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Capstraw v. New York Cent. R. Co.

United States District Court, N.D. New York
Feb 17, 1954
15 F.R.D. 267 (N.D.N.Y. 1954)

Summary

In Capstraw v. New York Central R. Co., D.C.N.Y., 15 F.R.D. 267, the defendant railroad moved to consolidate two F.E.L.A. cases involving the engineer and the brakeman, which arose "from a single accident surrounded by a similar set of circumstances."

Summary of this case from Ex Parte Miller

Opinion

         Proceedings on motion of railroad to consolidate and join for trial two actions under the Federal Employers' Liability Act, 45 U.S.C.A. § 51 et seq. The District Court, Foley, J., held that although each of two actions against railroad arising out of head-on collision at time one plaintiff was engineer and the other a brakeman involved a similar set of circumstances and was instituted under the Federal Employers' Liability Act, when there was a possible conflict of interest between the plaintiffs because of the doctrine of the Act concerning negligence of a fellow employee and evidence as to plaintiff engineer's dismissal after accident might not be admissible as against other plaintiff, consolidation of the two actions would not be granted on motion of defendant railroad.

         Motion denied.

          McClung, Peters & Simon, Albany, N.Y., for plaintiff Capstraw, Homer E. Peters, Albany, N.Y., of counsel.

          Bartle Gorman, Utica, N.Y., for plaintiff Sielagowski.

          Kernan & Kernan, Utica, N.Y., for defendant, Willis D. Morgan, Utica, N.Y., of counsel.


          FOLEY, District Judge.

         The defendant railroad moves to consolidate and join for trial the above actions. The plaintiff in one action, Capstraw, was the engineer of a train upon which the decedent, Sielagowski, was riding as a brakeman when it was involved in a head-on collision with another train of the defendant. It is clear that each action arises from a single accident surrounded by a similar set of circumstances, and each is instituted and based upon the provisions of the Federal Employers' Liability Act, 45 U.S.C.A. § 51 et seq.

          In such situations where common and similar questions of fact and law are present, this similarity is ordinarily good and sufficient reason in itself to consolidate and join for trial such actions in accordance with the provisions of Rule 42(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C. The defendant in its memorandum of law submits good authority for the general approach to such problems. Gillette Motor Transport v. Northern Oklahoma, 10 Cir., 179 F.2d 711; Polito v. Molasky, 8 Cir., 123 F.2d 258; Brush v. Harkins, D.C., 9 F.R.D. 604.

         However, in my mind, there are important factors which militate against the expeditious and general solution. There is a possible conflict of interest between the plaintiffs in the separate actions. Where such conflict is lacking, it is a point in favor of consolidation, Poulson v. Louisiana, Arkansas & Texas Transp. Co., D.C., 7 F.R.D. 484. The complaints are directed solely against the railroad, but because of the doctrine in the Act concerning the negligence of a fellow employee, the joint trial may result in attack by named plaintiff against named plaintiff with possible detriment and prejudice to each. The joinder might set plaintiff against plaintiff, and by such contest in their own proof, reduce their verdicts in accordance with the comparative negligence rule, all to the advantage of the railroad.

          I concede to the defendant corporation that many of the problems advanced by the plaintiffs are inherent in every consolidation, and could be met by a careful charge and the taking of a special verdict from the jury with detailed questions and answers. However, the serious obstacle to joinder for trial is the evidentiary problem concerning the dismissal notice from the railroad to Capstraw, the engineer, after the accident. It is agreed that such dismissal notice may be an important part of the Sielagowski case, and seriously questionable for admission in the Capstraw case. The ritual of instructing the jury to disregard as to one, and to consider it as to the other, is theoretically correct but in my judgment should be avoided whenever possible.

         It is impossible for me to conclude there is no apparent danger of prejudice that may result from a single trial. Miller v. Sammarco, D.C., 9 F.R.D. 215.

         The motion is denied, and it is ordered accordingly.


Summaries of

Capstraw v. New York Cent. R. Co.

United States District Court, N.D. New York
Feb 17, 1954
15 F.R.D. 267 (N.D.N.Y. 1954)

In Capstraw v. New York Central R. Co., D.C.N.Y., 15 F.R.D. 267, the defendant railroad moved to consolidate two F.E.L.A. cases involving the engineer and the brakeman, which arose "from a single accident surrounded by a similar set of circumstances."

Summary of this case from Ex Parte Miller
Case details for

Capstraw v. New York Cent. R. Co.

Case Details

Full title:CAPSTRAW v. NEW YORK CENT. R. CO. SIELAGOWSKI v. NEW YORK CENT. R. CO.

Court:United States District Court, N.D. New York

Date published: Feb 17, 1954

Citations

15 F.R.D. 267 (N.D.N.Y. 1954)

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