COMPENSATION CASES

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1937, Page 5

COMPENSATION CASES

Claim Fails [Per Press Association]. WELLINGTON, August 11. An unusual mishap in the Wellington Hospital in November last was the basis of a claim for £1,212/19/6 made in the Supreme Court to-day by Cecil Naylor Palmer, a motor mechanic, against- the Wellington Hospital Board. While, attending the hospital as an out-patient, the plaintiff slipped, on a polished floor and injured his left thigh, for a previous Iracture of which he had come to receive treatment. The jury brought in a verdict for the board. “We are all agreed it was just an unfortunate accident,” said the foreman. WANGANUI, August 11. Finding that the plaintiff had not proved his case, Mr. Justice O’Regan dismissed a claim against the Wanganui City Council by a gasworks employee, William Zons, for compensation amounting to £877, and such further relief as the Arbitration Court might see fit to give. Plaintiff alleged that he strained his heart while at work, but his Honour, giving judgment, said that if such an accident as was described by the plaintiff occurred, his fellow workers would have known of it. The weight of medical evidence also showed that If such an accident had occurred, it was in no way responsible for the attack which plaintiff experienced later. WOMAN’S . AWARD. WANGANUI, August 11. Tn the case in which £2,000 general damages was awarded Ada Harriette Cuthbertson, married, of Castlecliff, who lost her left arm in a motor accident, the evidence showed that plaintiff was riding in the cab of a wool-laden lorry, which her husband was driving. A car driven by the defendant, Ernest John Whalley, a farmer, of Kakatahi, met the lorryon a bend, and it was alleged ny plaintiff that as a result of defendant car travelling too fast, and on the wrong side, the lorry had to leave the metalled road, became canted, and eventually toppled over, and plaintiff was injured. The defence was that the car was not travelling fast or on the incorrect side, and that the defendant had been unaware of the accident until long afterwards. In addition to general damages. special damages to be agreed upon the plaintiff and the defendant were allowed. This sum was stated in Court to be £133. Plaintiff claimed £3,000 general damages. It was pointed out that she was left-handed, and the loss of her arm was equivalent to a normal person losing the right arm.