Source: http://masscases.com/cases/sjc/309/309mass205.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 10:16:39+00:00

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MARGARET M. LYDON, administratrix, vs. BOSTON ELEVATED RAILWAY COMPANY.
Present: FIELD, C.J., LUMMUS, QUA, DOLAN, & COX, JJ.
Testimony of an employee of the defendant, called by the plaintiff, which, although in many respects self-contradictory, contradicted portions of answers by the defendant, unfavorable to the plaintiff, to interrogatories introduced in evidence by the plaintiff, warranted disbelief of such portions and, with other evidence, warranted a finding favorable to the plaintiff.
A finding of negligence of the motorman of a street car was warranted by evidence showing that he failed seasonably to slacken the speed of the car upon seeing a pedestrian about to cross the tracks, whereby the pedestrian was struck by the car.
Evidence did not require a finding that a pedestrian, struck while attempting to cross street railway tracks when a car was approaching, either failed to look to see whether a car was approaching or looked carelessly or was otherwise guilty of contributory negligence.
A death certificate and a "medical-legal" diagnosis by the medical examiner containing recitals of "multiple injuries including fractured skull" and "alcohol" or "alcoholism," with a hospital record and diagnosis containing no reference to alcohol, did not preclude findings that the proximate cause of the death was the injuries and that alcohol was merely a condition.
TORT. Writ in the Superior Court dated December 9, 1936.
At the trial before Williams, J., a verdict for the plaintiff in the sum of $6,800 was recorded.
D. L. Allison, (F. W. Ziniti with him,) for the plaintiff.
J. E. Hannigan, (E. M. McMahon with him,) for the defendant.
motion for entry of verdict, and the plaintiff's exception to this allowance presents the only question.
It is undisputed that at about 5:41 in the afternoon of November 16, 1936, the plaintiff's intestate, as he was crossing Dorchester Street in South Boston from north to south, was struck by the front left hand corner of one of the defendant's street cars when he was "practically across the further inbound rail." The night was clear and, apart from some question whether there might have been leaves on the track, the highway and rails were dry.
The plaintiff introduced in evidence certain interrogatories propounded by her, and the defendant's answers thereto. Apart from the disclosure by these answers as to what happened, to which reference will be made later, the only witness who testified as to the movements of the deceased was the operator of the defendant's car, who was called as a witness by the plaintiff. The defendant contends, in the circumstances, that the plaintiff is bound by the answers to the interrogatories, and also by the testimony of the operator.
518, inasmuch as the witnesses may be disbelieved by the jury, Salem Trust Co. v. Deery, 289 Mass. 431, 435. The jury may discredit that part of the testimony of one that tends to exonerate him from fault, and believe only that portion tending to show negligence on his part. Clark v. C. E. Fay Co. 281 Mass. 240, 242. The defendant relies upon a statement in Duggan v. Bay State Street Railway, 230 Mass. 370, at page 379, where it was said: "Where from the facts which are undisputed or indisputable, or shown by evidence by which the plaintiff is bound, only one rational inference can be drawn and that an inference of contributory negligence or want of due care, then the question of due care or contributory negligence is one of law for the court and a verdict for the defendant should be directed"; and another statement in Murphy v. Boston Elevated Railway, 262 Mass. 485, at 489: "Had the fact [of the plaintiff's intestate's contributory negligence] depended only on testimony of the defendant's witnesses, or on controverted testimony introduced by the plaintiff, we might feel that the jury would be warranted in disregarding it and that the statutory presumption might not be overcome." We do not understand, however, that these expressions change the general rule that a party is not bound by the testimony of a witness called by him.
propounded to the defendant must be considered, for unless contradicted by other evidence they are binding on the plaintiff. Warren v. DeCoste, 269 Mass. 415, 419-420. Vozella v. Boston & Maine Railroad, 296 Mass. 491, 493.
that on which the railway is located, the speed of the car must be reduced to such a rate as will make it possible to stop immediately, and that in the absence of any exclusive right of way on the part of the car, it is necessary that its speed be, from time to time, so restricted as to permit others safely to exercise their common right to a reasonable use of the road.
we are of opinion that the jury could have found that when the operator first saw the deceased, he was two or three feet from the northerly curb of Dorchester Street, but that at that time, he was much more than twenty feet away. In other words, they were not required to accept as a fact something that they could find was not supported by a reasonably possible mathematical demonstration. As already pointed out, it was for the jury to say what part, or parts, of the evidence would be accepted or rejected.
The deceased was in full view of the operator on a street that could have been found to be well lighted, and, although the latter testified that he thought he was going to pass with the car and that the deceased would let him, it was for the jury to determine whether this exercise of his thought or judgment, if it was a judgment, was reasonable in the circumstances. Despite the answers to interrogatories and the testimony of the operator that he applied his emergency brake immediately upon seeing the deceased, the jury could have found that he did not, and that he was negligent in failing to take precautions against hitting the deceased by reducing his speed sooner than he did. Scherer v. Boston Elevated Railway, 238 Mass. 367, 368. Boni v. Goldstein, 276 Mass. 372, 375, and cases cited. Conrad v. Mazman, 287 Mass. 229, 233. Stacy v. Dorchester Awning Co. Inc. 290 Mass. 356, 358, 359. See Minihan v. Boston Elevated Railway, 260 Mass. 490, 491. As bearing upon the testimony as to the application of the brake, it is to be observed that the operator testified that after he hit the deceased, he travelled a distance of approximately fifty feet.
Railway, 229 Mass. 219, 224. Scherer v. Boston Elevated Railway, 238 Mass. 367, 368.
The "medical-legal" diagnosis, that is, the one made by the medical examiner, was "multiple injuries including fractured skull," and alcohol. The certificate of death gives as a cause: "Alcoholism." It is assumed that the deceased was suffering from alcoholism, but there is nothing in the record that discloses its effect upon his movements or sensibilities. This evidence, in the circumstances, did not require, as matter of law, a finding that the deceased was contributorily negligent. Baczek v. Damian, 307 Mass. 167.
reference is made to alcoholism, one in the statement of the injuries, the other in the clinical diagnosis. Section 1 of said c. 46, provides, among other things, in effect, that the disease or cause of death, "defined so that it can be classified under the international classification of causes of death," shall be among the facts contained in the certificate of death. See Dow v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. 297 Mass. 34, 37. That classification calls for a statement of (1) the principal cause of death and related causes of importance, and (2) contributory causes of importance. It also calls for a clear indication where death is due to violent causes. A standard certificate of death, see Walcott v. Sumner, 308 Mass. 413, relating to the international classification contains the following subtitle: "The principal cause of death and related causes of importance were as follows." The blank space immediately beneath this is filled in by way of example as follows: "Injured by a fall; fractured skull." This is followed by the subtitle: "Other contributory causes of importance," and the blank space following this contains the words "Chronic myocarditis." There is nothing in the record in the case at bar to the effect that any autopsy was performed on the deceased. See G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 38, Section 6 (St. 1939, c. 475); G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 113, Section 2.
We are of opinion that the jury could have found that the proximate cause of death was the injuries received by the deceased when he was struck by the car. Wiemert v. Boston Elevated Railway, 216 Mass. 598. Kelleher v. Newburyport, 227 Mass. 462, 465. Charles v. Boston Elevated Railway, 230 Mass. 536, 540, 541. Wallace v. Ludwig, 292 Mass. 251, 252-259. Wolfe v. Checker Taxi Co. 299 Mass. 225, 228, 229. It is true that the record discloses no expert testimony that the injuries sustained in the collision were an adequate cause of the deceased's death. See Kelleher v. Newburyport, 227 Mass. 462; DeMarco v. Pease, 253 Mass. 499, 506. One entry, at least, in the hospital record gives support to the contention that the injuries sustained were the cause of death. The plaintiff was not bound by the medical-legal diagnosis, which makes reference to alcohol.
Wolfe v. Checker Taxi Co. 299 Mass. 225, 228. It is to be observed that the record of death, which calls for a statement of the "Primary or Secondary" cause, first states "Multiple injuries including fractured skull." This is followed by the statement "Struck by street railroad car" with the concluding word, "Alcoholism." We are of opinion that, in the circumstances, the jury could have found that the primary cause of death was the injuries sustained, and that alcoholism was a condition, and not a cause.
It follows that the exceptions are sustained, the verdict returned by the jury is to stand, and judgment is to be entered on that verdict for the plaintiff.

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