LAW.coLAW.co

C. C. EMERSON v. CHICAGO, BURLINGTON & QUINCY RAILROAD COMPANY

Minnesota Supreme Court1912-12-20No. Nos. 17,783—(112)
120 Minn. 84

Summary

Holding. The court affirmed the trial court's directed verdict for the plaintiff on both causes of action, finding sufficient evidence that the railroad failed to notify the shipper of the broker's nonacceptance within the required timeframe and that expert testimony regarding the potatoes' worthlessness due to the railroad's negligence was properly admitted.

A shipper delivered potatoes to a railroad company for transport to Kansas City, where they were to be sold through a broker. The railroad notified the broker of arrival, but the broker refused the shipment. The railroad failed to notify the shipper of this refusal within the customary 48-hour period, and the potatoes deteriorated over three weeks before being sold at a loss. The trial court found sufficient evidence that the railroad breached its duty to notify the shipper of nonacceptance.

In a separate shipment to Iowa, potatoes were frozen and damaged due to the railroad's negligent care after arrival at the destination. The railroad exposed the car to severe weather without proper protection. An expert witness testified that the entire lot became worthless as a result. The railroad offered no evidence to contest the damage claim and did not explain what happened to the potatoes after the shipper abandoned them.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Whether a railroad company must notify a shipper within 48 hours if the consignee refuses delivery
  • Admissibility of expert testimony regarding the total loss value of damaged goods
  • Railroad's duty of care for goods after arrival at destination

Procedural posture

The defendant railroad appealed from the trial court's order denying a new trial after the court directed a verdict in favor of the plaintiff on two of four causes of action.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

Brown, J.

The complaint in this action contained four separate causes of action, only two of which, the second and fourth, survived the trial below, upon which the court directed a verdict for plaintiff. Defendant appealed from an order denying’ a new trial.

The short facts are as follows: In respect to the second cause of action it appears that on February 19, 1910, plaintiff delivered to defendant a carload of potatoes consigned to himself at Kansas City, Missouri, to be by defendant transported to that place. The usual bill of lading was issued and delivered to plaintiff, which, together with the draft for the price of the potatoes drawn upon Woodson Bonded Brokerage Company, to whom the potatoes were to be sold, was transmitted to a bank at Kansas City for collection. Defendant was instructed to notify that company of the arrival of the potatoes. We understand from appellant’s brief that this method of the shipment of merchandise is quite common, and that the practice is for the railroad company to notify the intending purchaser of the arrival of the car, and to notify the consignee of bis failure, within 48 hours, to take and remove the property. The shipment in question reached its destination some time about February 23 or 24, and the Woodson Company was duly notified of the arrival. That company, however, failed to take up the draft, and refused to accept the shipment, of which refusal it is claimed defendant failed to notify plaintiff. The potatoes remained in the car at Kansas City until March 18, when they were sold by plaintiff at a loss.

The only question raised on this appeal is whether the evidence is sufficient to justify a finding that the Woodson Company refused to accept the potatoes, thereby imposing upon defendant the duty to so notify plaintiff. There is no dispute about any of the facts, or the rights, duties, and liabilities of the parties under the contract of the shipment. Our examination of the record discloses sufficient evidence from which the court was justified in deciding the question in plaintiff’s favor. The custom, evidence of which was offered by plaintiff, required defendant to notify plaintiff of the nonacceptance of the shipment, if not taken within 48 hours. The potatoes were not taken within that time, or at all. The car remained upon defendant’s side track at Kansas City until March 18, or about three weeks, and no notice of nonacceptance was given plaintiff.

Tbe fourth cause of action involved a car of potatoes shipped over defendant’s line from this state to Clarinda, Iowa. Tbe car reached its destination in due season, and it is conceded that tbe potatoes were frozen and damaged because of tbe negligence of defendant in not properly caring for them after their arrival at Clarinda. Tbe extent of this damage was tbe only question litigated below. Defendant offered no evidence upon tbe question. Tbe potatoes were in sacks, and plaintiff’s evidence tended to show that by reason of the fact that the car was left exposed in the railroad yard during severe weather, 10 degrees below zero, at least one-third of them were frozen solid.Plaintiff’s witness, a dealer of long experience and familiar with the subject, was permitted as an expert to testify over defendant’s objection that the entire lot of potatoes was worthless. It is contended that in this the court erred. Whether this contention is sound presents the sole question upon this branch of the case.

The admission of evidence of this character rests in the sound discretion of the trial court, in the exercise of which in the case at bar we discover no error. McDonough v. Cameron, 116 Minn. 480, 134 N. W. 118. Plaintiff, upon finding the potatoes in the condition stated, abandonedthem. What defendant did with them the record fails to disclose. Defendant offered no evidence.

Order affirmed.