Knight v. Texas & N. O. R. Co.

26 S.W.2d 672, 1930 Tex. App. LEXIS 278
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 12, 1930
DocketNo. 9413.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 26 S.W.2d 672 (Knight v. Texas & N. O. R. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Knight v. Texas & N. O. R. Co., 26 S.W.2d 672, 1930 Tex. App. LEXIS 278 (Tex. Ct. App. 1930).

Opinion

LANE, J.

This suit was instituted by J. E. Knight against the Texas & New Orleans Railroad Company.

Plaintiff alleged that on the 27th day of December, 1927, and for several months prior thereto, he was employed by the defendant in the capacity of a helper to mechanics in the repair of ears; that while he was so employed he was directed by his foreman, an employee of defendant, to operate a nut machine, which was propelled by compressed air, in screwing up and tightening nuts on bolts in freight ears; that in performing his duties he was required to stand upon a ladder about six feet above the ground or floor; that said machine was very heavy and cumbersome; that many of the bolts which he had to screw were above a level and on a level with his head; that the machine was propelled with great force and in its operation would fly back or to one side until the power propelling same was released; that the operation of the same by one man only was a dangerous undertaking while standing on a ladder; that while standing on a ladder and operating the machine said machine flew back and struck him and knocked him off of the ladder and the machine fell upon him bruising and injuring his left leg and knee, by reason of which said injuries he was compelled to suffer a serious and painful operation which has permanently deprived him of the use of his left leg, and which has caused him continuous pain and mental worry and anguish; that he was unacquainted with the use, nature, and character of the machine; that he was not instructed how to use the machine, and was not told of the dangers incident to its use, though defendant knew that there were dangers incident to the use thereof and knew that plaintiff knew nothing of such dangers; that defend^ ant knew that the ladder upon which he was required to work was not a safe place to operate the machine; that the tool furnished him with which to do his work was a dangerous tool, and the place in which, he was placed to work was a dangerous place; that by reason of the acts of defendant complained of defendant was guilty of negligence which directly and proximately caused his injuries above stated, and in addition thereto caused his ability to labor and to secure employment to be greatly impaired, to the extent of 50 per cent.; that by reason of such injuries he has suffered much physical pain and suffering ; that by reason of such injuries he was required to incur an expense of $100 for medicines and medical treatment; that by reason of his pain, suffering, and loss of earning capacity he has suffered damages in the sum of $10,000.

He prayed for his actual damages alleged and for $1,000 as exemplary damages.

Defendant answered by general demurrer, general denial, and by specially pleading corn tributory negligence, and assumed risk on the part of plaintiff.

By supplemental petition the plaintiff denied generally the averments of defendant’s answer.

The cause was tried before a jury upon special issues submitted by the court, in answer to which the jury found:

(1) That the plaintiff was injured in some of the ways and particulars alleged by the plaintiff while working with the air nut machine on one of defendant’s ears.

(2) That at the time plaintiff was placed at work with the nut machine he was inexperienced in the method and manner of handling and operating the same.

(3) That at the time plaintiff was put to work upon the air nut machine of the defendant on the location in question, the operation *674 of such machine was not dangerous to one inexperienced with its use.

. (4) That the defendant railroad company, through its agents and servants, knew that the plaintiff was inexperienced in the handling of said machine.

(5) That the defendant company was negligent in placing the plaintiff at work at the time and on the occasion in question with said nut machine.

(6) That such negligence was not the proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries.

(7) That the defendant was negligent in failing to instruct the plaintiff in the use of the nut machine.

(S) "That such negligence was not a proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries.

(9) That the defendant company was negligent in failing to warn plaintiff of his possible danger in the use of the nut machine before requesting him to use same.

• (10) That such negligence was not a proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries.

(11) That the plaintiff, on the 27th day of December, 1927, did not realize and appreciate the danger, if any, in operating the nut machine in the way and manner he was using it.

(12) That the plaintiff’s injuries were the result of a risk which was ordinarily incident to his employment.

(13) That the plaintiff’s injuries were reasonably worth the sum of $2,000.

Upon the findings of the jury the court rendered judgment for the defendant, from which the plaintiff has appealed.

By appellant’s propositions Nos. 1, 2, and 3; contention is made that the court erred in sustaining appellee’s objection to the admission in evidence of answers of appellant to certain questions which his counsel proposed to propound to him.

Appellant sought by his bills of exceptions 1, 2, and 3 to preserve exceptions to the action of the court in sustaining appellee’s objections. None of the bills of exception show what the excluded answers of the witness would have been had he been permitted to answer, nor the nature of the objection urged as against the admission thereof. The bills are fatally defective in not stating what answers of the witness would have been made to the proposed questions, nor the objections made to their admission; therefore the assignments of error based on such bills cannot be considered by this court. German v. Jewelry Co. (Tex. Civ. App.) 22 S.W.(2d) 341; Fox v. H. & T. C. Ry. Co. (Tex. Civ. App.) 186 S. W. 853; Pierce Petroleum Corp. v. Guaranty Bond State Bank (Tex. Civ. App.) 22 S.W.(2d) 520.

The rule is so well established that, in the •absence of a bill of exceptions showing what the answers would have been had the witness been permitted to testify, the action of the court will not be reviewed on appeal, and it is unnecessary to cite further authorities in support of the proposition.

Appellant, upon the trial of the cause, took the stand as a witness and undertook to-testify that several persons, employees of ap-pellee, knew of the dangers incident to the operation of the nut machine; that they had refused to appear and testify for fear, if they did so, they would be discharged. Appellee objected to the admission of the proposed testimony, as no process was issued to bring such persons before the court, and as such proposed testimony was inadmissible. The court sustained the objection, to which action of the court appellant reserved his bill of exception in which no reason is assigned why he did not have the persons subpoenaed, nor is it stated in the bill that such persons would, if called as witnesses, testify to any fact beneficial to appellant.

Appellant here presents the action of the court in sustaining appellee’s objection to the admission of the proffered testimony as error. We overrule appellant’s contention. The court correctly sustained the objection of ap-pellee.

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26 S.W.2d 672, 1930 Tex. App. LEXIS 278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/knight-v-texas-n-o-r-co-texapp-1930.