Queen Coal & Mining Co. v. Epple

113 N.E. 19, 64 Ind. App. 235, 1916 Ind. App. LEXIS 229
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 23, 1916
DocketNo. 9,058
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 113 N.E. 19 (Queen Coal & Mining Co. v. Epple) 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
Queen Coal & Mining Co. v. Epple, 113 N.E. 19, 64 Ind. App. 235, 1916 Ind. App. LEXIS 229 (Ind. Ct. App. 1916).

Opinion

Felt, J.

This is an action for damages for personal injuries. The complaint was in four paragraphs, but at the conclusion of the evidence appellee dismissed the fourth paragraph. Issues were joined by general denial. A trial by jury resulted in a verdict for appellee in the sum of $5,000.

The errors' assigned and not waived are, in substance, as follows: (1) Overruling appellant’s motion for judgment on the answers of the jury to the interrogatories, notwithstanding the general verdict; (2) overruling appellant’s motion for a new trial; (3) overruling appellant’s motion to modify and vacate the judgment.

Each paragraph of the complaint alleges, in substance, the relation of master and servant between appellant and appellee and that appellee was seventeen years, old at the time of his injury complained of and received $2.48 per day for his work; that appellant had in its mine an electric pump used to pump water out of the mine; that on this pump there were two cogwheels which meshed and over which there had originally been constructed a guard which made the place and the machine safe; that the set screw which held the guard in position broke, and the guard came off and remained off for about one week prior to appellee’s injury; that the place and the machine were dangerous when the guard was off; that appellant knew of the danger long enough to have replaced the guard before appellee was injured; that it was appellee’s duty to clean and oil the machinery, and while doing so in the usual and customary manner, by using waste provided by appellant for [239]*239that purpose, the waste which he held in his hand caught in the unguarded cogs, whereby his left hand was drawn into the meshes of the cogwheels and so injured that it was necessary to amputate it at the wrist, which was done shortly after the injury was received.

The first paragraph is drawn on the theory of the duty of the master to furnish a safe place for the servant to work and suitable and safe tools and machinery .with which to do the work assigned; that appellee was young, ignorant and inexperienced, and did not know or comprehen.d the danger of working around said unguarded cogwheels; that appellant knew of the dangers incident to the unguarded cogwheels and of appellee’s ignorance and inexperience, and negligently failed and neglected to discharge its duty and to instruct appellee in regard to his work and to warn him of the dangers incident thereto; that it negligently ordered appellee to start the pump and to clean and oil the machinery; that such order was given by appellant’s mine boss who at the time had charge of the ways, works and machinery of appellant in its mine and to whose orders appellee was bound to conform and obey; that in obedience to such order he started the pump and undertook to clean and oil the machinery and while so doing was injured in the manner aforesaid; that it was the custom in said mine, long known and acquiesced in by appellant, to clean and oil the machinery while in operation.

The second paragraph is substantially 'like the first, but it also alleges that appellant was notified that the aforesaid guard was .off and that it thereupon promised appellee to replace and repair the same; that appellee relied upon such promise, and at appellant’s request continued to work about and with said unguarded machinery; that appellant negligently failed to keep its promise to replace said guard and the machinery re[240]*240mained so unguarded for about one week and until appellee was injured.

The third paragraph contains the same general averments as the first and second and is based upon the Employers’ Liability Act- of 1911 (Acts 1911 p. 145, §8020a et seq. Burns Í914). It alleges that, on September 17, 1912, and prior and subsequent thereto, appellant was a corporation under the laws of the State of Indiana and engaged in the business of mining and selling coal; that on said day it employed in its mine more than five men; that it had in its mine the pump and machinery aforesaid; that it was appellant’s duty to furnish appellee a reasonably safe place in which to work and reasonably safe machinery and appliances with which to work; that it negligently violated said duty by permitting said guard to remain off and said cogwheels to be and remain unguarded; that by reason of said guard being off said cogwheels and machinery were unsafe, defective and dangerous; that said cogwheels could have been guarded without in anywise interfering with the free use and operation of said machinery and the purpose the same was intended to serve; that appellant knew of the unguarded cogwheels in time to have replaced the guard and make the place and machinery safe, but negligently failed so to do and .negligently ordered appellee to work with, in and about the unguarded machinery, and while so doing in obedience to such orders he was injured.

The fourth paragraph which was dismissed proceeded on the theory of a statutory duty to guard the cogwheels which caused appellee’s injury, and a failure so to do.

The answers of the jury to the interrogatories are, in substance, as follows: That prior to the injury appellee had no experience in operating the pump and machinery ; that appellee knew - the machinery was unguarded before he was injured, and when injured was [241]*241engaged in cleaning the machinery; that his injury was caused by the absence- of the guard and by doing the work while the machinery was in operation; that appellee knew and appreciated that if his hand was caught in the meshes of the cogwheels he would be injured, but did not know and appreciate the danger of placing his left hand so close to the meshes 'of the cogwheels while in operation that the- waste held in his hand would be caught in the. cogwheels; that at the time of his injury he did not pay particular attention to as-, certain whether the guard was over the wheels or how close the waste in his hand came to the cogs; that it was proper for one of appellee’s age and experience with knowledge of the unguarded cogwheels to undertake to clean the machinery while in motion; that the machinery could have been as readily cleaned when not running as when in motion; that appellee’s father was the mine boss and he was not ordered to clean the machinery while running; that appellee knew how to start' and stop the machinery and he “was required to clean the machinery in its unguarded condition while it was running;” that the foreman required him to do so; that appellee suggested that the repairs be made and a promise was made to him by the foreman to repair the guard; that appellee suggested that the guard be repaired to prevent an accident; that appellee did not know and appreciate the danger of operating the machinery with the guard off; that the machinery could have been cleaned with safety while not in operation, but with some inconvenience.

Interrogatory No. 66 and the answer thereto are as follows: “If your verdict is for the plaintiff, do you include anything in your verdict for loss of time and earning capacity from the time the plaintiff received [242]*242his alleged injuries to the time he will become twenty-one years of age? Ans. Yes.”

1. Appellant contends that the answers to the interrogatories show conclusively that appellee was guilty of negligence that contributed to his injury in this: that he knew the guard was off and was experienced in the work he was doing and could have stopped the pump and thereby could have cleaned and oiled the machinery in absolute safety.

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Related

McCowen, Probst, Menaugh Co. v. Short
118 N.E. 538 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1918)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
113 N.E. 19, 64 Ind. App. 235, 1916 Ind. App. LEXIS 229, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/queen-coal-mining-co-v-epple-indctapp-1916.