164 Mich. 568 | Mich. | 1911
This is an action on the case to recover damages for personal injuries received by the plaintiff while in the employ of the defendant. At the close of the testimony, the circuit judge directed a verdict for the defendant. The plaintiff has brought error. The sole question in the case is whether or not the circuit judge erred in directing a verdict.
We must consider the case in its most favorable aspect to the plaintiff under the evidence offered by him. The plaintiff is a Hungarian laboring man, not skilled in the English language, but was possessed of good health and eyesight. He was injured on May 26, 1909, while in the employ of the defendant, and while engaged in carrying two iron grate bars from a dock at Ecorse to the top deck of a steel freighter which was upwards of 400 feet in length, which had just been completed by defendant in its shipyard. These grate bars were carried to the deck for convenience of loading upon another vessel alongside. Two ladders were provided by defendant, which were placed against the hull of this boat and about 25 feet apart, which plaintiff was required to use on the day he received the injury. The top deck of the boat was constructed of steel plates, which had been painted prior to said day. For seven days previous to the date of the injury, the plaintiff had been engaged as a common laborer in various occupations about defendant’s shipyard, unloading iron in the yard, and cleaning out the interior of the boat hulls.
We think that the circuit judge erred in directing a verdict, and the judgment below is reversed.