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

Please note: this case begins in mid-page. It therefore shares a citation with the last page of the previous case. If you are attempting to follow a link to the last page of 242 U.S. 53, click here.

Atlantic City Railroad Company v. Parker

No. 111

Argued November 16, 1916
Decided December 4, 1916
242 U.S. 56

ERROR TO THE COURT OF ERRORS AND APPEALS

OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

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.

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.