198 Ky. 330 | Ky. Ct. App. | 1923
Opinion op the Court by
Reversing.
Appellant R. B. Simmons, is the father of Sam Simmons, a boy about seventeen or eighteen years of age. P. H. Stewart is a regularly. practising physician and surgeon. Sam Simmons became very ill and his condition required a surgical operation. He was not living in the home of his father at that time. His sister and Dr. Rollings took him to Dr. Stewart for the operation. Before doing so they obtained from the father, R. B. Simmons, permission to have the operation performed. It reads:
“To Whom it May Concern:
“This is to certify that I am the .father of Sam S. Simmons, who is seventeen years old, and is now ill with some unknown disease at the home of Dr. J. D. Rollings and it is thought, that it. is perhaps necessary to have a surgical operation performed upon him; and owing to peculiar family affairs, it is necessary to give Armonia Snow, his sister, authority to use her judg-*332 ment as to the advisability of the said operation. Now I hereby give her that authority with the reservation that Dr. Bob Over’by shall have, nothing to do with it, and that I will not be responsible for the surgeon’s fee or the hospital bill.
“B. B. Simmons.”
This writing was not shown to Dr. Stewart until after the operation. There'was nothing said about who should pay the surgeon for his services and no charge fixed by the surgeon for the services. The operation was performed by Dr. Stewart. Later he sent a bill for $200.00 to appellant for his services to the son. Appellant declined to pay the bill and Dr. Stewart instituted this action against him to recover $200.00 for his services, upon the theory that a father is liable for necessaries furnished his infant child, including medical attention and surgical operations. It is admittéd that young Simmons required the surgical operation performed by Dr. Stewart — that is was necessary to save his life and that it was a success.-
Appellant Simmons defended upon the ground, that some two years before the operation was performed he had by agreement with Ms son emancipated him and allowed him to go out in the world and engage himself to other persons and perform labor for them and to receive and have to his sole and separate use all wages earned by him, and that in pursuance to .such emancipation young Simmons had left the parental, roof and for two years had been earning his own livelihood and" receiving and converting to his own úse and- benefit all wages earned by him. The trial court directed the jury to find a verdict for the doctor, and Simmons appeals. He insists (1) that the court erred in excluding competent and relevant evidence; (2) in giving a peremptory instruction to find for Dr. Stewart, and (3) the verdict did not authorize the júdgment.
It may be stated as the settled law of this state that where a parent expressly emancipates his child he can not thereafter claim the wages earned by the child, nor is he liable for necessaries furnished him. Rounds Bros. v. McDaniel, 133 Ky. 669. The only question, therefore, in this case necessary for determination is: Did the father expressly emancipate young Simmons within the meaning of the law? •According to the evidence appellant had married á second wife — stepmother to young Simmons. She and young Simmons could not
Aside from appellant Simmons’ written declaration before the operation was performed that he would not be responsible for the fees of the surgeon performing the operation, we must hold that he is not legally liable to the surgeon for the bill. Undoubtedly the son had been emancipated by his father and had accepted the emancipation. He had gone out in the world upon his own account and had been selling his services to others and receiving wages which he turned to his exclusive use. This was an emancipation both within the letter and the spirit of the law. The father was not, therefore, liable for the necessaries furnished the son, including the surgical operation.
For the reasons indicated the motion for appeal is sustained, appeal granted and the judgment is reversed for proceedings consistent herewith.
Judgment reversed.