73 Ind. App. 454 | Ind. Ct. App. | 1919
Lead Opinion
This is an action by appellee against appellant to recover damages for personal injuries alleged to have been caused by the negligence of appellant in operating one of its trains over and across a much-traveled public highway. The complaint is in a single paragraph. Appellant filed a demurrer thereto, which was overruled, and then filed an answer in general^ denial. The cause was submitted to a jury for trial, which returned a verdict in favor of appellee, with answers to certain interrogatories submitted by the court. Appellant filed a motion for judgment in its favor on the answers to the interrogatories notwithstanding the general verdict, and also a motion for a
It is further contended with reference to the answers to the interrogatories that they are of such a character,
Appellant, in its contention that the court erred in overruling its motion for a new trial, asserts that the verdict of the jury is contrary to law, because it is based upon a complaint that does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. Having held that the complaint was sufficient to withstand a general demurrer for want of facts, it is unnecessary to give this insistence of appellant any further consideration. In further support of its contention that the court erred in overruling its motion for a new trial, appellant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence on the issues of negligence, contributory negligence and proximate cause. The complaint stated facts sufficient to constitute a charge of negligence, based on appellant’s failure to cause the signals required by §5431 Burns 1914, §4020 R. S. 1881, to be given, as the train approached the crossing. While not without contradiction, there was sufficient evidence to sustain such charge.
The instructions to the jury consist of nineteen requested by appellant, seven requested by appellee, and seven given by the court on its own motion. Appellant also tendered seventeen instructions, which the court refused to give. Exceptions were taken by appellant
Appellant’s objections to the giving of instruction No. 1, requested by appellee, are in substance as follows: That it invaded the province of the jury by assuming that appellant was guilty of negligence; that it made appellant an insurer of notice to travelers regarding its intention to occupy the crossing, regardless of whether they were in the exercise of ordinary care to discover the presence or absence of warning; and that it permitted the jury, in determining whether the notice given by appellant of the intended use of the crossing was such as ordinary care requires, to consider all the facts and circumstances in evidence with respect to the crossing, regardless of whether it knew of such conditions or was chargeable with knowledge thereof.
Appellant’s first objection to instruction No. 3, given
Instruction No. 7, given at the request of appellee, is not rightfully subject to the criticism directed against it by appellant. It relates to the matter of damages recoverable in the event the jury should find for appellee, and is not seriously objectionable considered alone, but when taken in connection with instruction No. 23, given at the request of appellant, its giving was clearly not error.
Instruction No. 4, given by the court on its own motion, relates to the credibility of witnesses. Appellant’s criticism of the same does not indicate to us that the court erred in giving it. We have heretofore set out
Appellant contends that the court erred in refusing to give instructions Nos. 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32 and 36/ Said instruction No. 1 is a peremptory instruction to return a verdict in favor of appellant. It is urged in support of the error, based on the refusal to give this instruction, that the evidence failed to establish any act of negligence, properly pleaded, upon the part of appellant, and that the evidence most favorable to appellee shows her to have been guilty of contributory negligence. We are of the opinion, as heretofore indicated, that the evidence is' of such a character, as to prevent us from sustaining appellant’s contention on either of the propositions stated. The court did not err in refusing to give said instruction.
As to the alleged errors in refusing to give the remainder of said instructions, tendered by appellant, it suffices to say that each of said instructions were substantially covered by other instructions given. It follows that the court did not err in refusing to give the same. Wright v. Fox (1914), 56 Ind. App. 315, 103 N. E. 442; Bray v. Tardy (1914), 182 Ind. 98, 105 N. E. 772.
We find no reversible error in the record. Judgment affirmed
Rehearing
On Petition for Rehearing.
Appellant has filed a petition for a rehearing in this cause in which it asserts, among other things, that this court erred in holding that there was no reversible error in the action of the trial court in admitting certain evidence, and. in giving certain instructions with reference to the electric bell, which it is alleged appellant had theretofore established at the highway crossing in question for the purpose of warning travelers on such highway of the proximity of
It is thus made apparent that one of the acts of negligence on which appellee relied was the failure of appellant to maintain the electric bell in good working order, after having installed it for the purpose alleged. But appellant contends that such allegations would not