Court Opinion

ID: 9808781
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 20:50:42.939456+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:18:33.187450
License: Public Domain

BeowN, J.,
concurring: I concur in tbe judgment of this Court granting a new trial, although I cannot concur in all that is said in tbe opinion.
1. I think it has been fully demonstrated in tbe opinion in this case by Mr. Justice Allen, as well as in my dissenting opinion in tbe Barden case, 152 N. C., 318, that tbe relief department agreement of tbe defendant company is valid, not against public policy, not a mere scheme upon tbe part of tbe *70defendant to evade liability for its own negligence, and in proper cases should be enforced as a bar to actions for damages.
Similar articles of agreement have been in vogue in other parts of this country between other railway companies and their employees and have been invariably upheld. If overwhelming authority’ and unanimous judicial precedent are worth anything, then the legality of these relief associations and their articles of agreement ought no longer to be questioned.
This should be especially true in this State, for the reason that three successive Legislatures have thoroughly investigated this very relief department of the defendant company, have examined scores of its employees of all grades, and have refused to interfere.
That this is á matter addressed entirely to - the wisdom and within the jurisdiction of the General Assembly is ■ expressly declared by the Supreme Court of the United States in the Maguire case, 219 U. S., 550, where it is held: “Whether the relief scheme of a railroad company involving contracts with its employees and contributions from both employees and the company, such as the one involved in this case, is a wise and proper scheme which should be approved, or an unwise scheme which should be disapproved by the public policy of the State, is under the control of the legislative power of the State.” If this relief association agreement had been found by our General Assembly to work an injustice or hardship' to the employee, it would have been destroyed long ago.
2. This association does not deprive the employee of any legal right he has under the law, and does not attempt to. On the contrary, it confers upon him many benefits and privileges which the company is under no legal obligation to assist in providing. If the employee is sick or injured from any cause, with which the company is wholly disconnected, he may enter its hospitals and without’ expense be nursed back to health. When he is convalescent, but unfit to return to labor, he can draw a weekly allowance. There is an insurance feature by means of which the employee can provide for his family in case of death at a cost far less than that of ordinary insurance. In fact, the benefits to' be derived from this association by its members *71are very great and cannot be well measured by a present cash equivalent. That is the reason that scores of the members have appeared before successive legislative committees and protested against its destruction by legislative enactment.
My opinion is that when a member is injured in the service of the defendant, and claims that his injury is due to negligence for which the defendant is responsible, he should consider well whether he will take the emoluments and benefits which membership in this association confers and continues through a long course of years, or whether he will give up those and sue the company for damages and take the chances of litigation.
The courts should be careful to see that, when the employee makes this choice, he is in a mental and physical condition and his surroundings are such that he may make a deliberate and voluntary choice, free from any overruling influence. It should be the voluntary act of the employee and the choice made when he is in fit condition to make a free choice. When he does make such election, then according to all the authorities, the employee should be compelled to abide by it. I do not think that under such circumstances, if he decides to remain in the association and take what it offers and abide by its regulations, the courts can look any further into the matter to see if the employee has received enough compensation or has made a wise choice. Being a member of the association, the employee is familiar with its advantages and knows beforehand exactly what it offers him. He also knows the uncertain fruits to be derived from a lawsuit. Therefore I think the Court errs in considering the matter as an adjustment, or a settlement in any sense.
It is simply an election. There are two courses open to the injured employee. He may elect to take either, but he cannot take both. And when he deliberately decides in the full possession of his faculties, knowing well what he does, and free from undue restraint or influence, that should end the matter so far as the courts are concerned. This is not only the consensus of all the authorities, but it is, to my mind, entirely consistent with the principles of justice and fairness.
3. All the evidence shows that this plaintiff, after he was injured in the shops, decided to “abide in the -ship” and take *72tbe benefits offered by tbe relief department. He filed tbe. application voluntarily and complied with tbe regulations and for some few weeks be received bis allowance regularly. I find nothing in tbe record to indicate any wrong, undue influence or oppression practiced on plaintiff to influence bis decision. But there is evidence that before be was recovered, tbe allowance and benefits were arbitrarily and abruptly terminated and stopped’by Dr. Wessell, an assistant surgeon of tbe relief department of tbe defendant, and without any notice to plaintiff or opportunity to be beard.
I am not aware that there is anything in» tbe articles of agreement which conferred upon Dr. Wessell tbe right to terminate tbe plaintiff’s benefits in such manner.
In order that this may be considered and inquired into on another trial, I concur in tbe order of tbe Court granting a new trial.
Mb. Justice WalKeb concurs in this opinion.