Case Name: BUCHANAN v. WEST JERSEY RAILROAD COMPANY
Court: New Jersey Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Decision Date: 1890-02
Citations: 52 N.J.L. 265
Docket Number: 
Parties: BUCHANAN v. WEST JERSEY RAILROAD COMPANY.
Judges: 
Reporter: New Jersey Law Reports
Volume: 52
Pages: 265–266

Head Matter:
BUCHANAN v. WEST JERSEY RAILROAD COMPANY.
A woman, being obliged to throw herself on a railroad platform to escape being struck by a piece of timber projecting from a car in motion, had her health impaired by the fright thus occasioned. Held, she was entitled to recover damages for such impairment of her health.
Motion for a new trial.
The plaintiff, who was a woman, was lawfully on the railroad platform of the defendant. A piece of timber projected from one of the cars of a train so as to sweep over such platform, and the plaintiff, in order to avoid being struck by the-projecting timber, was obliged to throw herself on the platform. She did so, and the timber passed over without touching her. By reason of the shock to her nervous system,, occasioned by this peril, her health was seriously impaired.
The verdict was in her favor.
Argued at November Term, 1889, before Beasley, Chief Justice, and Justices Depue and Scudder.
For the rule, Peter L. Voorhees.
Contra, J. W. Weseott.

Opinion:
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Beasley, Chief Justice.
This rule should be discharged. The suit was not on the single ground that the-plaintiff had been frightened. There was a basis for the action in the carelessness of the company which compelled the jdaintiff to throw herself upon the platform, as such carelessness, leading to that result, was per se actionable. The fright was an incident to such cause of action, and a mere-aggravation of the tort.
It is not- necessary in this case to decide whether mere fright caused by a wrongful accident, which results in physical injury, as, for example, sickness, is or is not- actionable,
Let the rule be discharged.