O'Dea v. Michigan Central Railroad

105 N.W. 746, 142 Mich. 265, 1905 Mich. LEXIS 678
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 15, 1905
DocketDocket No. 11
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 105 N.W. 746 (O'Dea v. Michigan Central Railroad) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
O'Dea v. Michigan Central Railroad, 105 N.W. 746, 142 Mich. 265, 1905 Mich. LEXIS 678 (Mich. 1905).

Opinion

Hooker, J.

The defendant has appealed from a judgment rendered against it on a charge of negligence. The plaintiff, a married woman of 55 years of age, and her brother, some years older, took defendant’s evening train, at Owosso for Henderson, the first station north of Owosso. According to her undisputed testimony the station (Henderson) was announced from the forward door of the coach, and as the train was slowing up the conductor entered, and the train stopped as he approached them. He did not take or ask for the tickets, but passed on, and the plaintiff then said to her brother, who, like herself, had remained seated until the conductor had passed: “ Get up! He has gone by.” She also testified that she supposed that he was coming for the tickets, and that she said to her brother, who was behind her: “This is the [267]*267place to get off. Come on, he ain’t going to take up the tickets.” She then went out, and while upon the platform, or steps the train started with a jerk, and she was thrown to the ground and injured. She also stated that they “just raised up as the conductor came to the seat, because we thought he wasn’t going to stop for the tickets.” The tickets were not surrendered. The brother did not get off from the train at that time, and the train was afterwards stopped a few rods north of the station for him to alight. These are substantially the main facts in the case, and there is no serious dispute about them. The defendant offered no testimony as to what occurred in the car or at the steps. There were two engines upon the train, and the engineers and firemen were sworn as to the length of the stop at Henderson, and this is the disputed fact in the case. There is no evidence as to the whereabouts of the conductor or brakeman when she sought to alight, nor is there any testimony tending to show whether either of them knew that she and her brother intended or tried to get off at Henderson. Nor is there evidence that any other passengers stopped there.

Upon this state of facts the defendant contends that there is no evidence of negligence, for the reason that these parties neither tendered their tickets nor informed the conductor of their intention to leave the train there.

We are of the opinion that the managers of a train should use some diligence to ascertain whether there are persons in the act of leaving a train before starting it, especially when the stop is so short as to make haste necessary. There is evidence in this case indicating that the stop was brief, and we cannot say, as matter of law, either that there was an absence of negligence on the part of defendant’s agents, or that plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence.

The plaintiff testified fully as to her • condition, pain, and suffering, and its duration. This it was competent for her to do. In addition to her testimony, her counsel called a number of witnesses, who were allowed to testify [268]*268to her complaints, not what she said in her own language (which we do not imply would have been admissible), but the fact that she complained of this or that. She sent for Dr. Hume, not for the purpose of giving treatment, but because he was the company’s physician at Owosso. She declined medical assistance at Henderson, saying she wanted to wait and send for the railroad physician in Owosso, so they could see if she was hurt, if they wanted to settle; that she had a claim against the company (for the injury), and wanted to get her proof together — wanted the railroad doctor, so that they would know that she was hurt. The physician was allowed to testify:

“The patient complained of tenderness over the hip joint — that is, on pressure — and she also complained of some soreness in moving one shoulder.”

- This testimony was not admissible under the rule laid down in Grand Rapids, etc., R. Co. v. Huntley, 38 Mich. 544; McKormick v. City of West Bay City, 110 Mich. 270; and Comstock v. Township of Georgetown, 137 Mich. 541. The plaintiff’s own testimony shows that the witness was asked to call for the purpose of making testimony, and the fact that he did not come in response to the call, but for other reasons, is not important. It is the design of the plaintiff to make communications for the purpose of affecting her claim that makes them inadmissible, for the reason that they are not natural expressions of present sufferings, but voluntary statements for an ulterior purpose, and therefore • not within the exception to the hearsay rule.

Dr. Wilson testified:

“ She complained of pain in the left hip, and in the left side of the back between the shoulder and the spinal column, on motion of the shoulder, and some headache. I do not remember about pain, but she complained of soreness at the point of bruise.”

John Carmody, plaintiff’s son-in-law, testified as to the next Sunday (eight days after the accident):

[269]*269“ Q. State to the jury whether or not that she complained of slight or severe pain, at this time that you have described, in these parts of her body.
“A. Severe. 7
Q. You may state to the jury whether or not she complained of any sickness or suffering in the stomach at the time.
“A. She did.”

And as to a week later still, as follows:

Q. How did she appear to you as to whether or not she was suffering pain ?
“A. She did appear to be suffering pain. I heard her make complaints of suffering present pain in her head, left limb, left side.
Q. Did she, or did she not, make complaints of suffering any pain in her back ?
“A. She complained of her back being lame.
Q. Did she complain of suffering any headache at that time ?
“A. She did.”

And as to twenty-three days after the accident:

Q. State to the jury whether or not upon this occasion Mrs. O’Dea still complained of suffering present pain.
“A. She did.
Q. State in what parts of her body at this time she complained of suffering pain.
‘ ‘ A. She complained of her left side, limb, shoulder, and back.”

This witness stated that he saw her at least once in two weeks for some months, and the following was permitted:

Q. What complaints, if any, does she make when she goes up stairs as to its hurting her, causing her pain —that is, at the time she was doing it, present pain ?
“A. She complained of her left leg and back.
Q. Mr. Carmody, state to the jury whether or not, as you have observed her going up stairs at that time, she complained of suffering present pain at that time in walking.
“A. She did.
Q. At what point of her body did she complain that it hurt her to go up stairs ?
“A. In her left limb and side.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
105 N.W. 746, 142 Mich. 265, 1905 Mich. LEXIS 678, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/odea-v-michigan-central-railroad-mich-1905.