A. D. SMOAK
v.
CITY OF TAMPA

Fla. | 1936-04-14
Ellis, P. J., and Buford, J., concur., Whitfield, C. J., and Brown and Davis, J. J., concur in the opinion and judgment.
123 Fla. 716 Florida Supreme Court (1936) Caution
Also reported at: 167 So. 528
Cited by 17 cases

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Synopsis

This case concerns an employee injured while working on a garbage truck. The court had to decide if the employee assumed the risk of his employment and if the city was performing a governmental function. The court found the employee assumed the risk and affirmed the lower court's decision.


Holding

The court held that the plaintiff assumed the risk incident to his employment because the city was not operating the truck for public use as defined by statute, and garbage collection is a corporate, not governmental, function. Therefore, the defense of assumption of risk was available to the city.


Key Quotes

“There is no showing whatever and it is not contended that the defendant in error was holding itself out as a servant of the public for compensation but it was using the automobile truck in question as a conveyor of garbage for the municipality and for no other purpose.”

This quote establishes why the statute barring assumption of risk for operating automobiles for public use did not apply to the city's garbage truck.

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Facts & Procedural History

The plaintiff was injured falling from a garbage truck while employed by the city. He sought damages, alleging the truck lacked proper steps or ladder…

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Opinion of the Court
Terrell, J.

Terrell, J.

This writ of error is to be a'final' judgment for defendant, on demurrer to a declaration seeking to recover damages for personal injuries incurred by plaintiff in error in falling from an automobile truck used by defendant in error for hauling garbage. Plaintiff in error was employed as a laborer on the truck and recovery is sought on the theory that a ladder, steps, or some other contrivance, was not provided for getting on and alighting from it. *718The demurrer to the declaration having been sustained and defendant refusing to amend, final judgment was entered and writ of error was prosecuted therefrom.

Did plaintiff in error assume the risk incident to his employment ?

Defendant in error contends that this is the only question necessary to be determined and that it should be answered in the affirmative. Plaintiff in error contends, on the other hand, that the defense of assumption of risk is not available in this case because he was employed in a hazardous occupation as contemplated by Section 4971, Revised General Statutes of 1920, Section 7058, Compiled General Laws of 1927, by which the defense of assumption of risk is barred as to the occupations named therein.

Section 7058, Compiled General Laws of 1927 was formerly Section 1 of Chapter 6521, Acts of 1923, and was designed to fix the liability of persons, firms, and corporations engaged in the hazardous occupations named therein, including railroading and “operating automobiles for public use.”

In Ryan v. Noble, 95 Fla. 830, 116 So. 766, we held that one operating automobiles for hire, though not a common carrier, was liable in damages under the hazardous occupation Act, for an injury to an employee that is proximately caused by the negligence of a fellow servant jointly engaged with the plaintiff in performing the act causing the injury when the plaintiff was not negligent. This case is not necessarily conclusive of the case at bar as it applies only to those operating automobiles for hire. Our view is that when the Legislature by the foregoing Act withdrew the defense of assumption of risk from persons, firms, and corporations engaged in “operating automobiles for public use” it had reference to those holding themselves out to *719serve the public for compensation in like manner as others engaged in the hazardous occupations named in the statute.

There is no showing whatever and it is not contended that the defendant in error was holding itself out as a servant of the public for compensation but it was using the automobile truck in question as a conveyor of garbage for the municipality and for no other purpose. Plaintiff in error was operating the truck as an employee of the city and the statute in no respect immunized him from the risk of his employment.

The second and only other question necessary to be adjudicated is that of whether or not the plaintiff in error was engaged in the performance of such a governmental function when injured as would preclude his recovery.

Generally the governmental or public duties of a municipality for which it can claim exemption from damages for tort have reference to some part or element of the state’s sovereignty granted it to be exercised for the benefit of the public whether residing within or without the corporate limits of the city. All other duties are proprietary or corporate and in the performance of them the city is liable for the negligence of its employees. City of Pass Christian v. Fernandez, 100 Miss. 76, 56 So. 329, 39 L. R. A. (N. S.) 649.

The difference between governmental and corporate duties is sometimes nebulous and difficult to classify but there is certainly nothing connected with garbage disposal that partakes of a public or governmental function. It was consequently one of the proprietary corporate duties for the negligent performance of which the city may be held liable. City of Tallahassee v. Kaufman, 87 Fla. 119, 100 So. 150; Chardkoff Junk Co. v. City of Tampa, 102 Fla. 501, 135 So. 457; City of Pass Christian v. Fernandez, supra.

*720AVe, therefore, conclude that when plaintiff in error was injured he was engaged in the performance of a corporate or proprietary duty for which recovery may be had on proper showing but in this case he assumed the risk of his employment. The demurrer to the declaration appropriately raised the latter question, it is shown that plaintiff in error was thoroughly conversant with the truck, that he worked on it voluntarily, that it was properly constructed, and had no latent defects. Pie had frequently gotten on and alighted from it and relies solely on the charge that it was not equipped with appliances for that purpose. He was a man of intelligence and experience, was familiar with the layout, and cannot be heard to complain for this reason. Coyle v. Mangam, 21 N. Y. S. 773; Zeilmann v. McCullough, 214 Fla. 27, 63 Atl. 368.

From a careful examination of the record we cannot say that error was committed in sustaining the demurrer. The judgment below is, therefore, affirmed.

Affirmed.

Ellis, P. J., and Buford, J., concur.

Whitfield, C. J., and Brown and Davis, J. J., concur in the opinion and judgment.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Elrod v. City of Daytona Beach, 132 Fla. 24 (Fla. 1938)
    …ugh this Court has been quite liberal in allowing actions for torts against municipal corporations (see Kaufman v. City of Tallahassee, 94 So. 697, 84 Fla. 634; Chardfiofi Junk Co. v. City of Tampa, 135 So. 457, 102 Fla. 501; Smoak v. City of Tampa, 167 So. 528, 123 Fla. 716; Ballard v. City of Tampa, 168 So. 654, 124 Fla. 457; Maxwell v. City of Miami, 100 So. 147, 87 Fla. 107) we have not yet gone so far as to formulate a doctrine that subjects the municipality to liability for torts that may be inflicte…
  • City OF Miami v. Oates, 152 Fla. 21 (Fla. 1942)
    …harmony. We think, however, that we must follow the line of reasoning which we have heretofore adopted with reference to such matters beginning with the case of Kaufman v. City of Tallahassee, 84 Fla. 634, 94 Sou. 697, and in Smoak v. City of Tampa, 123 Fla. 716, 167 Sou. 528, wherein we said: “Generally the governmental or public duties of a municipality for which it can claim exemption from damages for tort have reference to some part or element of the' state’s sovereignty granted it to be exercised for…
  • Ballard v. City of Tampa, 124 Fla. 457 (Fla. 1936)
    …65; Hillman v. Anniston, 214 Ala. 522, 108 So. 539; 13 R. C. L. 310. See also, as bearing on this general question, Chardkoff Junk Co., 102 Fla. 501, 135 So. 457; Maxwell v. Miami, 87 Fla. 107, 100 So. 147, 100 A. L. R. 682; Smoak v. City of Tampa, 123 Fla. 716, 167 So. 528; Clearwater v. Gautier, 119 Fla. 476, 161 So. 433. The question which is' presented is whether or not the City of Tampa was merely continuing to exercise its exclusive governmental function in compelling the prisoner to work out his se…

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