190 A.D. 713 | N.Y. App. Div. | 1920
The actions were brought by the infant plaintiff to recover damages for personal injuries, and by his father to recover for loss of services sustained by reason of the negligence of the defendants. The actions were tried together.
The defendants are father and son and were joint owners of the automobile, the negligent operation of which the jury found caused the injuries. The evidence sustained the verdicts that the defendants were negligent and the infant plaintiff was free from contributory negligence. The automobile was not a business car but was maintained for the pleasure of the defendants and members of the family. At the time the infant plaintiff was injured John B. Reimer and his daughter were upon the rear seat and the car was being operated by the son. It was shown that the defendants were engaged in the joint enterprise for which the car was maintained and was being operated by one of the joint owners, while the other was present and participating therein. This consideration distinguishes this case from Potts v. Pardee (220 N. Y. 431) and the class of cases therein relied upon. It transpired upon the trial that the defendant Otto B. Reimer was an infant of the age of twenty years. The action was commenced in 1916 and there was no guardian ad litem appointed for the said infant. A motion was made at the conclusion of the case to dismiss the complaint as to Otto B. Reimer “ on the ground he is proved to be an infant, improperly in court,
The- actions should be severed and the judgments entered against John B. Reimer be affirmed, with costs, and the judgments against Otto B. Reimer be reversed and a new trial ordered, with costs to the appellants to abide the event.
Clarke, P. J., Laughlin, Smith and Merrell, JJ., concur.
Actions severed and the judgments against John B. Reimer affirmed, with costs; judgments against Otto B. Reimer reversed and a new trial ordered, with costs to appellants to abide event. Settle order on notice.