The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-11-15
FOR LOSS OF
ARMS, WOMAN
GETS $50, 600
Miss Garrity Horribly Burned
When She Turned On
Electric Light.
PLAINTIFF MAY NEED
CARE FOR 81 YEARS
Telephone Monopoly and Pow
er CO., Jointly Liable
Under Decision.

The largest Judgment ever given in
Connecticut by way of personal dam
ages to an injured person, was nleo,
yesterday, by Judge William s. Case,
Clarity, of Suf1e1d is awarded damages
of $4,000 in her action against the
Northern Connecticut Light and Pow
er Company and the Southern New
England Telephone Company.
The defendants admit the liability
and it is expected that the judgment
will be paid without protest.
Miss Clarity is now % years old. On
the morning of December 27, 1911,
while she was in the home of her
parents in Suh1eld she received an
electric shock when she, with one
hand, took hold of the chain in the
toilet room and, with the other hand
attempted to turn on an electric light.
In addition to the shock her hands
were badly burned and the muscles
Of her hands and arms were badly
contracted and the result was that she
had to have both arms anputated a
short distance below the elbows.
At the time of the injury she was
employed as a stenographer at $25 a
week, and the accident has resulted in
terminating her earning capacity.
The telephone company owns the
poles that carry the telephone and
the light and power wires in SufdeId
and when the suit was brought both
companies were made defendants, it
being charged that it was through the
negligence of both that the INJURY and
loss resulted to Miss Clarity. Hugh M.
Alcorn was lawyer for Miss Clarity.
Judge william r. Henney was for the
telephone company, and Stewart N.
Dunning for the power company.
In concluding his memorandum of
decision Judge Case said:
'At my request, counsel have sub
nnitted since argument expert figures
as to female annuity rates, and as to
the present value, in the aggregate, of
certain stated sums payable quarterly
during this young woman's expectancy
of life. With the conclusion that her
prospective condition is such-takins
her station of life into account-as to
call for an annual expense of between
$1,000 and $4,000 to make her COM
Portable. have used these figures in
reaching the award of damages. This
feature is perhaps complicated in q
case of exceptionally large damages by
the chance that an income is practf-
ca1ly provided for the beneficiary, with
the control of a substantial principal
to which she is not additionally en-
titled. In the absence of an agree
Tnent OF counsel that by some means q
sufficient income should be secured to
the plaintiff by the defendants. I have
had recourse to the so-calied present
value figures. It must be remember
ed here that this young woman-2s
years o1d-has an admitted expect
ancy of life of thirty-seven years.
Neither her appearance, nor the medi-
cal testimony offered, warrants a find
ing that her injuries have at all varied
these figures. Upon the figures sub
mitted, then the present value of an
assured income adequate to her situa-
ton and payable quarterly during her
present expectancy of life is but a lit
tie short of $4,000. Giving proper
weight to this, and to the other ele-
ments of damage already referred to,
have reached a figure which, while
necessarily only approximate, seems to
answer the fair requirement of fair,
just and reasonable compensation.
Damages are therefore assessed at
$4,000 and judgment for that sum.
with costs, is directed