Indestructible Wheel Co. v. Red Ball Body Corp.

194 N.E. 738, 100 Ind. App. 150, 1935 Ind. App. LEXIS 10
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 25, 1935
DocketNo. 14,754.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 194 N.E. 738 (Indestructible Wheel Co. v. Red Ball Body Corp.) 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
Indestructible Wheel Co. v. Red Ball Body Corp., 194 N.E. 738, 100 Ind. App. 150, 1935 Ind. App. LEXIS 10 (Ind. Ct. App. 1935).

Opinion

Bridwell, J.

Appellant commenced this action seeking to recover an alleged indebtedness owing to it from appellee on open account for goods and merchandise sold and delivered to appellee. Appellee filed its answer to the complaint in two paragraphs, the first being a general denial, and the second alleging in substance that prior to May 7,1927, appellee was engaged in the manufacture of Red Ball trucks, and for a long period of time had purchased wheels from appellant which it used in the construction of a four-wheel truck. That in *152 1926 appellee contemplated the building of a six-wheel truck, the parts of which were to be assembled by it in 'its factory at Frankfort, Indiana; that, thereupon, appellee consulted with the appellant, and appellant recommended the use of a steel disk wheel manufactured by it as suitable in all ways for use on said Red Ball truck; that appellee placed an order with appellant for steel disk wheels of its manufacture, and assembled said wheels in the trucks so being built by it; that appellee sold four or five trucks of its manufacture, and immediately, the trucks, when being put to use, developed trouble in the steel wheels; that the wheels were defective and so constructed that the rim was riveted to the disk, and when used the rivets became loose in the rim; that immediately upon discovering this defect appellee exhibited the defective wheels to appellant and requested that it furnish a wheel that would properly carry the load imposed upon the truck; that appellant stated to appellee that their wheels were properly constructed; that appellee should proceed to replace the defective wheels out of the stock on hand which it had, and that appellant would either 'replace them or give credit to appellee for the wheels so replaced; that, thereupon, appellee returned to appellant the defective wheels so received by it, and appellant undertook to repair the same, but the wheels continued to be defective, and it was impossible to repair them so that the same could be used; that appellee returned to the appellant as defective, wheels in the amount of $3,000, for which amount appellee is entitled to credit, and for which amount it is entitled to a set-off against the claim of appellant. Appellee also filed a cross-complaint against the appellant, alleging therein in substance that prior to 1926, it was engaged in the manufacture of Red Ball trucks, and in said year contemplated the building of a six-wheel truck, the parts of *153 which were to be assembled by cross-complainant at its factory in Frankfort, Indiana. That appellee (cross-complainant) consulted with appellant (cross-defendant) as to the type and kind of wheels to be used for said truck, and appellant recommended the use of a steel disk wheel as being suitable in all ways for said six-wheel truck, and thereupon, appellee placed an order with appellant for steel disk wheels of its manufacture, and thereafter, the same were delivered to appellee and used by it in the manufacture of its trucks; that the wheels were defective and known by the cross-defendant to be defective in this, that they were riveted around the rim and from use the rivets became loose and the wheel defective; that the cross-complainant had sold numerous trucks, using the wheels so manufactured by appellant, and that by reason of the defective wheels the trucks were turned back to appellee, and it was put to large loss and damage thereby; that the appellant, at the time of selling and delivering said wheels, impliedly warranted that they were usable for the purpose contemplated by the appellee, that is, for use on a six-wheel truck, and that by reason of said breach of warranty, appellee has been damaged in the sum of $10,000. The issues were closed by appellant filing a reply in general denial to appellee’s second paragraph of answer, and an answer in general denial to appellee’s cross-complaint.The cause was submitted to the court for trial upon the issues thus formed, and there was a general finding for appellee on the appellant’s complaint, and for appellee on its cross-complaint, for damages in the sum of $2,500. Judgment was rendered that appellant take nothing by its complaint, and that appellee recover of and from appellant the sum of $2,500, and costs. Appellant filed its motion for a new trial, and the causes therefor, as stated in said motion, are: That the decision of the court is not sustained by sufficient evidence; that the *154 decision of the court is contrary to law; that the damages are excessive; error in the assessment of the amount of recovery by appellee in that said amount is too large; error in the admission of evidence and in sustaining appellee’s motion to strike out certain evidence given at the trial.

Appellant in its brief under the heading “Propositions and Authorities” has failed to discuss the claimed errors in the admission of testimony, and in the court’s ruling on motion to strike out certain evidence given, and such errors, if any, are, therefore, waived.

Appellant contends that this case was tried, so far as the cross-complaint is involved, on the theory that appellee was entitled to recover damages for breach of an implied warranty, and that the wheels purchased by appellee, from it were suitable for a specific purpose, i. e. for use on a six-wheel truck. That there is no evidence upon which a recovery on said theory can be based, because it is asserted! the evidence without conflict shows that appellee and its engineer furnished the data for the construction of said wheels, and that such wheels were built and constructed as specified and ordered by appellee, which relied upon its own judgment and the opinion of its own engineer, and that the wheels so furnished were built and constructed in accordance with the design and specifications, and that under such circumstances there can be no implied warranty, and hence no right of recovery on behalf of appellee.

Appellee contends that it consulted with appellant, a manufacturer of wheels for use on trucks, and informed appellant that it contemplated changing the type of construction of trucks which it manufactured from a four-wheel truck to a six-wheel truck, and that appellant suggested to it a type of wheel suitable to use on a six-wheel truck; that its suggestion concerning said wheels was *155 accepted, and an order for wheels of that design given; that said wheels proved defective and unfit for use for the purpose for which they were intended, and that when articles are ordered from the manufacturer thereof, for a special purpose, there is an implied warranty that such articles are fit for the particular purpose which the parties had in mind; that the wheels were unfit for use on a six-wheel truck and were entirely unsuitable for such use, and that appellee used said type of wheel, sold numerous trucks equipped therewith, and thereafter, was compelled to replace such wheels and pay damages to purchasers of said trucks, which they had suffered on account of unfitness of the wheels so purchased for use in connection with a six-wheel truck.

It may be stated as a general proposition that where and article is manufactured or sold for a special purpose, the manufacturer or dealer who makes the sale of such article with knowledge of the purpose for which it is to be used will be held to have impliedly warranted the article to be reasonably suitable and fit to serve the purpose for which it is manufactured and sold.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
194 N.E. 738, 100 Ind. App. 150, 1935 Ind. App. LEXIS 10, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/indestructible-wheel-co-v-red-ball-body-corp-indctapp-1935.