Title: Lindsey v. Southern Pacific Co.

State: oregon

Issuer: Oregon Supreme Court

Document:

Reversed and remanded February 10, 1965.
Petition for rehearing denied March 9, 1965.
*12 Philip A. Levin, Portland, argued the cause for appellant. On the brief were Pozzi, Levin & Wilson, Portland.
Kaye C. Robinette, Portland, argued the cause for respondents. With him on the brief were Koerner, Young, McColloch & Dezendorf and John Gordon Gearin, Portland.
Before McALLISTER, Chief Justice, and ROSSMAN, PERRY, SLOAN, O'CONNELL, GOODWIN and DENECKE, Justices.
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
DENECKE, J.
In this action for wrongful death resulting from a railroad crossing collision, the trial court entered a judgment of involuntary nonsuit and plaintiff appeals.
There was evidence from which the jury could reasonably have found the following: Plaintiff's intestate was a passenger in a car which stalled on the crossing with its front wheels overlapping one rail. At this time the train was about eight or nine blocks away. The driver began working with the gearshift lever; the decedent told the driver "to do something with this automobile"; immediately after that the decedent attempted to open the door; being unfamiliar with the latch it took her "a few seconds" to open the door. At the time of impact she had opened the door and had one foot on the ground; the train struck the front of the car, spinning it around and knocking plaintiff under the wheels of the train. The track at this point was straight; it was afternoon and visibility was excellent. *13 The stalled car was visible to the train engineer for eight or nine blocks. The train was accelerating on full throttle until a split second before the impact; the train was traveling at about 35 miles an hour, the speed limit; the train could have been stopped in about 300 feet; the brakes were not applied until a split second before the impact. The engineer testified that he did not "decide" that the car was not going to move and the occupants were not going to be able to get off the track until he was 50 to 100 feet from the crossing.
The grounds asserted for the nonsuit were contributory negligence on the part of plaintiff and no negligence on the part of defendants. The trial court was reluctant to grant a nonsuit but believed it was required to do so under our decisions in Emmons v. Southern Pac. Co., 97 Or 263, 191 P 333 (1920), and Marks, Exec. v. Southern Pac. Co., 211 Or 539, 316 P2d 523 (1957). The trial court appears to have based its decision upon the ground that the railroad was not negligent.
Some of the statements in those cases appear to support the trial court's decision; however, they are made in the context of deciding the issue of last clear chance and not the issue of the railroad's negligence. In Emmons the court held, "there was no error in denying the motion for a directed verdict." (97 Or at 295) This necessarily is a holding that the railroad's negligence was a question of fact. It is also a holding, as the court expressly stated, that the applicability of the last clear chance doctrine was a question of fact.
In Marks the plaintiff's decedent drove his car upon the tracks where it stalled. The court affirmed a judgment for the railroad made notwithstanding a verdict *14 for plaintiff. The grounds were that plaintiff was contributorily negligent as a matter of law and that: "The evidence fails to show that the defendants had a last clear chance of avoiding Marks' injury." (211 Or at 549) Nothing was said about the railroad's negligence.
1. Decisions that the railroad did or did not have the last clear chance are not decisions that the railroad was or was not negligent. Last clear chance is a contention made to avoid the consequences of the rule that plaintiff's contributory negligence will bar his recovery.[1] Last clear chance becomes an issue only after a finding that the plaintiff was contributorily negligent. The usual sequence of issues is: (1) Was the defendant negligent? If not, the inquiry is terminated in defendant's favor. If he was negligent, the next issue is: (2) Was the plaintiff negligent? If not, the inquiry is terminated in plaintiff's favor. If he was negligent, the final issue is: (3) Did defendant have the last clear chance? A decision that the defendant did or did not have the last clear chance presupposes that the defendant was negligent.
2, 3. A decision on last clear chance is not a decision on the issue of the railroad's negligence for the further reason that in Oregon last clear chance is a doctrine of "discovered peril." This court has repeatedly held that a defendant cannot be held to have the last clear chance unless he knows of plaintiff's peril; it is not sufficient if only he should have known of plaintiff's peril. Scholl v. Belcher, 63 Or 310, 324, 127 P 968, 973 (1912). On the other hand, the test of a defendant's negligence, a railroad or otherwise, is either *15 it "knew" or, as a reasonably prudent person, it "should have known." A decision that a jury could not reasonably find that the railroad knew of plaintiff's peril is quite different from a holding that a jury could not reasonably find that the railroad should have known of plaintiff's peril.
4. Plaintiff in this case does not rely upon last clear chance. It is not essential that she do so as decedent was not contributorily negligent as a matter of law. The statement of the facts is sufficient authority for our conclusion that this issue is for the jury.
5, 6. Under general tort principles the operators of a railroad train approaching a crossing have a duty to exercise reasonable diligence to avoid a collision. Fish v. Southern Pacific Co., 173 Or 294, 321, 143 P2d 917, 145 P2d 991 (1944). The railroad has a right of precedence at a crossing. However, "[n]either the railroad nor motorist has an exclusive right to the use of the highway but must use it with due regard to the rights of the other." Finn v. Spokane, P. & S. Ry. Co., 189 Or 126, 132, 214 P2d 354, 218 P2d 720 (1950).
The jury could have found that the engineer saw, or should have seen, for a distance of eight or nine blocks, the vehicle stopped on the track and further found that a reasonable and prudent train engineer would have put his train under such control that if the car remained on the track he could stop the train in order to avoid a collision. In Sheard v. Oregon Elec. Ry. Co., 131 Or 415, 426, 282 P 542 (1929), the jury was authorized to make such a finding by an instruction, approved as to substance. The instruction was:
7. Broad v. Pennsylvania R.R. Co., 357 Pa 478, 55 A2d 359 (1947); Pollard v. Oregon Short Line R. Co., 92 Mont 119, 11 P2d 271 (1932); and Herrera v. Southern Pacific Company, 155 Cal App2d 781, 318 P2d 784 (1957), held under similar circumstances, that the railroad's negligence was for the jury.
The trial court erred in granting the motion for nonsuit.
Reversed and remanded.
ROSSMAN, J., did not participate in the decision of this case.
PERRY, J., dissenting.
I am unable to agree with the majority. The majority opinion simply states that the evidence in this case fails to show that the plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence as a matter of law. Since the opinion states no legal reason for this conclusion, I presume it is because the decedent was not operating the motor vehicle at the time it was struck by defendant's engine. The plaintiff's evidence in this case is in my mind conclusive that the deceased in fact was negligent as a matter of law. Mr. Roy Beem, a witness for plaintiff, testified as follows:
The testimony of the driver of the car, a Miss Brusseau, also a witness for plaintiff, testified as follows:
There can be no question in reasonable minds but that at this grade crossing there had been placed bells and a red light warning signal that was operating prior to the driving of the automobile upon the tracks; *19 also, that the motor vehicle could have been stopped, if operated at a reasonable rate of speed, (and there is no evidence to the contrary) before reaching the tracks after the warning signals were given.
It is also clear from the plaintiff's evidence that the deceased was well-acquainted with this railroad crossing. It is equally clear from plaintiff's evidence that deceased did not warn the driver of the vehicle that the bells were ringing and the red light flashing, signaling the approach of a train. It is equally clear that the decedent was riding in the front seat of the automobile and in as good a position to see the flashing red lights and hear the ringing bells as the driver.
From these facts only two reasonable conclusions could be drawn, either the deceased did not maintain a lookout so as to see or hear the warning signals or the approaching train, or she did see and hear the warning signals and the approaching train and was willing to assume the risk of the driver getting the automobile safely across the tracks.
If one takes either conclusion, the deceased was contributorily negligent as a matter of law.
This court has consistently held that a guest in an automobile must exercise such care for his own safety as an ordinarily prudent person would under like circumstances. Bailey v. Rhodes, Adm., 202 Or 511, 276 P2d 713; Petersen v. Abrams and Leatham, 188 Or 518, 216 P2d 664.
The majority seem to feel that this is a case where no duty was imposed upon the guest at a railroad crossing to maintain a lookout or to warn the driver, apparently because the driver was equally familiar with the fact that a railroad crossing existed. Whiting v. Andrus, 173 Or 133, 144 P2d 501.
*20 While it is of course the general rule that a passenger in an automobile is not required to keep a constant lookout and in most circumstances no lookout at all, the rule is different on approaching railroad crossings which are notice to all the world of danger. In such circumstances, a duty is placed upon a passenger in an automobile approaching a railroad crossing to look and listen if he has an opportunity, and then if he fails to warn the driver he assumes the risk of injury.
In Robison v. Oregon-Wash. R. & N. Co., 90 Or 490, 511, 176 P 594, the court stated:
Or as stated by other courts:
While it is ordinarily a question of fact to be left to the jury as to whether a party is guilty of contributory negligence, it becomes a question of law when the only conclusion that can reasonably be drawn from undisputed fact is that of negligence.
*23 As previously stated, the plaintiff's own evidence discloses that the lights and bells of the warning signals were operating and the train was visible at a point where there was ample opportunity (eight or nine blocks away) for the deceased to have noticed the train and informed the driver so that the automobile could have been stopped before being driven on the tracks.
Also, plaintiff's evidence discloses that decedent knew they were approaching a railroad crossing. Also, the evidence of plaintiff is that decedent did not maintain a lookout, since the driver of the car stated deceased said nothing until the car was upon the tracks and then said these significant words: "Oh, no, a train."
Therefore, if the majority would leave the question of the deceased's contributory negligence to a finding of fact by a jury, the majority must ignore the facts and rest their decision upon the presumption of due care. Then, if it could be properly assumed under the presumption that she did look and did see what was clearly visible, then, as stated by the courts, it became her duty to warn the driver. This clearly she did not do for the evidence of the plaintiff is that deceased said nothing until the car was stalled upon the tracks.
In my opinion, unless the majority are willing to overrule Robison v. Oregon-Wash. R. & N. Co., supra, the deceased was clearly negligent as a matter of law.
But, even if one takes the view that the decedent was not contributorily negligent, and the doctrine of last clear chance has no application, the result is the same.
The majority apparently fail to understand the decision *24 in Emmons v. Southern Pac. Co., 97 Or 263, 191 P 333, and without discussing the majority opinion cavalierly dismiss it as authority by the remark that the statements relied upon by the trial court "are made in the context of deciding the issue of last clear chance." That this conclusion is erroneous is disclosed by the opinion itself. Mr. Justice BURNETT, speaking for the court, opens the opinion with this statement, 97 Or 263, 271:
and again on page 278:
Then in discussing the duty of the railroad in this context, the court stated, p. 279:
The court then, on page 282, disposes of the charge of negligence and the counter charge of contributory negligence in these words:
Not until the court had disposed of this issue did the court discuss the issue presented in the pleadings on the doctrine of last clear chance, stating on pages 282, 283:
Then on page 296 the court states:
It is clear, therefore, that although the judgment for the plaintiff would have had to be reversed because the jury had returned a verdict against the railroad and not against the engineer, and a judgment would have had to be entered for the defendant, the court returned the case to the trial court solely for determination of the issues raised under the doctrine of last clear chance.
Again it appears to me the majority fail to understand the holding in Marks, Exec. v. Southern Pac. Co. et al., 211 Or 539, 316 P2d 523. It is true that this cause was tried upon the doctrine of last clear chance. The issue there presented was whether the railroad was negligent after the peril of the deceased was discovered by the engineer. In this posture the negligence of the railroad in failing to stop its train in time to avoid injury of the plaintiff after discovery of the peril was the issue in question.
It does not seem to me that the duty of the railroad toward a person or automobile upon or near a railroad crossing could be any different when the railroad is charged with negligent failure to maintain a lookout and defends on the grounds of contributory negligence and when the plaintiff admits negligence and pleads its excuse under the doctrine of discovered peril.
Certainly the opinion of the majority makes no attempt to state why the railroad's duty toward a person or automobile on or near a railroad crossing would be different because of a plaintiff's theory of a right *27 of recovery. And the fact is that as to this duty the courts recognize no difference.
The doctrine of last clear chance, of course, does not apply until a defendant knows that an injured party is unable by reasonable care to avoid injury.
Also, without reference to the doctrine of last clear chance, 75 CJS 318, Railroads § 915, states the duty of the railroad with respect to persons or vehicles on or near a railroad crossing as follows:
The majority seem to rely quite heavily upon Sheard v. Oregon Elec. Ry. Co., 131 Or 415, 282 P 542, Fish v. Southern Pacific Co., 173 Or 294, 143 P2d 917, 145 P2d 991, and Finn v. Spokane P. & S. Ry. Co., 189 Or 126, 214 P2d 354, 218 P2d 720.
These cases are clearly distinguishable and cannot control the general duty of railroads under the facts of the present case.
The Sheard case involved the question of a dangerous crossing and the knowledge of this fact by the railway company. The facts upon which plaintiff stated his cause of action are set out on page 417 as follows:
There was evidence in that case that these facts were known to the defendant. That case clearly falls within the exception to the general rule as stated in the Emmons case, "in the absence of knowledge * * * of some fact" then the presumption arises that the party in danger will remove himself to a place of safety.
Fish v. Southern Pacific Co., supra, also deals with a dangerous crossing and the decision, therefore, deals only with the plaintiff's contributory negligence.
In Finn et al v. Spokane P. & S. Ry. Co., supra, (also a dangerous crossing case) the quotation of the majority is used in connection with the duty of the railroad to have a flagman or signal to warn travelers on the highway that the highway was blocked by its stopped train, not with the duty to use due care toward one on or near a railroad crossing.
It, therefore, seems clear to me that unless the majority are willing to overrule the Emmons and Marks cases by devising another rule as to the duties of railroads, the judgment of the trial court, based upon the present rule, should be affirmed.
I, therefore, dissent.
McALLISTER, C.J., joins in this dissent.
[1]  It is not necessary to discuss Rew v. Dorn, 160 Or 368, 85 P2d 1031 (1938); see 19 Or L Rev 178 (1940).