Sweetland v. Chicago & Grand Trunk Railway Co.

43 L.R.A. 568, 75 N.W. 1066, 117 Mich. 329, 1898 Mich. LEXIS 856
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 28, 1898
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 43 L.R.A. 568 (Sweetland v. Chicago & Grand Trunk 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
Sweetland v. Chicago & Grand Trunk Railway Co., 43 L.R.A. 568, 75 N.W. 1066, 117 Mich. 329, 1898 Mich. LEXIS 856 (Mich. 1898).

Opinions

Grant, C. J.

We do not think that there was any tan[331]*331gible evidence from which the jury had the right to infer that the deceased endured pain and suffering. The two trains collided with terrific force, and many were instantly killed. The witness Allen testified that he reached the telescoped car within three or four minutes after the collision; that he heard wails and groans within; that the car took fire within a minute or two afterwards; that within 10 or 15 minutes they were driven away by the heat of the flames. Plaintiff was a physician, and brother of the deceased. He testified that both the upper and lower extremities of the body were burned completely off, that the upper part of the scalp was entirely denuded, and that the left thigh bone was either burned off diagonally or had been fractured. Prom his examination of the body, he gave his opinion that death was not instantaneous. It is mere conjecture how long she lived, and there is nothing to indicate that she was conscious at any time after the accident, and before death, if death was not instantaneous. If she was not conscious, how can it be said that she suffered pain ? Whether death was instantaneous, or whether, if not instantaneous, she was conscious after the injury, is purely conjectural.

Where one was found, about 10 minutes after the accident, with his body crushed, and his bowels disrupted, and he was still breathing, but unconscious, and died almost immediately, without recovering consciousness, held that no damages could be recovered for pain and suffering. Mulchahey v. Wheel Co., 145 Mass. 281 (1 Am. St. Rep. 458). The court said:

“But, as the plaintiff can only recover such damages as she can show were sustained by her intestate, if he became instantly insensible, and so remained until his death, nothing can be recovered for any physical or mental suffering sustained by him.”

Where a boat struck the bank of a river, and'sank in about 10 minutes, and a passenger was drowned, held that there could be no recovery for mental and physical pains and shock before death; that they were substantially con[332]*332temporaneous with her death, and inseparable, as a matter of law, from it. The Corsair, 145 U. S. 335. In Cheatham v. Red River Line, 56 Fed. 248, damages were claimed for suffering while the deceased was struggling in the water before drowning. Held, there could be no recovery. Where one was struggling in the water 10 minutes'after being thrown in by the wrongful-act of the defendant, held that death was instantaneous. Sherman v. Stage Co., 24 Iowa, 515. See, also, Kennedy v. Standard Sugar Refinery, 125 Mass. 90 (28 Am. Rep. 214); Tully v. Railroad Co., 134 Mass. 499.

The rule deducible from the above authorities, and we think also from sound reason, is that plaintiff must show that there was conscious suffering in order to sustain his suit for damages. It is not sufficient to show that the deceased might have lived a few moments after the accident. We are therefore of the opinion that the verdict based upon this count in the declaration cannot be sustained.

Judgment reversed as to this count, and no new trial ordered.

Moore and Long, JJ., concurred with Grant, G. J.

Long, J.

This suit is brought to recover damages for personal injuries caused to the plaintiff’s intestate by the collision of defendant’s trains through the negligence of defendant; also to recover damages for her death resulting from such collision, and also for loss of personal property. The first count of the declaration is upon the common-law liability for pain and suffering, etc., endured by the deceased prior to death, which, it is claimed, was not instantaneous, and the right of action for which, it is insisted, survives by section 7397, 3 How. Stat., and is for the benefit of her estate. Under this count plaintiff had verdict and judgment for $1,000. The second count is for loss of personal property, for which plaintiff had verdict and judgment for $110. The third count is for the benefit of William W. Sweetland, a brother of deceased, who, [333]*333it is claimed, was dependent upon her for support, and in whose interest the administrator claims the right to recover under sections 8313, 8314, 2 How. Stat. Under this count the jury found in favor of defendant. Defendant brings error.

The provisions of section 7397, 3 How. Stat., have been in force since 1838. In 1846 it read:

“In addition to the actions which survive by the common law, the following shall also survive; that is to say: Actions of replevin and trover, actions for assault and battery, or false imprisonment, or for goods taken and carried away, and actions for damage done to real or personal estate.”

This statute was amended by Act No. 113, Pub. Acts 1885, by inserting into the original act the clause, “for negligent injuries to the person.”

Sections 8313 and 8314, 2 How. Stat., are substantially a re-enactment of Lord Campbell’s act, omitting the preamble and third section, which was first incorporated into our statutes in 1848, and was amended in 1873. As amended, it reads as follows:

“Section 1. Whenever the death of a person shall be caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default, and the act, neglect, or default is such as would (if death had not ensued) have entitled the party injured to maintain an action, and recover damages, in respect thereof, then, and in every such case, the person who, or the corporation which,' would have been liable if death had not ensued,' shall be liable to an action for damages, notwithstanding the death of the person injured, and although the death shall have been caused under such circumstances as amount in law to felony.
“Sec. 2. Every such action shall be brought by, and in the names of, the personal representatives of such deceased person, and the amount recovered in every such action shall be distributed to the persons and in the proportions provided by law in relation to the distribution of personal property left by persons dying intestate; and in every such action the'jury may give such damages as they shall deem fair and just, with reference to the pecuniary injury resulting from such death to those persons who may be entitled to such damages when recovered.”

[334]*334It will be noticed that until 1885 there was no statute in this State providing for the survival of actions for negligent injuries to the person, and no suit could be maintained after the death of the injured person for the pain and suffering arising from such injuries. Was it the intention of the legislature under section 7397 to give a right of action for the benefit of the estate in case of death from an injury, and also to allow the heirs to recover under sections 8313 and 8314 for their pecuniary loss ? I think not. The fact that the common-law right of action which survives under section 7397 is for the benefit of the decedent’s estate, and that the right of action under sections 8313 and 8314 is given for the benefit of the decedent’s heirs, can make no difference in the construction which I think should be placed upon these statutes. It was not the intention of the legislature to give two rights of recovery for the same injury which results in death.

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Bluebook (online)
43 L.R.A. 568, 75 N.W. 1066, 117 Mich. 329, 1898 Mich. LEXIS 856, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sweetland-v-chicago-grand-trunk-railway-co-mich-1898.