80 Ky. 166 | Ky. Ct. App. | 1882
delivered the opinion of the court.
It is evident from the history of this case, as detailed by the witnesses, that the appellant, either for himself or those-he was representing, undertook to have young Bayard taken-, care of and treated by medical skill on account of the injury he had received by reason of the accident occurring on the: boat, of which the appellant was captain.
He took him on his boat to Brandenburg, and had him carried to the office of Dr. Shenal, the physician of the young man’s family, and the doctor being absent, he was carried by the appellant and others to the office of Dr. Pusey, the appellee. This surgeon being also absent, and the appellant being desirous of pursuing his journey witli the boat, had the young man left at the office of the appellee, with instructions to have every necessary attention given him, and have him ready to be sent ■ home on the boat going down that night. The appellant leaving for'his boat, the appellee came to his office, and finding the young man there, carefully and skillfully dressed his mangled limb, and had him in such a condition as to enable him to go back to his home on the same evening, in accordance with appellant’s request, on the return boat. This was the substance of the testimony introduced by the appellee, and the principal error complained of is the refusal. of the court - to instruct the jury to 'find for the defendant. We think that motion was properly-overruled, as the facts of this case, although Pusey may never have seen or even known the appellant, authorized the verdict against him.
Several special interrogatories were propounded by the appellee, or at his instance, to be answered by the jury, also others propounded by the appellant.
It is also urged as a ground for a reversal that neither the-general or special verdict was signed by the foreman of the-.jury.
We think this provision of the Code is merely directory, particularly in civil cases, and certainly the objections come too late after the jury has been discharged. The jury, when the verdict in this case was returned into court, heard the-special interrogatories read by the foreman, and the verdict: was then handed to the clerk and again read by him, and the jury asked if it was their verdict, and an affirmative response was made. The verdict was then entered of .record and made the judgment of the court, and is binding on the parties to it.
We perceive no error to the prejudice of the party complaining in this case.