United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Atlantic City R. Co. v. Parker, 242 U.S. 56 (1916)

Atlantic City Railroad Company v. Parker

No. 111

Argued November 16, 1916

Decided December 4, 1916

242 U.S. 56

Syllabus

In this action for personal injury, governed by the Safety Appliance and Employers' Liability Acts, it is held that the evidence concerning the fitness and efficiency of the automatic couplers in question, and concerning the special condition which existed, as a result of the train's being on a curve when the couplers failed and the accident occurred, did not preclude a reasonable inference that the Safety Appliance Act was not complied with.

When couplers fail to couple automatically on a straight track because of lateral play of the drawheads, the jury may properly infer that such a degree of play was unnecessary and violative of the Safety Appliance Act, in the absence of any satisfactory explanation.

Page 242 U. S. 57

The case is not different where the failure to couple occur on a curve if the effect of the curvature may have been negligible.

87 N.J.L. 148 affirmed.

The case is stated in the opinion.

Page 242 U. S. 58