Randall v. Port Huron, St. Clair & Marine City Railway Co.

184 N.W. 435, 215 Mich. 413, 1921 Mich. LEXIS 779
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 3, 1921
DocketDocket No. 89
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 184 N.W. 435 (Randall v. Port Huron, St. Clair & Marine City Railway Co.) 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
Randall v. Port Huron, St. Clair & Marine City Railway Co., 184 N.W. 435, 215 Mich. 413, 1921 Mich. LEXIS 779 (Mich. 1921).

Opinion

Stone, J.

The- plaintiff has brought error to review a judgment in the Wayne circuit court, where, on motion, at the conclusion of plaintiff’s case, the court directed a verdict for defendants. The action was for damages for personal injuries sustained by Frank Hayner, deceased, while he was a passenger riding on one of defendants’ south-bound interurban cars operating between Port Huron and Detroit. The injury occurred on June 9, 1917, and was a consequence of a head-on collision between two of defendants’ interurban cars. It occurred about one and one-half miles north of St. Clair, the home of Mr. Hayner. The suit was commenced February 25, 1918, and was originally in the name of Frank Hayner as plaintiff, but upon his death, which occurredi on May 14, 1919, suggestion of death of plaintiff was filed and the suit was continued in the name of Nellie M. Randall, administratrix. The trial of the case began on September 24, 1919. At the conclusion of plaintiff’s case on September 29, 1919, defendants moved for a directed verdict on the ground that deceased and defendants had settled and adjusted plaintiff’s claim for the injuries resulting from this wreck by accepting $250 in full settlement of his claim on June 29, 1917,

“and on the ground that this settlement should stand because, under the authorities of this State, there is laches shown in the rescission of the settlement, a tender 27 months, nearly 27 months has expired since the settlement was made. And, second, that the settlement is a legal one. There is no fraud or overreaching shown here for a jury to speculate on.”

Before concluding plaintiff’s case, the claim agent of defendants was called by plaintiff as an adverse witness for cross-examination. Upon his testifying that he was the claim,- agent who had secured the releases in question, a tender was made to him for and in behalf of plaintiff of the sum of $250 and interest thereon for 27 months ($278.35) as a return of the money [415]*415paid to deceased on June 29, 1917. This tender was refused, and the witness testified that he considered the release a final and definite one; that he so considered it at the time it was given, and that his opinion as to its finality and definiteness had not changed since the time it was given. Upon his refusal, and upon the refusal of defendants’ counsel to accept the money, it was deposited with the court. The plaintiff, at the conclusion of the case, amended the declaration, by permission of the court, and against the objection of defendants’ counsel, by adding the following:

“That on or about the 29th day of June, 1917, the said defendants, through their servants and agents, and while the plaintiff was in a weakened and highly nervous condition, falsely and fraudulently represented to said plaintiff that he, the said plaintiff, was not injured, and falsely represented and guaranteed that the said plaintiff would recover from his injury within one month.
“That said plaintiff relying upon these false and fraudulent statements, and induced by the duress of said agents, and without knowing that he was signing a release for damages for injuries not known to him at the time, signed said release. That at the time he signed said alleged release, he did not read the same, nor was it fully read to him, and that plaintiff at the time did not'know, nor was he informed, that it was a full release.”

The statement, receipt and release, being Exhibits 2 and 3, signed by deceased, are as follows:

“Exhibit 2.
“PORT HURON, ST. CLAIR & MARINE CITY RAILWAY.
“To Frank Hayner, Dr.,
Detroit, Michigan.
“For damages arising from the injury to the said Frank Hayner, who was injured by reason of a col-/ lision between said company’s cars on which he was a passenger on or about June 9th, 1917, at or near [416]*416Yankee street, two miles north of St. Clair, Michigan, being in compromise and' settlement of all liability whatsoever, of said company to the said Frank Hayner, arising or to arise out of said accident; release to benefit all companies and persons chargeable with negligence or liability in the premises......$250.00.
O. K. $250.00.
G. A. Chapman, A. G, C. A.
June 29th, 1917.
This account has not been previously vouchered. Correct, Irwin Fullerton, Auditor.
A. F. Edwards, Treasurer.
“Received June 29th, 1917, of the said company Two Hundred Fifty ($250.00) Dollars in full of the above account. ($250.00)
“Fbank Hayneb.”
“Exhibit 3.
“DETROIT UNITED LINES.
“$250.00. St. Clair, Michigan, June 29, 1917.
“I, the undersigned, Frank N. Hayner, of St. Clair, Mich., acknowledge the receipt from the Port Huron, St. Clair & Marine City Railway of the sum of Two Hundred Fifty and 00/100 Dollars, in consideration of the payment of which the said railway company is hereby released and discharged from all claims and demands that I have or may have against it for damages on account of loss and personal injuries sustained by me by reason of a collision between said company’s cars on one of which I was a passenger on or about June 9, 1917, at or near Yankee street, two miles north of St: Clair, Michigan, the said payment being accepted by me in compromise and settlement of all liability whatever of the said company to me arising or to arise from the said accident; including liability on account of injuries unknown as well as on account of those known, and for consequences that may hereafter develop from injuries as well as liability for consequences now developed; this release to benefit all companies and persons chargeable with negligence or liability in the premises.
“Fbank Hayneb.
“Witness:
“A. A. LeFevbe,
“A. E. Thompson.”

[417]*417The deposition of deceased was taken August BO, 1918, and was introduced in evidence upon the trial. He testified that, at the tithe of the collision, he was sitting in the front seat of the smoker of the southbound car, and that as the cars came together he was shoved under the ceiling or roof of the car, with his head wedged down between his knees. He was immediately taken from the scene of the wreck to the office of Dr. Thompson in St. Clair. Dr. Thompson had been the family physician of deceased and family, but it was the claim of plaintiff that in this case he was acting for defendants, and there was evidence tending to support that claim. There was evidence that this physician made only a cursory examination of the deceased to ascertain, apparently, whether or not any bones were broken. It does not appear that there were any broken bones. Deceased testified that he at once complained of severe pains in his back which he suffered but that the doctor made no examination of his back on that day; that Dr.

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Bluebook (online)
184 N.W. 435, 215 Mich. 413, 1921 Mich. LEXIS 779, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/randall-v-port-huron-st-clair-marine-city-railway-co-mich-1921.