Ford v. Reamsnider

26 Ohio C.C. (n.s.) 535
CourtRichland Circuit Court
DecidedJanuary 15, 1917
StatusPublished

This text of 26 Ohio C.C. (n.s.) 535 (Ford v. Reamsnider) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Richland Circuit Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ford v. Reamsnider, 26 Ohio C.C. (n.s.) 535 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1917).

Opinion

Shields, J.

This action was brought in the court of common pleas by A. F. Reamsnider, defendant in error, to recover damages of S. N. Ford, as receiver of the Mfansfield Railway, Light & Power Company, plaintiff in error, for injuries received by him through the alleged careless and negligent operation of one of the cars of the plaintiff in error.

In his petition below the said Reamsnider alleges, in substance after obtaining leave .of court to bring suit against the said receiver:

[536]*536“that on or about October 5, 1914, said receiver was operating the cars of the defendant company on the tracks of said company on South Main street, in the city of Mansfield; that said said South Main street is entered at right angles from the east by Granite street in said city, and that both of said streets are public thoroughfares and much used and traveled by vehicles and pedestrians; that said city at said time had a city ordinance in operation prohibiting the running of street ears in said city at a rate of speed not to exceed eight miles per hour; that on said date the said Reamsnider was assisting in hauling large sewer tile with a team and wagon, and proceeding west on said Granite street with a load of said tile he observed on reaching said -South Main street the north bound ear of said defendant company about 500 feet distant; that he' did not know and had no means of knowing the speed of said approaching car and believing that those in charge of the same were observing and would observe said speed limit and that said ear was not running and would not run at an unusual rate of speed, and the plaintiff having ample time to cross said track with said team and wagon, and while exercising due care and precaution, started to cross the same. That said car thus approaching from the south in charge of the conductor and motorman of the defendant company was running in violation of said city speed ordinance at a high, reckless and dangerous rate of speed, to-wit, from 20 to 25 miles per hour; that said motorman could see said team and wagon crossing onto said South Main street from said Granite street and starting across the tracks in ample time to check the speed of said car or stop it and thus avoid collision, but the plaintiff says that the said defendant company, through its agents, carelessly and negligently failed to do so; that the said defendant company by its agents so negligently drove, run and conducted said car that the same was thereby run and driven against his said wagon, upsetting the same, violently throwing the plaintiff to the street under said tile, whereby he was seriously and permanently injured, to his damage in the sum of eight thousand dollars, for which judgment is prayed. ’ ’

To this petition an answer is filed by the defendant, the first defense being in the nature of a general denial, and, secondly, contributory negligence is averred in this that the injuries, if any were received by the plaintiff, were due to his own fault and negligence directly contributing thereto; that he did not [537]*537look or listen for the approach of said street ear, that he went directly in front of said car without looking or listening and that he took no precaution whatever for his own safety. To which answer a reply was filed by the plaintiff denying the contributory negligence charged.

Upon trial had the plaintiff recovered a verdict and judgment against the defendant, and a petition in error is filed for the reversal of said judgment.

' At the close of the evidence offered by the plaintiff below it appears that a motion was submitted by the defendant below, and renewed at the close of the case, for a directed verdict in favor of the said defendant, which said motion was overruled, and which action of the court below is assigned as error. A reading of the evidence as found in the bill of exceptions fully satisfies this court that under the rule of law making it the duty of the trial court to submit to the jury all disputed questions of fact arising upon the trial of a ease, no error was committed by that court in overruling said motions.

Exceptions were taken to the action of the trial court in respect to the admission and rejection of certain evidence upon the trial, particularly in relation to the evidence offered by the defendant in error tending to show that as a result of said collision and accident his one leg was shortened. This evidence was admitted over the objection of the'plaintiff in error, and it is contended that the action of the trial court in so admitting it was prejudicial error. It is certainly not an open question as to what the rules of pleading require in stating a cause of action, and that a recovery, if any is had, should be based upon the cause of action stated as a ground of recovery; and where the pleader fails to state his cause of action properly or definitely, the statute furnishes a remedy for relief in such eases. By referring to the plaintiff’s petition we find that the allegations therein covering his injuries are as follows:

‘ ‘ That said defendant by its said servants so negligently drove, run and conducted said car as aforesaid; that the same was thereby run and driven against said wagon, upsetting the same, violently throwing plaintiff to the street and under said tile; [538]*538that the plaintiff was thereby seriously and permanently injured ; that his right limb was mangled and crushed, both bones between the ankle and knee were broken and a compound fracture 'sustained; that plaintiff was confined to his bed six weeks, suffered and is still suffering physical pain and anguish.”

In the foregoing we find the averment that the plaintiff was injured permanently, with the added description of the injury to his right limb. True, the effect of said injury is not expressly stated, bnt is not the averment that the injury is permanent, sufficient to warrant the evidence offered? We think it is; but if counsel thought otherwise, it was their privilege, by motion before trial, to have sought further and fuller information of the character and extent of this injury; but- having failed to do- so and having answered said petition, did not such answer constitute a waiver of any objections thereto because of a want of definiteness and sufficiency of allegation? We think it did. Further, it would appear that the resultant injury to the right leg, as described in said petition, could not be- otherwise through any natural process of reasoning than as described by the defendant in error as the same appears on page 45, and as described by the physician in charge as the same appears on page 60 of the bill of exceptions, in describing the effect of said injuries. Taking this view, we hold that the action of the trial court in admitting said evidence was not prejudicially erroneous, nor do we find any substantial or tenable ground for any other exceptions taken to the admission or rejection of evidence which prejudicially affect the legal rights of the plaintiff in error.

It is vigorously contended that the plea of contributory negligence interposed by the plaintiff in error, and sustained by the evidence, as claimed, should have resulted in a judgment for the plaintiff in error on the trial in the lower court, and that the judgment of said court' is therefore contrary to law and against the manifest weight of the evidence.

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Bluebook (online)
26 Ohio C.C. (n.s.) 535, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ford-v-reamsnider-ohcirctrichland-1917.