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BROWN v. GEORGIA, CAROLINA AND NORTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY

Supreme Court of Georgia1903-11-28
119 Ga. 88

Summary

Holding. The trial court erred in dismissing the petition because it stated a valid cause of action for breach of a transportation contract. The judgment is reversed.

A railroad company that sells a passenger a ticket for transportation on a specific train enters into a contract and must perform that obligation. When the train passed without stopping to pick up the ticketed passengers, the railroad breached this contract. While railroads are required to maintain only reasonable waiting facilities for passengers—and need not keep such rooms heated or comfortable during hours when trains are not scheduled—this obligation is separate from the company's duty to actually transport passengers as promised. The husband of the injured passenger could recover damages resulting from the railroad's failure to convey them on the agreed train, provided the plaintiffs took reasonable steps to minimize their losses by using whatever shelter was available. The condition of the waiting room itself is not the basis of the claim but rather evidence demonstrating that injury resulted from the breach of the transportation contract.

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

Key issues

  • Whether a railroad breached its contract by failing to transport ticketed passengers on the agreed train
  • Scope of a railroad's duty to maintain passenger waiting facilities
  • Measure of damages for failure to transport when passengers suffer injury from exposure

Procedural posture

The trial court dismissed the petition by special demurrer, and this appeal challenges that dismissal.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

Lamar, J.

Railroad companies are bound to provide reasonable accommodations at their stations for passengers who are invited to travel on their roads; and will be liable for such damages as proximately flow from a violation of this duty. The character of the accommodations required, of course, varies with the amount of business done at a particular point; and the company might be relieved altogether of the obligation to furnish depots at flag-stations, or points where trains stop for the accommodation of occasional travelers. But even where waiting-rooms are maintained, the company is only required to keep them open for a reasonable time before and after the departure of trains. Central Ry. Co. v. Motes, 117 Ga. 923; Civil Code, § 2189; Caterham R. Co. v. London Ry., 87 Eng. C. L. R. 409; Boothby v. Grand Trunk R. Co., 34 Atl. Rep. 57; Texas & Pac. R. Co. v. Cornelius, 30 S. W. Rep. 720; Texas & Pac. R. Co. v. Pierce, 30 S. W. 1122 ; Wrightman v. Louisville Ry. Co., 70 Miss. 560. The allegation that the room was not kept comfortable during the entire night, therefore, of itself gave rise to no cause of action. The agent having, however, sold tickets entitling plaintiff and his wife to be transported on a particular train, they became passengers and entitled to their rights as such; and when the train passed without stopping, there was a breach of the contract. But they could not stand alongside the track until the next train arrived, and recover damages for the results of the exposure; for they were bound to lessen their damages (Civil Code, § 3802) and to seek the most available shelter. If the waiting-room was, as alleged, the only place where they could stay for the night, and if, in spite of utilizing such means as were feasible, the plaintiff’s wife was made sick and her services lost, the husband is entitled to a verdict, not for the failure to keep the waiting-room heated after hours, but for the damages which resulted from the company’s failure to transport them on the train agreed. The condition of the waiting-room is not the gist of the action, but is set out to show that damage resulted from the failure to convey, notwithstanding the fact that the parties took advantage of such accommodations as were at hand. Where a passenger is left at an improper place, in consequence of which he suffers injury, the same rule applies as in cases where a passenger has been carried past his destination. In either instance he is entitled to recover the damages naturally and proximately flowing therefrom. Caldwell v. R. & D. R. Co., 89 Ga. 550 (2).

The petition should not have been dismissed. It set out a cause of action, and after verdict thereon a motion in arrest would not have been granted. The special demurrers, not having been filed at the first term, could not have been considered (Civil Code» §§ 5046, 5052), and for that reason the question as to what is a proper measure of damages for a failure to transport person or property is not presented by this record.

Judgment reversed.

All the Justices concur.