32 S.E.2d 201 | Ga. Ct. App. | 1944
1. The assignment of error upon the judgment overruling the demurrers to paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of Community Theatres's answer is not argued or insisted upon in the brief of counsel for the plaintiff in error, and therefore is treated as abandoned.
2. The verdict in favor of both defendants was demanded by the evidence and the law applicable thereto; and none of the special grounds of the motion for new trial show cause for a reversal of the judgment.
The court overruled the demurrers to paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of Community Theatres's answer, and that judgment is assigned as error. The jury returned a verdict for both defendants, a motion for a new trial was overruled, and exceptions to that judgment were taken. Each defendant in its answer having denied that it was guilty of any act of negligence alleged in the petition, the burden was upon the plaintiff to prove one or more of such acts. The plaintiff did show that he sustained injuries to his hand and arm, substantially in the manner set forth in his petition; but, in our opinion, he failed to prove that his injuries were the result of any negligent act of either defendant. On the contrary, we think that the evidence demanded a finding and a verdict for both defendants. The pictures of the swinging door introduced in evidence show that it was a door in common use by moving-picture theatres; and an ordinance of the city was introduced in evidence which stated: "All entrances and exit doors shall open outward and be hung in such a manner as not to obstruct any part of the required width of a doorway, passage, or stairway. The fastenings of these doors shall be such as can readily be opened from the inside at all times without the use of keys or any special knowledge or effort." Another city ordinance introduced in evidence reads: "In every building, except buildings of class D, all required exit doors in the first story, including the doors of vestibules, shall open outwards. This requirement shall not prohibit the use of doors which swing both inwards and outwards." And the building inspector of the city testified that the door in question, so far as he knew, conformed to the city ordinances. This evidence, though objected to, was admissible. "The opinions of experts, on any question of science, skill, trade, or like questions, shall always be admissible; and such opinions may be given on the facts as proved by other witnesses." Code, § 38-1710.
There was no material conflict in the evidence as to the way the *767
injuries sued for were inflicted by the plaintiff's hand coming in contact with the swinging door, and there was no evidence authorizing a finding that the injuries were the result of any act of negligence by either of the defendants. In our opinion the evidence demanded a finding that the injuries were caused by an accident for which no one was liable. In Smith v. Johnson,
A special ground of the motion for new trial in the instant case assigns error on the instruction of the court to the jury that they should find a verdict for the defendant Lucas Jenkins, because the evidence failed to show that such defendant operated or controlled the Palace Theatre. Assuming, but not deciding, that there was some evidence tending to show such operation or control, and that the court erred in instructing the jury otherwise, the error, if any, was harmless, since the evidence demanded a verdict for both defendants.
Under the foregoing rulings and the undisputed facts of the case, the other special grounds of the motion for new trial show no cause for a reversal of the judgment. The authorities cited in behalf of the plaintiff in error are differentiated by their facts from this case.
Judgment affirmed. MacIntyre and Gardner, JJ., concur.