Peninsula Transit Corp. v. Jacoby

26 S.E.2d 97, 181 Va. 697, 1943 Va. LEXIS 218
CourtSupreme Court of Virginia
DecidedJune 14, 1943
DocketRecord No. 2612
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 26 S.E.2d 97 (Peninsula Transit Corp. v. Jacoby) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Peninsula Transit Corp. v. Jacoby, 26 S.E.2d 97, 181 Va. 697, 1943 Va. LEXIS 218 (Va. 1943).

Opinion

Gregory, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

The single question to be determined upon this writ of error is whether or not, in Virginia, a motor carrier for hire of passengers and baggage may limit its liability to $25 for the loss of a parcel of baggage.

Barbara B. Jacoby, the plaintiff below and the defendant in error here, contends that it is unlawful for a passenger carrier to so limit its liability or to contract against its own negligence; that Code section 3930 prohibits such an agreement in this language: “No agreement made by a transportation company for exemption from liability for injury or loss occasioned by its own negligence or misconduct as a common carrier shall be valid”.

The motor carrier contends that the prior section 3930 has been superseded by the later Code, section 4097y(i3a), (Acts of 1936, page 242), which is in direct conflict with section 3930, and that by 4097y(i3a) the carrier, in compliance therewith, was authorized to limit its liability for the baggage lost to $25, and did so limit it.

[699]*699The trial court recognized the right of the carrier to limit its liability to $25, but over the objection of counsel for the carrier, gave an instruction of its own motion leaving to the jury the question whether the plaintiff had notice of the Hmitation of liability or whether the' carrier had adopted an adequate method of bringing to the notice of passengers that it had actually limited its liability. The jury found for the plaintiff and fixed her damages at $450. The verdict was approved by the trial court.

The case is now before us upon a certificate of facts which follows: On October 4, 1940, plaintiff, accompanied by a Mr. Henry Hoffman made an intra-state journey from Norfolk to Richmond, Virginia, as a passenger on defendant’s motor bus line. Upon going to the Bus Terminal in Norfolk, plaintiff gave Mr. Hoffman the money for her ticket and he purchased the ticket for plaintiff and himself, and he checked their personal baggage, consisting of six separate handbags at defendant’s passenger station in Norfolk. The parties arrived in Richmond on the evening of October 4, 1940, at about 10:30 P. M., but did not call for their baggage until the following morning, October 5th, at about 8:30 A. M. Five parcels were delivered to them, one was missing and never located. The driver of the bus did not testify, nor did the porter who handled the baggage and the defendant offered no explanation of the loss. The passenger claim check for the parcel, given to Mr. Hoffman who checked the parcel, was introduced in evidence and is No. B-46692. On the face of this claim check there is printed in small type, among other things, the following:

“Present this claim check and claim your baggage at Richmond, Va. Baggage liability $25.00. Read other side.” On the back of said claim check under the caption: “Notice to Passengers”, there is printed, in small type:
“By accepting this baggage check the acceptor agrees that:
“(1) The issuing Company is not liable for a greater amount than $25.00 to any one passenger in the event of [700]*700loss, or damage to property covered by this and/or other baggage checks issued to the same passenger.
“Passengers are permitted to declare a greater value by presenting their baggage to the agent for checking, at which time the value must be declared in writing and charge for excess value will be collected and an excess check will be issued.
“Passengers are cautioned to claim baggage at destination shown on face of check immediately to avoid payment of storage charges.
“Issued by
“Steward or Driver”

The claim check was not signed by the steward or driver of the defendant.

At the time of plaintiff’s journey the defendant carrier had on file with the State Corporation Commission, its tariffs under the provisions of section 4097y(i3a) of the Virginia Code, which contained, under section 2 thereof, entitled “Rules and Regulations”, the following provisions among others:

“Free Baggage Allowance:
“8. (a) Except as noted below and subject to limitations shown in Rules 5, 6 and 7, one hundred and fifty (150) pounds of baggage or property not exceeding Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars in value, may be checked without additional charge for each adult passenger, and seventy-five (75) pounds, not exceeding Twelve and 50/100 dollars in value, for each child travelling on a half fare ticket.
“9. Charges for Baggage or Excess Weight and/or Excess Value:
“Baggage or property which may be transported in regular baggage service, exceeding the free weight or value allowance as stated in Rule 8 will be charged for as excess baggage as follows:
“(a) Excess Weight: Charge will be made for excess weight at the excess baggage rate shown in Section III of this tariff. The rate per one hundred (100) pounds of [701]*701baggage of excess weight will be based on the effective one-way, adult selling fare applying via route of ticket, * * * . The minimum charge for any shipment of baggage of excess weight is twenty-five (25c) cents. The total weight or size of any single piece of baggage must not exceed limitations named in Rule 7.
“(c) Excess Value: Unless a greater value is declared by a passenger and charges paid for excess value at time of delivery to carrier, the value of property belonging to, or checked for a passenger, shall be deemed and agreed to be not in excess of the amounts specified in Rule 8, and carriers parties to this tariff will not accept liability for a greater sum in case of loss or damage.”

The rates, fare and charges contained in said tariffs are stated therein in terms of lawful money of the United States. The tariffs of the defendant company were printed and kept open to the inspection of the public at the office of the State Corporation Commission in Virginia, and at the passenger ticket offices of the company. The tariffs had been approved by the State Corporation Commission in Virginia. The ticket issued to plaintiff, contained printed on the face thereof, in small type, the following:

“Baggage may be checked in accordance with tariff regulations and limitations. Unchecked baggage, parcels, or other effects are carried at passenger’s risk.”

In the defendant carrier’s passenger station at Norfolk there was posted on the wall in the large waiting room which was also used to sell tickets and check baggage, a framed notice approximately twelve inches in width by sixteen inches in length, containing the following notice:

“This company is not liable for a greater amount than Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars to any one passenger for loss of baggage, unless at the time of checking said baggage passengers declare a greater value in writing and pay the required charges for such excess value according to the tariffs of the Company, upon which happening an excess baggage check will be issued.”

[702]*702Neither the plaintiff in person nor Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
26 S.E.2d 97, 181 Va. 697, 1943 Va. LEXIS 218, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peninsula-transit-corp-v-jacoby-va-1943.