Missouri Pacific R.R. Co. v. Horner

15 S.W.2d 994, 179 Ark. 321, 1929 Ark. LEXIS 66
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedApril 1, 1929
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 15 S.W.2d 994 (Missouri Pacific R.R. Co. v. Horner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Missouri Pacific R.R. Co. v. Horner, 15 S.W.2d 994, 179 Ark. 321, 1929 Ark. LEXIS 66 (Ark. 1929).

Opinion

Mehaffy, J.

Appellee brought this suit in the circuit court, alleging* that in January, 1927, lie was in the employ of the appellant, at the particular time loading wheels on freig’ht cars, and, on the 13th day of January, was ordered and directed by his immediate foreman and boss in said work to quit that work and move a load of air-brake cylinders about 100 feet to the place where they should be stacked; that the cylinders were large, heavy machinery, each separate piece weighing about 300 pounds; that it was a .job for two men, and that, when appellee was ordered to do this work, he asked for a helper, and the foreman promised to furnish him a helper.

The cylinders had to he moved across a crane track which had just been put in, and along which there were soft and muddy places, and across a railroad track to a platform, upon which the same were to he lifted and stacked. He alleged that it was raining at the time, and no danger was apparent; hut, whatever dangér there was, was obscure. He had never been employed in moving machinery of the kind and weight, and did not foresee any danger, but he knew if he refused to do the work alone that he would lose his job. He moved several of the cylinders to the platform, and was engaged in moving one across the crane track, when, on account of the wet, muddy and dangerous condition of the ground, track and foundation, and the weight and form of said machinery, the same slipped into a ditch, in and under the crane track, and in the emergency, in trying to save himself and the machinery and prevent the same from falling into the ditch and in and under, the crane track, plaintiff’s back and muscles and ligaments thereof were wrenched, sprained and torn, and plaintiff was permanently injured: He was afterwards put in the bolt room, where the work was light, but was required to sign a release of liability for his injury. He believed that he was not injured very much, and would soon recover, and signed the release; but, instead of recovering and being able to work, he grew rapidly worse. He spent about three weeks in the hospital, attended by the company doctor. That, before the injury, plaintiff was able to do the work which any other man could do, but since his injury he is only able to do very light work, and no work that requires strength in his back.

The appellant answered, denying all the material allegations of the complaint, and pleaded in bar the release signed by appellee, and pleaded assumed risk.

There was a judgment for the appellee, and appellant filed a motion for a new trial, which was overruled, and this appeal is prosecuted to reverse said judgment.

No one saw the accident except appellee himself, and there is therefore no testimony except his as to how it occurred. He testified that on the day of the injury he was helping load wheels, and that his foreman, Mr. Eeeder, came over and said to him, “Go over there and move some airbrake cylinders.” There were eight of them to be moved, and they weighed 300 pounds apiece. They had to be moved across a crane track, and put on a platform. He had been working about 30 feet from the place where the cylinders were'to be moved. He asked his foreman for help, and the foreman told him to go on to work and he would get him some help, and he started to work moving the cylinders; got three over, and started with the fourth one. It got down where they had dug out for this track, and it was soft there. They had not quite filled up around it. It was filled with cinders, and they had settled down after the rain. He started across the track with this cylinder, and it slipped down into this hole. They had started filling the hole the day before. .It was soft around that place. When he got this fourth one over to this place and started across, it slipped off down in this hole. He went to one side and lifted it up, and then to the other side. It had been raining, and the ground was wet and slick. When he started out with the other side it threw him around and hit his back against this concrete. It hurt him pretty bad, and he started to the office.

The above is all the testimony there is in the record as to how appellee received his injury.

Appellant first contends that the evidence is not sufficient to sustain the verdict. In other words, that the evidence of the appellee himself failed to show any negligence on the part of the appellant.

The appellee testifies that the cylinders, he thought, weighed 300' pounds, but he admitted that he had not weighed them.

The foreman testified tha,t the cylinders were round, and would roll; that they were 46y2 inches in length and 12 inches in diameter, and weighed 225 pounds.

The evidence shows that the cylinders were to be moved about 50 feet, and the appellee had actually moved three of them:, and, in moving the fourth one, the ground was wet and slippery, and it slipped into a hole.

There is no dispute about the appellee being injured. There are many injuries to persons and property for which the law furnishes no redress, and proof of injury alone, without proof of negligence causing the injury, does not entitle one to recover. One is entitled to recover for negligence only when the negligence complained of causes the injury. The negligence complained of principally in this case is that the appellee asked for a helper, and appellant’s foreman promised him a helper, but did not furnish one, and that, because he did not furnish the helper, appellee was injured. As to the place to work and the condition of the ground, there is no evidence tending to show that there was any negligence as to these things. The negligence, if any, was in failure to furnish a helper, because, on account of the condition of the ground and the weight of the cylinders, one man could not do the work in safety.

In the case of Choctaw, O. & G. R. Co. v. Jones, 77 Ark. 367, 92 S. W. 244, this court said: “The liability of the master for injuries to servant rests primarily on the broad principle of law that where there is fault there is liability, but where there is no fault there is no liability. ’ ’

The court in the above case also said, in speaking of the law as to the assumption of risk:

“The rule here seems to be that one who, knowing and appreciating the danger, enters upon a perilous work, even though he does so by order of his superior, must bear the risk. In other words, even though he may perform the work unwillingly under orders from his superior, yet, if there was no physical compulsion, and if he knew and appreciated the danger thereof, he will in law be treated as having elected to bear the risk, and cannot hold the employer liable if injury results. ’ ’

In tlie instant case, so far as tlie conditions of tlie ground and place where appellee had to work are concerned, they were as well known to him as they were to the master. They were not only well known, bnt the condition and danger, if any, were obvious. Bnt he bases his right to recover on the fact that these things made a helper necessary, and that the foreman ordered him to proceed with the work] and that he would get him a helper. The cylinders were round; the undisputed proof shows that they could be rolled. The testimony of the appellee himself shows that they were to be removed about 50 feet to a platform, and then lifted on to the platform and stacked.

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Bluebook (online)
15 S.W.2d 994, 179 Ark. 321, 1929 Ark. LEXIS 66, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/missouri-pacific-rr-co-v-horner-ark-1929.