Court Ruling Limits Liability for Railway Accidents
The Supreme Court clears a railroad company of liability in a 'staking' injury, signaling a tough path for injured laborers seeking damages.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
In the case of William S. Watts vs. George E. Hart and the Tacoma & Eastern Railway Company, the supreme court in an opinion filed today holds that the non-suits against the railroad and Hart personally were properly granted. This case came on an action for damages received by Watts in 'staking' a car. The railroad tracks were laid by the railroad company under the supervision of Hart and his employes. The court can discover no act nor omission on the part of the railroad sufficient to cause the injury complained of, and it follows, therefore, that the non-suits were properly granted. As to Hart's liability, one of the most important points was the appliance used in 'staking' the cars, a long stick of timber, which appellant claims was not suitable. There was nothing in the appearance or size of the stick indicating it was unsuitable.
“The court can discover no act nor omission on the part of the railroad sufficient to cause the injury complained of.”
Workplace injury litigation remains a central battleground in Washington. This 1893 case highlights the historical difficulty laborers faced in proving negligence when equipment was deemed 'standard' by the courts.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.