Case Name: Moses D. Kinkade, Respondent, v. The Atlantic Avenue Railroad Co., Appellant
Court: Brooklyn City Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1894-06
Citations: 9 Misc. 273
Docket Number: 
Parties: Moses D. Kinkade, Respondent, v. The Atlantic Avenue Railroad Co., Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 9
Pages: 273–275

Head Matter:
Moses D. Kinkade, Respondent, v. The Atlantic Avenue Railroad Co., Appellant.
(City Court of Brooklyn—General Term,
June, 1894.)
It is negligence for the driver of a street car to start it suddenly and without warning when a passenger is upon the step and before he has had time to get his seat in the car.
If a passenger is forced to ride in a dangerous place he is not guilty of contributory negligence in so doing, and the employees of the railroad company are in such case bound to exercise greater care.
Appeal from judgment in favor of the plaintiff, entered upon the verdict of a jury, and from order denying motion for a new trial.
. Action for injuries sustained by the plaintiff while getting upon an open trolley car of the defendant. Plaintiff had got upon the step of the car, and was just about to place his right foot in the car, when it suddenly started with a violent jerk, throwing him from the car and breaking his leg in three places.
Morris & Whitehouse, for appellant.
Ayres & Walker, for respondent.

Opinion:
Clement, Ch. J;
The counsel for the appellant in this case seeks a reversal on only two grounds: First, that there was no proof of negligence on the part of the employees of the defendant, and, second, on the ground that the verdict for $10,000 was excessive. We have carefully read the record in this case and find no ground for disturbing the result at the trial term. We will go further and say that the appeal seems to us- to be taken solely for delay. It was decided by this court in the case of Medler against this company (12 N. Y. Supp. 930, affirmed in Court of Appeals, without opinion, 126 N. Y. 669) that it was negligence for the driver to suddenly start an open horse car when the passenger was on the step for the purpose of alighting therefrom. The converse of the rule would seem equally true, that it was a negligent act to suddenly and without warning start when the passenger was on the step and before he had time to get his seat in the car. The defendant's counsel, however, contend that plaintiff was riding on the step for the reason that he could not find a seat. If so, the case is stronger against the company. If the plaintiff was forced to ride in a dangerous place, then he was not guilty of contributory negligence in so doing, and the employees of the company were bound to exercise greater care. Spooner v. Brooklyn City R. R. Co., 54 N. Y. 230; Werle v. L. I. R. R. Co., 98 id. 650.
The verdict was not excessive within the principles laid down by this court in the case of Vail v. Broadway R. R. Co., 6 Misc. Rep. 20.
The judgment and order denying new trial should be affirmed, with costs.
Osborne, J., concurs.
Judgment and order affirmed, with costs.