly this court cannot say that the objection interposed called attention to the fact that constructive notice was not pleaded. We must presume that, if the attention of the court and respondent had been properly called to this fact, if it was a fact, respondent would liave immediately asked to amend the complaint to conform to the proof.

[3] Respondent testified, over objection, as to what she paid for medicine bills, hospital charges, operations, etc. Appellant •assigns as error the admission of this evidence, and ¡'urges that there is no testimony that these payments were reasonable, and it asserts a well-established rule when it says that “the 'reasonableness of the charges * * * must be established.” But again appellant has failed to pursue its proper remedy. Respondent’s evidence as to what she paid was competent and was properly received. If she failed to prove by further testimony the reasonableness of these payments, it constituted a mere failure of proof, which- rendered immaterial the proof as to what she had paid. A motion to strike the evidence, or a request for an instruction taking these elements of damages from the jury, would have fully protected appellant in its rights. Kolka v. Jones, 6 N. D. 461, 71 N. W. 558, 66 Am. St. Rep. 615.

[4] Appellant assigns as error the receipt of answers to cer[304]*304tain questions asked of respondent’s expert witness. A consideration of one question is sufficient. A doctor was asked:

“And basing your opinion, doctor, upon the evidence and statements from her as to how the injury she received at Roscoe-occurred, and upon your original examination and treatment of .her, and upon your examination, both physical and X-ray, in your opinion would the injur}' which she suffered be considered the predisposing cause of the present condition of her hip?”

The objection which appellant now urges, and the only one-urged, is that “no proper foundation had been laid.” Appellant urges, and has cited numerous authorities holding, that an expert 'cannot properly be asked an opinion based upon statements that have been made to him, and upon what he had learned from a. physical examination of a party, until he has disclosed to the jury the substance of such statements and what he found upon such: examination. Conceding such to be the law, it is evident that the objection interposed did not direct the trial court’s attention, to what it was that was lacking as a foundation for the question. For all the record' shows, appellant may have had in mind that the witness had not laid the proper foundation to testify at all as an expert- — - had not shown that he was an expert. What we have-said in connection with the first assignment discussed is peculiarly applicable to this one. If a proper objection had been interposed,, respondent could readily have placed before the jury all that was needed as a basis for the question asked.

[5] Appellant assigns error in that respondent was permitted to call and examine, as an adverse witness, a member of appellant’s town board. Assuming, -but not deciding, that this witness was improperly called as an adverse witness, yet no question was asked him which the trial court, in its discretion, could not have allowed to have been asked if he had- been called' as a friendly witness.

[6] Appellant assigns as error the overruling of its motion-to direct a verdict. This assignment raises the question of the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain a verdict for respondent. A review of such evidence could serve no useful purpose; there, was-ample to support such a verdict.

[7] Appellant assigns as error the court’s refusal to give-two requested instructions: One, if given, would have taken from [305]*305the jury the right to base a verdict upon negligent construction of the covering; the other would have taken from the jury the question of actual notice. There was evidence from which the jury could find the original construction of the covering to have been faulty. The court in its iustructions virtually took the question of actual notice from the jury. •

[8, 10] Appellant assigns as error the giving of certain instructions to the jury. The instructions, taken as a whole, were very complete and exceptionally fair to appellant. We deem- it necessary to note but two exceptions: Exception was taken to an instruction submitting to the jury the question of constructive notice.

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Bluebook (online)
174 N.W. 748, 42 S.D. 298, 1919 S.D. LEXIS 129, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ellwein-v-town-of-roscoe-sd-1919.