{
  "id": 8658572,
  "name": "O. C. WORLEY v. LAUREL RIVER LOGGING COMPANY",
  "name_abbreviation": "Worley v. Laurel River Logging Co.",
  "decision_date": "1911-12-20",
  "docket_number": "",
  "first_page": "490",
  "last_page": "499",
  "citations": [
    {
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      "cite": "157 N.C. 490"
    }
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  "court": {
    "name_abbreviation": "N.C.",
    "id": 9292,
    "name": "Supreme Court of North Carolina"
  },
  "jurisdiction": {
    "id": 5,
    "name_long": "North Carolina",
    "name": "N.C."
  },
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      "cite": "153 N. C., 391",
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    {
      "cite": "134 N. C., 538",
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    {
      "cite": "128 N. C., 113",
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    {
      "cite": "126 N. C., 712",
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    {
      "cite": "138 N. C., 332",
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      "reporter": "N.C.",
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    {
      "cite": "129 N. C., 394",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "N.C.",
      "opinion_index": 0
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    {
      "cite": "141 N. C., 487",
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      "reporter": "N.C.",
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        11253466
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    {
      "cite": "127 N. C., 229",
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      "opinion_index": 0
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    {
      "cite": "126 N. C., 200",
      "category": "reporters:state",
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        8658904
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  "last_updated": "2023-07-14T17:57:03.195282+00:00",
  "provenance": {
    "date_added": "2019-08-29",
    "source": "Harvard",
    "batch": "2018"
  },
  "casebody": {
    "judges": [],
    "parties": [
      "O. C. WORLEY v. LAUREL RIVER LOGGING COMPANY."
    ],
    "opinions": [
      {
        "text": "Allen, J.\nWe bave examined, tbe entire record, and. bave considered tbe numerous exceptions tendered by tbe defendant, and find nothing of wbicb it can justly complain on tbe first and second issues.\nTbe evidence does not disclose a real controversy between tbe plaintiff and tbe defendant as to negligence, and tbe. court would bave been justified in directing tbe jury to answer tbe first issue \u201cYes,\u201d if tbe evidence was believed.\nIn addition to tbe presumption of negligence arising from a derailment (Marcom v. R. R., 126 N. C., 200; Wright v. R. R., 127 N. C., 229; Hemphill v. Lumber Co., 141 N. C., 487), there was ample evidence that tbe roadbed was unsafe, that tbe grades and curves were unusual and dangerous, and that tbe equipment was defective, and there was no evidence to tbe contrary.\nMr. Hill, superintendent of tbe defendant, who was introduced by tbe plaintiff, gives an account of tbe condition of tbe road and its equipment, wbicb shows utter indifference on tbe part of tbe defendant to tbe safety of its employees. He says: \u201cI do not know tbe condition of tbe track where the engine ran off; from tbe mill down there were some very bad places. Tbe place where tbe wreck occurred bad little to do with it; it was tbe place where tbe engine started, from where it left tbe mill to where it went off. Tbe track has about a 4 per cent grade in some places and in others about 10 per cent; it would perhaps run about tbe length of this ball at .4 per cent, and then dip suddenly to a 10 per cent grade. There are some reverse curves and some very sharp curves. Just before you get to tbe point where tbe engine left tbe track, you come around a sharp curve and take a right smart dip, and it is almost straight for twenty or thirty yards, and you make a curve, a good stiff curve, and that is where tbe accident occurred; it was a long and very continuous curve. I know that the car was loaded with lumber when be started out. I can\u2019t say that Mr. Worley was given orders to bring tbe car out, but I told Worley not to bring that car out until it was fixed. Tbe mill foreman overlooked the bringing out of cars from the mi'll. He was Yan Anderson, and Robert Lieb was over him. I can\u2019t recall who ordered the car loaded; don\u2019t know. All that was hearsay, so far as I am concerned. The brake was not put on properly, the rod that comes over and under the brakes \u2014 the brake-rod; I suppose you call it \u2014 passed under the rocking bolster, which the plank laid on, and this rod for some reason would work back next to the king pin, that comes through the rocking bolster, that holds it, and when you went to make a curve, that bolster would shut down on it, and you could not put the brakes on, and if there were several curves you would get a pretty good start, and it would be hard to control the train. The cars had wooden brake-shoes. I don\u2019t think thefe was ever another car made like it, before or since. The wheels turned on the axles. They insisted on loading the ears so heavy at the mill that I gave orders not to load over 3,500 feet on this particular car, and on other cars, and they often had on 5,000 feet. It made thpm so heavy that a car of that size and the tonnage of the lumber would weigh twenty tons, and without proper brakes behind a ten-ton engine. When you loaded with more than 3,500 feet, with the weight of the car, the weight was more than the engine had the capacity of controlling. The wheels on the cars were not regular car wheels in common use at that time; they were old car wheels. They looked like they were twenty or thirty years old. They turned on the axle and we often had to take the axle out. Sometimes there would be an inch play, and the car wheel would wobble as it went down the track, and when loaded so heavy it sorter cut and dug into the rails and climbed off. This car had been practically in the condition I have stated ever since it was built; there was only a piece of iron that was supposed to hold the brake-rod back, and it would break and they would put another little piece of iron in there, and it would break, and the next week something would happen again. I don\u2019t know whether the brakes on that car were like those in ordinary use on railroads of that date or not. I never saw a car like it before, and the brakes were in keeping with the car.\u201d\nHis Honor, however, instead of directing the jury to answer the first issue \u201cYes,\u201d if they believed the evidence, submitted the question of negligence to them, and gave substantially the first and second prayers for instructions. He could not have given the third, because there was evidence that, after the order of Hill, an employee of the defendant, equal in authority to Hill, gave him a different order.\nThe principal contentions of the defendant on the issue of .contributory negligence are that the plaintiff continued to operate the train with knowledge of the defects and the danger, and that he was acting contrary to the orders of his superintendent, Hill.\nWe do not approve the doctrine that an employee is barred of a-recovery because he realizes that he is using a defective appliance, and has some appreciation of the danger of doing so, and think the better rule is that under such circumstances there is no contributory negligence unless the employee is guilty of a negligent act in doing his work, or the danger is so obvious that the chances of injury are greater than those of safety. Thomas v. R. R., 129 N. C., 394; Hicks v. Cotton Mills, 138 N. C., 332.\nThe contention of the defendant, if sustained, would encourage employers to use antiquated and defective machinery, and to notify employees of the danger, as they would thereby escape Lability for injury.\nThe prayers for instruction based on the idea that the plaintiff could not recover if he acted contrary to the orders of Hill, were properly refused, because there was evidence that the plaintiff, at the time of his injury, was acting under the orders of another superintendent who had the authority to control him.\nThe principle embodied in the eleventh request for instruction is supported by authority, and may be technically correct, but we think, if applied in instructing juries, it would tend to confuse and mislead, and that it is wiser to adhere to the practice which requires the judge to explain the conduct of the plaintiff which will amount to negligence, and that if there is negligence which is the real cause of the injury, he cannot recover.\nIf we depart from tbis rule and say that the slightest negligence on the part of the plaintiff contributing to his injury is-fatal to his cause of action, we must apply the same standard to the conduct of the defendant when considering the first issue, and in practical operation, the search for the real efficient cause of the injury may easily be lost sight of.\nAgain his Honor could have denied all the pray\u00e9rs for instructions on the second issue, because the Only conduct of the plaintiff alleged in the answer to have been negligent was in the operation of the train, and there was no evidence of negligence in this particular.\nOn the issue of damages his Honor told the jury that the loss of mental powers by the plaintiff might be considered as an element of damages, when upon an examination of the evidence there is no suggestion that the plaintiff was at any time unconscious or that he suffered even momentarily an impairment of mental powers. We doubt if this affected the verdict, but we cannot say it did not, and under the authorities in this State this instruction was erroneous. Smith v. R. R., 126 N. C., 712; Wilkie v. R. R., 128 N. C., 113; Bryan v. R. R., 134 N. C., 538.\nIn the Bryan case a new trial was ordered because a charge was given that the jury might consider the loss of physical and mental powers in estimating damage, when there was no evidence of the loss of mental powers, and this case was approved in Jones v. Insurance Co., 153 N. C., 391.\nWe must, therefore, order a new trial, but it is restricted to the issue of damages.\nPartial new trial.\nMOTION TO DISMISS.\nAllen, J.\nThis is a motion to dismiss the appeal or to affirm the judgment, upon the ground that there are no exceptions in the record upon which the assignments of error are based.\nExceptions to evidence must be entered during the progress of the trial, and it is not sufficient to object. The exception must be noted.\nExceptions to the charge may be taken for the first time when the ease on appeal is settled, and should point out the parts of the charge to which exceptions are taken.\nThe preparation of the assignment of error is the work of the attorney for the appellant, and is not a part of the ease on appeal, and its office is to group the exceptions noted in the case on appeal, and if there is an assignment of error not supported by an exception, it will be disregarded.\nApplying these principles to the record in this case, the motion of the appellee must be denied.\nThe case was not settled by the judge, but by agreement of counsel. The exceptions and assignments of error follow the charge, and immediately thereafter we find the signatures of counsel for plaintiff and defendant, and each assignment begins, \u201cThe defendant excepted for that,\u201d etc.\nThis is, in our opinion, an agreement by counsel that the exceptions set out in the assignments were duly entered.\nMotion denied.",
        "type": "majority",
        "author": "Allen, J. Allen, J."
      }
    ],
    "attorneys": [
      "Guclger & McElroy for plaintiff.",
      "Martin & Wright for defendant."
    ],
    "corrections": "",
    "head_matter": "O. C. WORLEY v. LAUREL RIVER LOGGING COMPANY.\n(Filed 20 December, 1911.)\n1. Railroads \u2014 Negligence\u2014Derailment\u2014Unsafe Road \u2014 Appliances\u2014 Presumptions \u2014 Verdict, Directing.\nWhen the evidence is not conflicting and tends to show that the plaintiff was injured while operating defendant\u2019s train, by a derailment upon an unsafe roadbed, with unusually dangerous grades and curves, and that the equipment used was defective, the trial judge may properly direct the jury to answer the issue as to negligence in the affirmative if they found the facts to be as testified.\n2. Same \u2014 Principal and Agent \u2014 Disobedience to Orders \u2014 Further Orders \u2014 Vice-principal\u2014Evidence\u2014Instructions.\nWhen in an action for damages to an. engineer operating defendant\u2019s train run by steam power, there is evidence tending to show that the injury complained of was caused by a derailment upon an unsafe roadway, and that in the train was a very unsafe car which the superintendent of the defendant company told the plaintiff not to take upon his train again, with further evidence that the car was thereafter loaded with lumber and the plaintiff instructed by another vice-principal of the defendant to take it with him on the occasion of the injury: Held, there being no evidence on defendant\u2019s part tending to show that its employee who instructed the plaintiff to take the loaded car on the train was not a vice-principal of defendant of equal dignity of the superintendent, it could not avail itself of an instruction precluding recovery if the jury found that the injury would not have occurred had plaintiff obeyed the order of the superintendent not to take the car out again.\n3. Master and Servant \u2014 Contributory Negligence \u2014 Dangerous Conditions \u2014 Assumption of Risks.\nThe doctrine of contributory negligence, in an action for damages by defendant\u2019s engineer caused from a derailment and the unsafe condition of the track and equipment, is not made to depend upon the plaintiff\u2019s realization that he is using a defective appliance under dangerous conditions, but upon whether he was negligent in doing the particular work, or that the danger was so obvious that the chances of injury were greater than those of safety.\n4. Instructions Confusing \u2014 Contributory Negligence \u2014 Technical' Correctness \u2014 Explanation\u2014Practice.\nAn instruction, in this case, Held technically correct, but tending to confuse and mislead juries, that if the jury \u201cfind from the evidence that plaintiff was guilty of negligence which contributed proximately to the injury, even in the smallest degree, you will answer\u201d affirmatively the issue as to contributory negligence; and it is the better practice for the trial judge to adhere to the practice which requires them to explain the conduct of the plaintiff which will amount to negligence, and instruct them that if there is negligence which is the real cause of the injury, he cannot recover.\n5. Pleadings \u2014 Contributory Negligence \u2014 Unsafe Conditions \u2014 Appliances \u2014 Defense\u2014Instructions.\nThe defendant being sued by its engineer for damages alleged to have been inflicted on him in a derailment upon an unsafe track and by the use of unsafe appliances, alleged only in its answer, by way of defense, that the plaintiff\u2019s injury was caused by his negligently operating or running the train: Held, as there was no evidence of negligence as alleged, the defendant\u2019s prayers for instruction upon contributory negligence were properly refused.\n6. Measure of Damages \u2014 Mental Power \u2014 Evidence\u2014Instructions.\nIn an action to recover damages for a personal injury, an instruction is erroneous which tells the jury they may consider under certain conditions and phases of the evidence, as an element of damages, the loss by plaintiff of his mental powers, etc., when there is no suggestion, at any time, that the plaintiff was unconscious, or that his sufferings were of that character; and in this case a new trial is ordered, confined to the issue of damages.\n7. Appeal and Error \u2014 Objections and Exceptions \u2014 Evidence\u2014Practice.\nExceptions to evidence objected to must be taken in order to make the matter available on appeal.\n8. Appeal and Error \u2014 Objections and Exceptions \u2014 Instructions\u2014 Practice.\nExceptions to the charge may be taken for the first time when the case on appeal is settled, and they should point out the parts of the charge to which exceptions are taken.\n9. Appeal and Error \u2014 Assignments of Error \u2014 Case on Appeal \u2014 Exceptions Noted.\nAssignments of error is not a part of the case on appeal and has for its purpose the grouping of exceptions noted in the case on appeal, which, if not noted, cannot be availed of as an assignment of error.\n10. Same \u2014 Agreement of Parties \u2014 Interpretation.\nWhen it appears upon a case on appeal settled by the parties, oyer their signatures, that each assignment of error begins \u201cthe defendant (appellant) excepted for that, etc.,\u201d the Supreme Court will assume that the exceptions upon which error was assigned were duly entered.\nAppeal from Lane, J., at September Term, 1911, of MadisoN.\nThis is an action to recover damages for personal injuries.\nThe plaintiff, at the time of Ms injury, was employed as an engineer by tbe defendant, a corporation, engaged in the manufacture of lumber, and operating in connection therewith a logging road.\nThe plaintiff alleges that he was operating the train of the defendant on 14' September, 1910, and was injured by reason of a derailment; that the defendant was negligent, in that it allowed and permitted the track and roadbed of its road to be and remain in a poor and dangerous condition, without ballast on its tracks and with many heavy grades and sharp and dangerous curves, and it allowed and permitted the brakes on the cars which the plaintiff hauled over said road in the performance of his duties to become defective and out of repair to such an extent that it was impossible to control and operate a train therewith, and permitted said brakes to remain in said defective and dangerous condition, though often notified of that fact and requested to repair the same; and it failed and neglected to keep and maintain its track and roadbed in a safe condition, and carelessly and negligently failed and neglected to keep and maintain its cars and rolling stock in good repair, so that they could be operated in safety, and did carelessly and negligently fail to furnish and equip its said road with the rolling stock, tools, and appliances in ordinary use at that time.\nThe defendant denies negligence, and alleges that the plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence in that he allowed the train of cars mentioned to get beyond his control by reason of careless handling of the same; or was running the same at a dangerous and reckless rate of speed down a grade, thereby causing the same to get beyond his control; or he otherwise operated said train in a negligent, careless, and reckless manner, by reason of which, negligence and carelessness the plaintiff was injured, if any injury he sustained.\nThe plaintiff offered evidence to sustain the allegations of negligence, and there was no evidence to the contrary.\nIt was in evidence that on the morning of the day the plaintiff was injured, that he told Mr. Hill, a superintendent of the defendant, that the brake on the car attached to his train was defective, and that he was told by Hill tO' place the car on' a siding, and not to take it out until it was repaired; that the plaintiff placed the car on the siding as directed, and when he returned later he found the car loaded with lumber and took it out in his train under orders from one Anderson, who was the mill foreman, and who overlooked the taking out of cars, and who told the plaintiff that Lieb, a superintendent equal in authority with Hill, said for him to do so.\nThis car was a part of the train when the plaintiff was injured.\nThe defendant requested the court to instruct the jury as follows:\n1. Before the plaintiff can recover, he must satisfy the jury, by the greater weight of the testimony, not only that defendant was negligent, but that such negligence, if the jury find there was any, was the proximate cause of plaintiff\u2019s injury; and if the jury do not so find, they will answer the first issue \u201cNo.\u201d\n2. Proximate cause is the real effective cause of the injury, and if from all of the testimony you find that plaintiff\u2019s conduct was the real cause of the injury, then you will answer the first issue \u201cNo.\u201d-\n3. If the jury find from the evidence that if plaintiff had obeyed the orders of Hill, the superintendent, he would not have been injured, they will answer the first issue \u201cNo.\u201d\n4. If you believe the evidence in this ease, you will answer the second issue \u201cYes.\u201d\n5. If you find from the evidence that plaintiff knew the car and engine being run by him were defective, and was acquainted with the grades and curves of the roadbed, as testified by him, and knew that such operation by him was dangerous, then you will answer the second issue \u201cYes.\u201d\n6. Plaintiff having testified that he knew the dangers incident to operating the train under the circumstances, if you believe this evidence, you will answer the second issue \u201cYes.\u201d\n7. If you find from the greater weight of the evidence that plaintiff took out the car, which was attached to his engine, contrary to the orders of Hill, the superintendent, and that the use of this car was the proximate cause of the injury, you will answer the second issue \u201cYes.\u201d\n8. If you find from the evidence that the superintendent Hill ordered the plaintiff not to use the car which was attached to the engine at the time of the accident, and that plaintiff disobeyed such order, and such disobedience was the proximate cause of the injury, you will answer the second issue \u201cYes.\u201d'\n9. If the jury find from the evidence that Worley reported to Superintendent Hill, on the day before the accident, that the car was out of order, and that Hill directed him to set the ear out on the siding for repairs, and not to use it again until it was repaired, and that the plaintiff, Worley, in disobedience of this order, took the car out for use knowing it had not been repaired, and that such use of the car was the proximate cause of the plaintiff\u2019s injury, you will answer the second issue \u201cYes.\u201d\n10. There is no evidence that Anderson, the mill foreman, had afithority to give orders to the plaintiff, and if plaintiff obeyed an order of Anderson, in taking out the' car testified about, instead of obeying the orders of Hill, the superintendent, and was injured in consequence, you will answer the second issue \u201cYes.\u201d\n11. If you find from the evidence \u2022 that plaintiff was guilty of negligence which contributed proximately to the injury, even in the smallest degree, you will answer the second issue \u201cYes.\u201d\nThere was a motion for judgment of nonsuit, which was over1 ruled, and the defendant excepted.\nYerdiet and judgment for the plaintiff, and the defendant excepted and appealed.\nGuclger & McElroy for plaintiff.\nMartin & Wright for defendant."
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  "file_name": "0490-01",
  "first_page_order": 530,
  "last_page_order": 539
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