Fahey v. Detroit United Railway

125 N.W. 704, 160 Mich. 629, 1910 Mich. LEXIS 818
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedApril 1, 1910
DocketDocket No. 73
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 125 N.W. 704 (Fahey v. Detroit United Railway) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fahey v. Detroit United Railway, 125 N.W. 704, 160 Mich. 629, 1910 Mich. LEXIS 818 (Mich. 1910).

Opinion

McAlvay, J.

On September 2, 1902, plaintiff, who was a seamstress and on her way to her work at the residence of Mr. Jones at Grosse Pointe, was riding on the line of defendant company along Jefferson avenue in the city of Detroit. A slight collision occurred at Bates street crossing, where there is a switch connecting the line on Jefferson avenue with that on Bates, caused by the front end of the car on which plaintiff was riding, going east, striking the rear platform of a large sight-seeing parlor car, which projected over the curve of the switch track. Both cars were moving slowly and but little damage was done to them. Some glass was broken in the Jefferson avenue car, and a man was cut upon the hand by falling glass. The conductor’s attention was called to plaintiff by a man to whom she had complained. She complained of a pain in her arm. The conductor took her name and address. She continued her journey about four miles, to the corner of Belvidere and Jefferson, getting off from the car at Dr. Bennett’s office. In charge of this office at this time was Dr. Marcus Hagan. She told him she had been injured in a street car collision, and complained of her arm and side, and of feeling faint. ' Dr. Hagan treated her, and went to the car with her, when she took it a short time after, for Grosse Pointe where she remained about 10 days doing sewing at the house of Mr. Jones. She then came back to the city to No. 1503 Twenty-Third street, staying there a few days, and then called on Dr. Bird on Greenwood avenue. On the same day, September 15th, she went to the claim department of defendant at No. 12 Woodward avenue. On September 18th she telephoned for Dr. Hagan. He found her in bed. She complained to him of pain and nervousness. He continued to treat her as her physician from that date until February 13, 1903, during which time he saw her profes[631]*631sionally every day. On many days he made two visits, and on several days three visits, to see her. After September 18th Dr. Hagan next saw her on September 24th, when she came to his office in a carriage alone, and took him with her to Harper Hospital and entered as a patient. After plaintiff’s visit to the claim department, as above stated, Dr. Brodie, defendant’s surgeon, went to see her twice, and suggested that she go to the hospital. She remained at Harper Hospital until January 6, 1903. She was then taken to the Red Cross Hospital, and from there, on January 11th, to Grace Hospital, where she remained until February 23d.

Before she went to the hospital, and after she had called at defendant’s claim department, Mr. Schneider of that department called on her to investigate relative to her claim and talked over the matter of her injury. She promised to come to the office on the next day. She came on the second day after, and asked what defendant was going to do for her. At her request by letter he called again at Twenty-Third street when she complained of the poor care she was getting. He next saw her at the hospital on October 7th, in answer to a telephone call from her, when she desired him to take her things away from 1503 Twenty-Third street and put them in storage, which he refused to do. Afterwards plaintiff wrote three letters to Mr. Schneider and one to Mr. Ross, the claim agent, all referring to her condition, and those to Schneider asked him to come to the hospital to see her; the last one stating that she would like to talk business with him. Schneider went to see her each time she sent for him. The matter of settlement was discussed on October 23d, at the visit in answer to the last letter above mentioned. He visited her several times after that, and on November 3d Mr. Schneider again saw her, when a settlement was again discussed, and also on November 5th, when he told her defendant would give her $400 and all the hospital bills, which she said she could not accept until she had seen Dr. Hagan. He called again on November 8th, when she [632]*632told him that she was satisfied with the amount. She would not sign any papers unless Dr. Hagan was present. On November 10th, Mr. Schneider telephoned Dr. Hagan that he was going with a release voucher to plaintiff at the hospital and that she requested him to be present. Mr. Webber went with Schneider. At the hospital a settlement was made. Dr. Hagan was present. Four hundred dollars in a check was paid plaintiff and hospital bills to the amount of $102.86, in consideration of which she signed a release in full for all claims and causes of action, liability, etc., by reason of injuries received at the time of the accident. Schneider, Webber, and Dr. Hagan signed as witnesses.

On the same day plaintiff indorsed the $400 check in presence of Dr. Hagan, and requested him to deposit it in the People’s Savings Bank as a commercial account. That bank refused to receive so small a commercial account, and he took it to the Home Savings Bank and deposited it. At the request of the bank he took a signature card to her, which she signed, and he returned it to the bank. The plaintiff’s account was opened on that date in the savings department, with a credit of $400, and on her signed receipt $100 was drawn out which Dr. Hagan received. From that date down to April, 1907, the time of the trial of the case, amounts were drawn out from time to time upon her signed receipts therefor, and a balance of $15 remained to her credit. Her signatures to the above-mentioned papers and receipts are admitted to be genuine, and also that all withdrawals from this account after February 28, 1903, were made by her. She testifies that she never knew where this money came from; that she has no knowledge that she ever executed any release to defendant or that any settlement was ever had. The settlement of November 10th, above related, included all hospital bills in full to November 23, 1902.

On December 10th following she wrote a letter to Mr. Hutchins, president of defendant company, which is given in full, and reads as follows:

[633]*633“Harper Hospital,
“Detroit,
“Dec. 10, 1902.
“Mr. J. C. Hutchins,
“Pres. United Str. Ry.,
“Detroit.
“Dear Sir: As you are fully informed regarding the accident which occurred on September 13, 1903, between car 812 and Yolanda, which has been the cause of injuries sustained by me, causing much suffering and confinement, at the above hospital. The same for which purpose this message is written you needs no further, or detailed explanation. As I have underestimated the time which would be necessary for my recovery and as I will be indebted to the hospital for about one and one half or two weeks charges incurred on account of the injuries received in the accident, I write to say, that as I was cut off from my employment and it being my only resource for maintenance, I will here ask, are you disposed to settle this small amount with the hospital authorities. I sincerely trust that looking over the matter and considering what I have suffered for almost five months, as well as my losses, employment, patronage, etc., you will be honorable and see that this debt is canceled agreeable to all. You cannot fail to comprehend even in my sufferings that I was overly disposed to not impose, or even demand what to others would seem justice. I trust you will give it your personal and immediate attention. I am not asking anything unjust. But as I have been rendered helpless through the accident, the hospital indebtedness being unavoidable, it will have to be settled. I only ask justice.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
125 N.W. 704, 160 Mich. 629, 1910 Mich. LEXIS 818, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fahey-v-detroit-united-railway-mich-1910.