Gilbert v. Vanderwaal

181 Iowa 685
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedNovember 17, 1917
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 181 Iowa 685 (Gilbert v. Vanderwaal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gilbert v. Vanderwaal, 181 Iowa 685 (iowa 1917).

Opinion

Stevens, J.

i. negligence : negligence^ accident.1^ I. Walnut Street extends east and west, and is intersected and crossed by Fifth and Sixth Streets, near the center of the main retail business district in the city of Des Moines. The center of the street is occupied by double street car tracks. About 160 feet west of the west line of the intersection of Fifth and Walnut Streets is an alley, running' north and south. The White Shoe Store is on the south side of Walnut Street, the door thereof being 88 feet west of the west intersection of Fifth and Walnut Streets. The Good Block is directly across Walnut Street on the north side, the entrance to which is at the extreme west side, a distance of 81 feet and 8 inches from the west line of Fifth Street at its intersection with Walnut. The distance from the north edge of the north rail of the south street car track to the south curb line of Walnut Street is 20 feet, and the distance between the north and south rails of the south street car track is 5 feet and 1 inch.

Shortly after 9 o’clock A. M., May 6, 1914, plaintiff was struck by defendant’s automobile, knocked down, and the right wheel ran upon his left leg, fracturing the femur near the junction of the lower and middle third. Plaintiff testified concerning the matter as follows:

“I started across the street, I think, about half way between the alley and the street' intersection of Fifth and Walnut. That was on the south side of the street where I [687]*687started over and along about the White’s Shoe Store, and I started across and I got about somewhere near the center of the street, and the street car cut me off there. The street car came a way, and it stopped. I was crossing right where the street car stopped to let off passengers, and I was about the center of the street car, and this street car stopped to discharge passengers; and I raised to my tiptoes and looked to see, to take notice whether it was going to move on quick, or stop to discharge a number of passengers. If it was going to move right away, I would have waited, because the entrance to the Good Block was right in my line; but I seen it was going to discharge a number of passengers, so I started going east, coming around the car where I got passed, and I must have been near the back end of the car, and I was struck in the back of both of my limbs with the fender of an automobile, and I realized my danger, and I attempted to throw my body and roll as much as possible to get out of the way. I did throw my body clear of the automobile to the south, which was about on the street car track where I was struck, and I threw myself, and my head was lying to the south and my limbs to the north, and the automobile ran up on this limb right here. It was my left limb. It struck me about half -way between the knee and hip. I presume on the left limb. The automobile did not go over the limb, it ran just up to the limb. Anyway, he backed off of me, clear of me, but I am not sure it ran upon the limb, but part of the way on it; anyway, when he ran up on the limb, the bone held up the weight of the car for an instant, and then after it stopped there, the bone -gave way and it cracked. I could hear it plainly. * * T felt the pressure of the automobile as it struck me on the back of both limbs, and I went over on the pavement. I presume it was the fender struck me. I did not notice it, but there was a sore spot. The first thing I felt was the automobile striking me below the hips. Then T threw myself sidewise [688]*688and landed on the pavement, face up. I imagine I jumped when I threw my body 6, 8 or 10 feet. I jumped east and south. When I was picked up, my body was south of his automobile.”

Plaintiff further testified that he looked and did not see defendant’s car, and that defendant gave him no warning, and, in answer to a question, stated that the reason therefor was that he did not see him. Plaintiff further testified that there were two automobiles standing near the south curb about 30 feet apart, when he started to cross the street; that he stepped off the curb near the west automobile, and started across the street from a point near the center of the distance between them; that the east automobile was about 20 or 25 feet from the alley; that he noticed but one street car.

Dr. Hanson, a dentist occupying rooms in the Good Block, testified that he was at the time in his office, at a point about 22 feet west of Fifth Street and 25 or 30 feet above the sidewalk; that he saw plaintiff attempt to cross the street and defendant’s car collide with him; did not hear defendant sound warning as his car approached plaintiff; did not remember definitely whether there was a street car standing near the place of the accident or not, but testified that, if the center of the street car was directly south of the entrance to the Good Block, he could not have seen the accident, but if the rear end was near the entrance, he could see it. Witness saw the automobile coming down the street, and testified that at the time of the collision defendant was looking north.

It is conceded in the testimony that there were two automobiles at the time standing near the south curb of Walnut Street, the only conflict in the testimony upon this point being as to the exact location thereof. Dr. Hanson was the only witness called who saw the accident. Several other witnesses testified that they arrived on the scene im[689]*689mediately after it occurred.

W. B. Emerson testified that he was standing on the corner of Fifth and Walnut, and, upon hearing a man make a noise, turned, saw him reel and fall; went at once to him and found plaintiff lying on the pavement, with the automobile close to him and his feet over the south rail; the north wheels of the automobile were about the center of the track; heard defendant say that the reason he did not give plaintiff warning was that he did not see him. Witness and defendant put plaintiff in the car and took him to the hospital

A. U. Coates testified that he saw-a west-bound street car standing on the north side of the street, and plaintiff lying at or near the south rail of the south street car track; that the rear end of the street car was about the opening or entrance to the Good Block; that there were no automobiles or vehicles at the curbing immediately south of the place where the accident occurred; that the nearest automobile was about 12 feet west of the accident; did not know how far west the second car was; that the accident happened about in front of Field’s or White’s Shoe Store; heard defendant say that he did not see plaintiff in time to give warning of his approach.

W. E. Evans testified that his attention was attracted by the appearance of defendant’s car; that the defendant was driving at the rate of 5 or 6 miles an hour; saw defendant suddenly rise up in the car and thought he had struck something ; could not see the front wheels of the automobile; that he went to the scene of the accident; that the automobile was astride the south rail of the street car track; that he saw two street cars standing on the north side of the street; that the accident happened a little bit east of the entrance of the White Shoe Store; that, on account of the noise, could not say whether defendant sounded a warning of his approach or not. Witness was about 30 feet west and 24 feet .south [690]*690of the place of the accident. This witness further testified :

•‘Q. It [the automobile] ivas going directly east? A.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Ehrhardt v. Ruan Transport Corp.
61 N.W.2d 696 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1953)
Thompson v. Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern Railroad
50 N.W.2d 363 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1951)
Lawson v. Fordyce
12 N.W.2d 301 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1943)
Duncan v. Rhomberg
236 N.W. 638 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1931)
Robertson v. Carlgren
234 N.W. 824 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1931)
Vass v. Martin
226 N.W. 920 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1929)
Wilkinson v. Queal Lumber Co.
212 N.W. 682 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1927)
Grosz v. Bone
201 N.W. 871 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1924)
Ryan v. Trenkle
200 N.W. 318 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1924)
Sterler v. Busch
197 Iowa 231 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1923)
Walmer-Roberts v. Hennessey
191 Iowa 86 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1921)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
181 Iowa 685, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gilbert-v-vanderwaal-iowa-1917.