West Chicago St. R. R. v. Lups

74 Ill. App. 420, 1897 Ill. App. LEXIS 245
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 3, 1898
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 74 Ill. App. 420 (West Chicago St. R. R. v. Lups) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
West Chicago St. R. R. v. Lups, 74 Ill. App. 420, 1897 Ill. App. LEXIS 245 (Ill. Ct. App. 1898).

Opinion

Mr. Presiding Justice Adams

delivered the opinion oe the Court.

Appellee -sued appellant for alleged negligence in not keeping its cars in a safe condition and not properly managing and controlling the same, by reason whereof he was injured. The trial resulted in a verdict for appellee, his damages being assessed at the sum of $5,000, of which amount $2,500 was remitted by plaintiff, and judgment was rendered for $2,500. The declaration, after averring that appellant was the owner of and operated the car in question, etc., proceeds as follows:

“ And that the said defendant did not keep its said car in good and safe repair and condition, but carelessly and negligently suffered, or permitted, one of the upright rods on one of the posts on said car, which is used for a handle in getting upon or off of said car, to become and remain loose so as to turn around, when grasped with the hand.

And that on the day and year aforesaid, at the place aforesaid, plaintiff was desirous of becoming a passenger on car No. 1778, and signaled the gripman on grip car No. 1782, which was drawing trailer No. 1778, to stop the cars for him; and that said cars were slackened, or slowed as though to stop, and he, the said plaintiff, with all due care and without any fault upon his part in that behalf, caught hold of the upright rod or handle aforesaid, and stepped upon the footboard of said car, when through the gross negligence of the said defendant, the said cars were started up suddenly and with a jerk, and the said handle turned around, thereby causing him to lose his balance and fall in such a manner that he fell between the said cars and was dragged fifty feet, and received great and serious injuries, as follows: the right side of head seriously bruised;- right ear almost torn off, so that it had to be removed entirely, together with other serious bruises about his head and shoulders, whereby he became sick, sore, lame and disordered, and so remained from thence hitherto; thereby permanently injuring said plaintiff.”

The appellant pleaded the general issue. Appellee, by his counsel, makes the following objections : First, that the proof is that appellee became a passenger on grip car 1782, and not on trailer 1788, whereas.the declaration alleges that he caught hold of the upright rod or handle and stepped on the footboard of the latter car. In support of this contention a large number of cases are cited to the effect that when facts are alleged with unnecessary particularity, it is incumbent on the party alleging them to prove them. This rule is limited to statements material and relevant. 1 Chitty on Pl. 228.

Conceding that there was a variance between the allegations and the evidence, as claimed by counsel, no advantage of it can be taken here, because the attention of the trial court was not specifically called to it in any way, either on the trial or as a cause for a new trial.

One of the grounds in the written motion for a new trial is as follows:

“The court erred in overruling defendant’s motion to strike out the evidence given on behalf of plaintiff because of a variance between the same and the allegations of the declaration.” But it does not appear from the abstract that any motion was made on behalf of appellant to strike out any particular evidence because of a variance. The only motion to strike out evidence was a general motion, made at the close of plaintiff's case, to strike out all of the plaintiff’s evidence. A party, to avail of a variance between the allegations and the evidence, must make his objection in the trial court, pointing out specifically in what the alleged variance consists, so that the opposite party may, if necessary, amend his pleading; otherwise he will, on appeal, be deemed to have waived the objection. St. Clair County Ben. Soc. v. Fietsam, 97 Ill. 474; Chicago, R. I. & P. Ry. Co. v. Clough, 134 Ill. 586; Richelieu Hotel Co. v. International Mil. Encampment Co., 140 Ill. 248; Chicago & A. R. R. Co. v. Byrum, 153 Ill. 131; Murchie v. Peck Bros. & Co., 160 Ill. 175; Probst Const. Co. v. Foley, 166 Ill. 31.

Mackay, a witness for plaintiff, who testified that he helped to lift up appellee after he fell from the car, said: “I remember his coat; it was blue and muddy.” Upon a coat being exhibited to the witness, he was asked: “ State whether or not, in.your opinion, \vas that the coat?” To which question an objection by appellant was overruled, and the witness answered: “ To the best of my opinion, it is the coat, your honor.” The objection is, that the question called for the opinion of the witness. While it would have been more in accordance with the rules governing the examination of witnesses to have asked the witness whether that was the coat, we can not say that the appellant was prejudiced by the evidence. The answer of the witness was merely equivalent to saying that he believed it was the coat; and on cross-examination, he said that he would not say positively that it was, but that to the best of his belief it was the coat appellee wore at the time of the accident, and that he had seen him wear a similar coat before the accident.

Appellee, who certainly ought to know his own coat, testified that the coat was the one he wore at the time of the accident, and there was no evidence to the contrary.

The court gave to the jury, at appellee’s request, the following instruction:

“ If you find from the evidence that the plaintiff is entitled to recover, as alleged in his declaration, then, in estimating the plaintiff’s damages, you may take into consideration his health and physical condition prior to the injury, and also his health and physical condition since then, if you believe, from the evidence, that his health and physical condition since then is impaired, as the results of such injury; and you may alsoxconsider whether--or not he has -been permanently injured, and to what extent; and also to what extent, if any, he has been injured or marred in his personal appearance; and to what extent, if any, he may have endured physical and mental suffering as a natural and inevitable result of such injury; and also any necessary expenses he may have been put to in and about caring for and curing himself; and you may consider what, if any, effect such injuries may have upon him in the future in respect to pain and suffering; and you should allow to him as damages such sum as, in the exercise of a sound discretion, you may believe, from all the facts and circumstances in evidence, will be a fair and just compensation to him for the injuries so sustained.”

Appellant’s counsel contend that this instruction is erroneous in so fan, as it relates to mental pain and suffering, and also in so far as it relates to future pain and suffering. The instruction informed the jury that they might consider to what extent, if any, appellee may have endured physical and mental suffering as a material and inevitable result of his injury, etc.' This was proper. In Hannibal & St. J. R. R. Co. v. Martin, 111 Ill. 219, and City of Chicago v. McLean, 133 Ill. 148, instructions of a similar character, but more favorable for the plaintiffs than the instruction in question is for appellee, were held unobjectionable. Counsel make the further objection that the instruction assumes that there was evidence of a probability of future pain and suffering.

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Bluebook (online)
74 Ill. App. 420, 1897 Ill. App. LEXIS 245, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/west-chicago-st-r-r-v-lups-illappct-1898.