Rouse v. Michigan United Railways Co.

129 N.W. 719, 164 Mich. 475, 1911 Mich. LEXIS 714
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 1, 1911
DocketDocket No. 22
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 129 N.W. 719 (Rouse v. Michigan United Railways 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
Rouse v. Michigan United Railways Co., 129 N.W. 719, 164 Mich. 475, 1911 Mich. LEXIS 714 (Mich. 1911).

Opinion

Ostrander, C. J.

Albert Rouse sued the defendant to recover damages for personal injuries. A judgment in his favor was reversed. Rouse v. Railways Co., 158 [477]*477Mich. 109 (122 N. W. 532). While the cause was pending in this court, on May 19, 1909, Albert Rouse died intestate. His death was not a result of the injuries inflicted by defendant. His widow, Jennie Rouse, was appointed administratrix of his estate, a suggestion of the death of the plaintiff was made, and an order entered reviving the suit. The cause was again tried, and resulted in a verdict and judgment for the plaintiff.

Accompanying the bill of exceptions are 142 assignments of error, the most of which present the proposition, asserted by the defendant, that the right of action accruing to Albert Rouse in his lifetime did not survive his death. The proposition is asserted in various ways. It is not important that the reasoning which is claimed to support it shall be recited. A right of action for personal injuries not resulting in the death of the injured person survives his deáth (3 Comp. Laws, § 10117), and a suit for his damages begun by him may be continued by his personal representative after his death, with the same effect, according to the same rules, and to recover the same damages, as if he were living and prosecuting his action in person. Neither the death act, so called (3 Comp. Laws, § 10427), nor Act No. 89, Public Acts 1905, affect such a right of action or have any application to the manner in which it shall be pursued. In the decisions of this court no different conclusion has been stated or intimated.

With this statement, we dispose of all of the alleged errors which are relied upon, except those predicated upon a statement made by the court in the charge to the jury, to the effect that Albert Rouse, the injured person, saw the car coming, and those relating to instructions for measuring the damages of the plaintiff.

To understand the significance of the first of these contentions, it is necessary to refer to the declaration and to some of the testimony given at the trial. Albert Rouse was driving south oh the east side of Washington avenue, in the city of Lansing, with two horses and a wagon, the box or rack of which was 16 feet long. He had thus proceeded [478]*478for a considerable distance. He attempted to drive from the east to the west side of the street, and while crossing, driving in a southwesterly direction, his wagon was struck by defendant’s car, also going south, between the front and rear wheels of the wagon. Rouse was jolted or fell from the wagon, and was injured. In each count of the declaration it is alleged that, before attempting to cross the street, Rouse looked for and .discovered the car approaching from the north, but at such a distance that, if it had proceeded at a lawful rate of speed, he had abundant time to cross the street as he undertook to do. It is alleged that the car was run at a speed of 30 miles an hour without giving warning by gong or bell of its approach. It is the claim of the defendant, and was stated to the jury by the court, that Rouse did not look for the car, but, when it was within a few feet of him, he drove upon the track, and was struck. At the last trial of the cause, the testimony of Albert Rouse given at the first trial was read to the jury. He said:

“Well, as I came up north of Madison street, about the center of the block, I looked around, and I thought I would cross up there at that street or along there, and I turned and looked north on the track, and I didn’t see any train, any car, and I thought I would go across, and there was some one coming on the west side of the street and was going north, and I don’t know who it was. They were trotting their horses so I drove on a little further until I came to the intersection of Madison street and the avenue, and I there looked back, and I saw the car at a little north or at about that street.
“Q. What street was that, the next street north of Madison ?
“A. The next one north — I think it is Jefferson. I then turned and went diagonally across the track, or started, and got across the track with my horses and at that time — or my horses and the front part of my wagon, and at that time I felt a shock, and was taken very rapidly up the street.
“Q. Now, you say you crossed diagonally, which way was that, going southwest ? ,
[479]*479“A. I went at right angles. It would be northeast and southwest. In crossing it would be just like kitty-cornering across the street.
”Q. How long was it before you started to make the turn that you looked back to see t'he car ?
“A. After I .looked, I turned across the track immediately.
“Q. How far were you from the track, how far was your off horse from the track ?
“A. I should think about four feet. I was driving right along by the side of the track, close to the track. I should think somewhere about four feet, possibly. My horses were walking.
“Q. About how fast — are you able to judge how fast they were walking ? .
“A. Well, yes; I should think they were going about four miles an hour, as near as I can judge.
Q. Where did you say the car was when you looked ?
“A. At Madison street or a street north.
“Q. In Madison street ?
“A. Jefferson or the street north of where I went across. I think they call that Jefferson.
“Q. And did you notice anything about the rate of speed they were going at, anything particular ?
“A. I could not say as to that. I didn’t consider — no; I'could not tell what rate of speed they were going.
“Q. You didn’t notice anything unusual ?
“A. I didn’t notice any thing unusual as to the rate of speed.
“Q. Now, make it clear just where it was, tell us first where it was you attempted to cross ?
“A. At the intersection of Madison street and the avenue, at the north sidewalk.
"Q. At the north crosswalk of Madison ?
“A. Yes; where the people would walk. What I mean by the sidewalk is where the people would walk, crossing, if the sidewalk went straight across there.
“Q. And whereabouts were you when you struck with reference to the crosswalk ?
“A. It must have been right on the walk. My team had gotten across the walk. The wagon had a 16-foot box. The car struck the wagon just ahead of the hind wheel.”

The charge of the court complained about, with its immediate context, was:

[480]*480“ Prudence dictates that one about to cross a street railway track should observe whether a car is near enough to interfere with reasonably safe crossing. So in this case, when Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
129 N.W. 719, 164 Mich. 475, 1911 Mich. LEXIS 714, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rouse-v-michigan-united-railways-co-mich-1911.