Quinn v. Johnson Forge Co.

14 Del. 338
CourtSuperior Court of Delaware
DecidedNovember 15, 1892
StatusPublished

This text of 14 Del. 338 (Quinn v. Johnson Forge Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Quinn v. Johnson Forge Co., 14 Del. 338 (Del. Ct. App. 1892).

Opinion

Cullen, J.

The Court think that the administrator has the right to prosecute this action, and that he stands on precisely the v same footing as the original party. Whatever the original party could recover, may be recovered by the administrator.

[340]*340Mr. Bird, counsel for the plaintiff, having raised the question that the death of Peace was to be considered by the jury as part of the measure of damages for which the administrator could recover, under the statute allowing the administrator to continue a suit brought by the party during his lifetime,—after argument by counsel on both sides,

The Court,

Cullen, J.,

decided as follows :

This statute is in derogation of common law to a certain extent —that is in providing for the survival of an action which at common law dies—and the right of recovery is confined to the provisions of the statute.

The first provision of the statute (Revised Code, 644) is, “That no action hereafter brought to recover damages for injuries to the person by negligence or default, shall abate by reason of the death of the plaintiff; but the personal representative of the deceased may be substituted as plaintiff and prosecute the suit to final judgment and satisfaction.” At common law a person injured has a right to bring his action for recovery for those injuries whatever they were. It was a personal action, a right of action which he had the privilege himself to exercise or not as he chose. As a matter of course, no action would lie at common law for the death of the party brought by the widow nor by the administrator. I speak so far as the death of the party is concerned with reference to both sections; but this contemplates both his death and the fact of the party, exercising the right which belongs to him at common law, bringing suit for recovery of damages for personal injuries. If he brings that action then that second section is of no account whatever, because having exercised his right, he has made his election and he must stand or fall upon that election. Neither the widow nor the personal representative has any right to bring the action for recovery for the death after the death of the party where the party has made his election prior to the death. And therefore this action having been brought by Peace during his lifetime, we [341]*341consider it nothing more nor less than an action brought for injuries incurred, against a party by reason of negligence or carelessness, whatever it may be.

Whether he is living and prosecutes it, or whether it is prosecuted by his administrator, the court consider makes no difference whatever.

As to damages which are to be recovered, the same rule applies. Of course he could not recover damages for his death. Even it you could prove that he was affected in such- a way that death would result in a very short time, that would not be admissible. No evidence so far as death is concerned can be adduced. The damages in this case that can be recovered are confined entirely to the remedies and rights which existed on the part of the plaintiff in this "action during his lifetime.

We therefore must say to you that so far as the death is concerned as an aggravation of damages or anything of that kind, that has nothing to do with this case. The damages are governed by the common law, whether they be vindictive damages or otherwise, but they are confined to whatever were the existing original rights of the parties here.

charging the jury :

Gentlemen of the Jury: This action was originally brought by Harry E. Peace in his lifetime, against the Johnson Forge Company, a corporation existing under the laws of this State, and under the provisions of the first section of the statute of the Revised Code, page 644, the said Harry E. Peace having since died, his administrator, Joseph Quinn, has been made a party, and the case comes to trial under the same conditions as if the deceased were living.

The plaintiff seeks to recover under the provisions of the said Act from the said defendants by reason of injuries received, as alleged, by Harry E. Peace, while in the employ of said defendants through their negligence.

[342]*342The defendants were operating a rolling mill in this city, and in the conducting of their business, there was in use a crane, which served for the purpose of raising and moving heavy pieces of iron manufactured for various purposes, and also to change or alter the position of heavy iron rollers used in said mill, weighing from five to seven thousand pounds each, the removal or shifting of which rollers was made about twice a year. The plaintiff contends that on the 20th day of July, 1891, the said Harry E. Peace, who was in the employ of the said defendants as a drag-out,” and had been for the period of some months prior, was ordered to assist in the working of a crane, in order to put in place one of the said iron rollers weighing some seven thousand pounds; that while so engaged the roller having been lifted from its plaqe, and swung to within about twelve or fifteen inches of the place where the same was to be deposited, and while so suspended for a few minutes until the roller could be so adjusted as to drop into its bearings, word was given to lower, and the said Harry E. Peace, who with another person had hold of the handles, the one on each side, was hurled upward and violently thrown to the ground, being struck by the crank or handle oh the wheel which was occasioned by the slipping from the slow to the fast gear. That the said crane was not reasonably safe; that the said Harry E. Peace was not warned of the risk (of which he was ignorant) incurred in the working of the crane. That said crane was defective and dangerous in that there were no appliances by which the slipping from the slow to the fast gear could have been prevented, without which no crane is reasonably safe. That the defects in the crane were such as defendants were bound to know, and allowing the use of so dangerous a machine in their works made them guilty of negligence, such as in law rendered them liable to the payment of damages to the plain-in this suit.

The defendants contend that said crane was reasonably safe, properly constructed and no extra appliances than those used were necessary; that the said Harry E. Peace was engaged in the work [343]*343he had contracted ■ to perform while using the crane, and the injury did not occur by reason of any defect in said crane, but was brought about and happened through the negligence and carelessness of the said Harry E. Peace, and hence they are in no way liable for the injury that occurred.

The law upon the subject of negligence has been well settled by several well adjudicated cases in our own courts; there is really no disputed question of law as raised by counsel who have so well and ably conducted this case, the whole question to be decided by you is one of negligence alone, and that you must arrive at by a consideration of the evidence which has been laid before you on the part of the plaintiff and the defendants in this suit, applying the same to the law of negligence as laid down to you by the court.

The master is bound to exercise reasonable care to prevent injury to his servant, and in like manner to provide suitable machinery and keep the same in order, and use proper care to see that the premises are not only fit and proper for the carrying on of the business, but also that they are kept so.

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Bluebook (online)
14 Del. 338, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/quinn-v-johnson-forge-co-delsuperct-1892.