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Full-Text Articles in Law
Gossip And Gore: A Ghoulish Journey Into A Philosophical Thicket, Sean Hannon Williams
Gossip And Gore: A Ghoulish Journey Into A Philosophical Thicket, Sean Hannon Williams
Michigan Law Review
A review of Don Herzog, Defaming the Dead.
Negligence - Damages - Mental Anguish From Witnessing Peril Of Third Party, Mark Shaevsky
Negligence - Damages - Mental Anguish From Witnessing Peril Of Third Party, Mark Shaevsky
Michigan Law Review
Plaintiffs (husband, wife, and three children) incurred physical injuries and a fourth child was burned to death in an automobile collision with the defendant's vehicle. Plaintiffs claimed compensation for mental anguish sustained from witnessing the death of the child. Defendant's motion to strike the allegations of mental suffering, held, granted. Defendant owes no legal duty to protect plaintiffs from mental suffering caused by viewing another in peril. Lessard v. Tarca, (Conn. Super. 1957) 133 A. (2d) 625.
Negligence-Liability Of Hospital For Suicide Of Patient, Richard Darger
Negligence-Liability Of Hospital For Suicide Of Patient, Richard Darger
Michigan Law Review
Decedent, a patient in the advanced stages of labor awaiting transfer from the labor room to the delivery room of defendant hospital, opened a window, unhooked the screen and jumped or fell to her death below. It was assumed by the court that death was caused by intrapartum psychosis, a condition which plaintiff claimed was recognized by the medical profession as a hazard of childbirth. Decedent had exhibited no unusual symptoms and had previously been through two normal pregnancies. The jury was allowed to find defendant negligent in not providing for constant attendance and in failing to bar the window …
Negligence-Proximate Cause-Foreseeability Of Negligent Intervening Act, Lewis R. Williams, Jr. S.Ed.
Negligence-Proximate Cause-Foreseeability Of Negligent Intervening Act, Lewis R. Williams, Jr. S.Ed.
Michigan Law Review
Plaintiff's intestate purchased from Montgomery Ward & Company a gas water heater which had been manufactured by a third party. The heater was installed by defendant Rulane Gas Company. It worked satisfactorily for fourteen months until the flame went out due to unknown causes. Deceased notified the defendant, and sixteen hours later it sent a repairman to investigate the trouble. He descended to the basement with deceased and struck a match in disregard of a warning not to do so. An explosion followed in which both deceased and the repairman were killed. Investigation showed that the "automatic cut-off" valve was …
Negligence-Imputed Negligence-Action Between Joint Enterprisers, Nancy J. Ringland
Negligence-Imputed Negligence-Action Between Joint Enterprisers, Nancy J. Ringland
Michigan Law Review
Plaintiff and his wife were driving from Michigan to Iowa to visit a certain church to which plaintiff, a minister, was considering a call. Defendant desired to visit a college in Illinois, with the intention of enrolling as a student. It was agreed that defendant should ride in plaintiff's automobile to Illinois, where plaintiff was to help defendant gain admission to the college; later defendant was to return with the plaintiff to Michigan. The parties alternated in driving the automobile on the trip. At a certain stage in the journey, defendant negligently operated the automobile and caused it to become …
Legislation-Federal Tort Claims Act-Applicable To Military Personnel, B. J. George, Jr.
Legislation-Federal Tort Claims Act-Applicable To Military Personnel, B. J. George, Jr.
Michigan Law Review
An automobile containing two furloughed soldiers and their father was struck by a negligently operated army vehicle, resulting in the death of one soldier and injury to the other two occupants. In a suit against the government under the Federal Tort Claims Act the father and injured soldier recovered in their own right and the father also recovered as administrator of the deceased soldier's estate. The Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the judgments in favor of the servicemen, holding that there was an implied exception in the act prohibiting such suits because of benefits available to servicemen in the form …
Negligence-Proximate Cause-Plaintiff's Burden Of Proof Where Either Of Two Wrongful Acts Could Have Caused Injury, M. J. Spencer
Negligence-Proximate Cause-Plaintiff's Burden Of Proof Where Either Of Two Wrongful Acts Could Have Caused Injury, M. J. Spencer
Michigan Law Review
While walking on a highway, A was knocked down by a car driven by B, and was almost immediately run over by C's car. A was pronounced dead from several injuries, any one of which would have sufficed to cause his death. Plaintiff, A's administratrix, recovered judgment against both B and C for A's death. Held, reversing on other grounds, joinder of B and C was proper. Micelli v. Hirsch, (Ohio App. 1948) 83 N.E. (2d) 240.
Wills--Torts To Expectancies-Wrongful Destruction Of Wills, Robert K. Eifler S.Ed.
Wills--Torts To Expectancies-Wrongful Destruction Of Wills, Robert K. Eifler S.Ed.
Michigan Law Review
In a tort action to recover damages for the destruction of a will, plaintiff alleged that plaintiff's grandmother had executed a holographic will · prior to her death in October, 1939 by which she devised a farm to her two children for their lives, and at their death to plaintiff in fee; that the defendants, one of the two children and his wife, destroyed the will shortly before plaintiff's grandmother's death and while she was non compos mentis. The petition alleged that if the will had not been destroyed it would have been duly probated, but there was no …
Insurance - Delay In Acting On Application - Tort Liability, William C. Wetherbee Jr.
Insurance - Delay In Acting On Application - Tort Liability, William C. Wetherbee Jr.
Michigan Law Review
Appellant, administrator of the deceased's estate, sued the defendant for damages caused by its negligent failure to accept or reject deceased's application for life insurance within a reasonable time. A deposit had been made on the premium, and, but for the delay, the policy would have been approved and the deceased covered by it at the time of his death. The jury returned a verdict for the appellant, who appealed when the judge rendered judgment non obstante veredicto in favor of appellee. Held, that the insurance company was under no duty to accept or reject the application within a …
Torts - Contributory Negligence Of One Of Several Beneficiaries As A Bar To Recovery Under Death Statute, Thomas K. Fisher
Torts - Contributory Negligence Of One Of Several Beneficiaries As A Bar To Recovery Under Death Statute, Thomas K. Fisher
Michigan Law Review
The administrator of a deceased infant brought an action under the Massachusetts death statute to recover for the death of the child. Death was caused by the negligence of defendant's servant, the father of the deceased. Defendant contended that plaintiff should not prevail because the father, as one of the next of kin sharing in the distribution of the money recovered, would thereby profit from his own wrong. Held, the Massachusetts death statute was penal in nature, and since there was at least one beneficiary whose fault did not contribute to the wrongful death, recovery could be had without …
Negligence - Liability For Emotional Disturbance, William K. Jackson
Negligence - Liability For Emotional Disturbance, William K. Jackson
Michigan Law Review
Defendant negligently sold unlabeled poisoned bran, thereby causing the death of or permanent injury to the buyer's cows, and the loss of his dairy business. As a result of this calamity, the buyer died from a decompensated heart caused by emotional distress and nervous shock. The buyer had commenced action for damages and it is continued here by his wife as administratrix of his estate. Held, recovery may be had for the buyer's death. Rasmussen v. Benson, (Neb. 1938) 280 N. W. 890.
Negligence - Contributory Negligence - Last Clear Chance - Discovered Peril - Railroad Grossing Accident, Michigan Law Review
Negligence - Contributory Negligence - Last Clear Chance - Discovered Peril - Railroad Grossing Accident, Michigan Law Review
Michigan Law Review
Plaintiff's decedent was killed in a collision, between his car and defendant's train, which occurred at a crossing in a small town. Crossing signals were in operation, and deceased drove onto the track with his attention on a switching train at his right. A passenger train came along from his left at an excessive speed and without signalling. The engineer testified that, after he saw decedent, he could have stopped the train, or slowed down enough so that decedent could have crossed safely. Held, plaintiff entitled to recover. Missouri Pac. R. R. v. Huffman, (Ark. 1937) 108 S. …
Negligence - Guest Statutes - Proximate Cause, Erwin S. Simon
Negligence - Guest Statutes - Proximate Cause, Erwin S. Simon
Michigan Law Review
The deceased was fatally injured while riding as a guest in defendant's truck. In the course of the action for damages brought by the administratrix, the court instructed that "if you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the driver of the truck was guilty of willful and wanton misconduct . . . and that as a consequence thereof the accident occurred, and further, that such conduct contributed to the death of plaintiff's intestate," then the jury should find for the plaintiff. Verdict was for the plaintiff and defendant appealed. Held, that the instruction was erroneous because it …
Municipal Corporations-Liability For Negligence In Maintenance Of Swimming Pools And Parks-Governmental And Proprietary Functions
Michigan Law Review
The plaintiff sued to recover damages for the death of his son by drowning, which he alleged was caused by the negligence of the defendant city in the maintenance of a public swimming pool. In upholding the overruling of the defendant's demurrer, the court held that on the authority of an earlier South Dakota case, the maintenance and operation of a public swimming pool or park is the exercise of a proprietary function of the municipality, and therefore, the city is liable for the negligence of its servants in maintaining and guarding the pool. Glirhas v. City of Sioux Falls …
Survival Of Actions-Effect Of Plaintiff's Death On Cause Of Action Under Sherman Act-Availability Of Quasi-Contract Remedy
Michigan Law Review
Testator had incurred losses on contracts for the sale of corn due to a conspiracy and "corner" of the market by defendants. He sued at law to recover treble damages under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act for an "injury to property." Pending the appeal, testator died, and his administrators on petition were substituted in his stead. Defendants claimed that the cause of action, which was in tort, abated upon testator's death and did not survive. Held, on the basis of the statute, 4 Edw. III, c. 7, which was to be considered part of the common law and which did …
Carriers -Airplanes - Right To Limit Liability By Contract
Carriers -Airplanes - Right To Limit Liability By Contract
Michigan Law Review
Defendant corporation conducted a regular airplane passenger service between Miami and Tampa, Florida. Deceased purchased an ordinary passenger ticket at the regular price and, in the course of the trip, was killed due to the negligence of defendant's pilot. There was a stipulation in the ticket which all passengers were required to sign that "the company's liability is limited to $10,000." Wife of deceased sued for the negligent death and recovered a judgment in excess of $10,000. Held, that defendant was a common carrier, and, therefore, could not compel a passenger to release it of its legal liability. Curtis-Wright …
Conflict Of Laws-Foreign Tort-Survival Of Action
Conflict Of Laws-Foreign Tort-Survival Of Action
Michigan Law Review
Plaintiff, defendant, and defendant's intestate were all residents of Minnesota. Plaintiff was injured in Wisconsin due to the negligence of the defendant's intestate. Under Wisconsin statute (Laws of Wis., 1927, sec. 287.01) such cause of action survived against the estate of the wrongdoer. By express statute in Minnesota (Minn. Gen. Stat. 1923, sec. 9656) the rule of the common law applied to such actions and they abated on the death of the wrongdoer. Plaintiff sued the defendant executor in Minnesota. Held, that the lex loci delicti governed and the action did not abate. Chubbuck v. Holloway (Minn. 1931) 234 …
Torts-Right Of Privacy
Michigan Law Review
Petition by the plaintiffs alleging an invasion of their right of privacy by an unauthorized publication of a picture of their malformed child, taken without their consent after its death, held, on demurrer, to state a cause of action. Bazemore v. Savannah Hospital et al. (Ga. 1930). 155 S.E. 194.
Negligence-Implied Invitation
Michigan Law Review
The plaintiff's intestate was killed as a result of the defendant's failure to keep in repair a footway paralleling a railroad and vehicular toll bridge. Held, that the defendant, by permitting the public to use this footway, had impliedly invited its use and hence owed the deceased the duty of keeping the premises in a reasonably safe condition. Louisville, and Nashville R.R. v. Snow's Admr. (Ky. 1930) 30 S.W.(2d) 885.