Court Opinion

ID: 3621221
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-07-06 00:02:56.988112+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:23.497283
License: Public Domain

This case is distinguished from that of Alden v. The NewYork Central Railroad Company (26 N.Y., 102). In that case there was a defect in the axle, which caused the break. It could not have been discovered without removing the wheel. The Court of Appeals held that the difficulty of discovering the defect did not excuse it. The fact that the defect existed was enough, and in case of an injury caused thereby the company was held to be liable. It appeared that there was a test, which might have been applied in the construction, which would have developed the crack or flaw in the iron where it broke. (Hegeman v. The WesternRailroad, 3 Kern., 9.)
Bending the axle, while in the process of construction, would have led to a discovery of the crack or flaw. This established negligence on the part of the company. There was no defect in the iron of the track in the case under consideration. There was no dispute on this point. The iron was good, and no crack or flaw appeared. The break was caused by the exceeding cold weather. This was the result of a vis major, against which no prudence could have guarded. But it is said that the break may have existed from the time the previous train going easterly passed over the track (some few minutes prior to the accident), and that if this was so, as the jury might from the evidence have found, that this case would then be brought within the principle of the case of Alden (26 N.Y.R.), before referred to. If the fact should be so found, it is contended that the track was for a few minutes in a broken condition, incapable of serving the purpose of its construction, from which the company would be liable in case of an injury.
This position is not sound, for the reason that the evidence is also uncontradicted, that the track had just been examined prior to the passing of the train going easterly, and found to be in good condition; and it was impossible for another examination to have been made before the train which carried the plaintiff reached the point where the accident occurred. *Page 488 
It has been said that the case of Alden (supra) holds, substantially, that the railroad company guaranty that their road and all its appointments are perfect or without defect. It may be, that liability for a defect which the company could not discover by any diligence, short of taking the machine to pieces or destroying it, amounts to a guaranty of perfection, as claimed. The principle of negligence is still the foundation of the liability.
In the present case no defect existed, or if it did exist for a few minutes, no human diligence or foresight could have discovered or prevented it. An impossibility is not demanded by the law, nor by the decision in Alden's case. The defect existed there, and it might have been discovered and prevented by attention and examination, or by the application of all the tests known to skill and science in the construction of the axle. Its omission was negligence, for which the company were held to be liable. It was no impossibility which was there demanded. Here the demand would have that extent before the liability for damages could be held to apply. The case of Alden imposes no new rule not before known to the law. It holds that the carrier of passengers is guilty of negligence, if there is any defect in the vehicle by which they are carried and an injury occurs thereby. The existence of such a defect is so held, as matter of law, if it could have been discovered or remedied by any possible care, skill or foresight. The facts before the court in that case authorized no other deduction or conclusion.
It is the same principle applied in Sharp v. Grey (9 Bing., 457), where the court held that the carriage, used for carrying passengers, must be road-worthy; that is, if there is any defect which might, by any care or foresight, have been prevented, from which a personal injury occurs, it is negligence as matter of law. Some defect has been proven to have existed in every case where a liability has been imposed for a personal injury, and the existence of the defect was attributed to a want of such care or foresight as might have prevented it. When a passenger travels by a ship, whether navigated by sails or *Page 489 
steam, or travels by coach or rail-car, or any other public conveyance, he expects to take, and does take, the hazard of such accidents as may occur to him without any want of care or diligence on the part of the carrier. The carrier is not liable for an injury to a passenger by the action of the elements, where no care or foresight, skill or science, could have guarded against the accident which occasioned it.
The nonsuit was properly granted, and the General Term were in error, and must be reversed.
Order of the General Term reversed, with costs, and judgment upon the nonsuit ordered, with costs. HUNT, C., dissenting.