Miami Transit Company v. Yellen

ADAMS, J.:

The judgment before us for review is based largely on punitive damages recovered against the Miami Transit Company because one of the bus drivers assaulted a passenger. The only attack upon the judgment is that it is excessive.

Plaintiff, John J. Yellen, was a passenger on one of the busses of the Miami Transit Company which operated as a common carrier over and upon the streets of the City of Miami. At times it is not out of the ordinary, if not customary, for a passenger to pay his fare as he left the bus instead of upon entering. Plaintiff rode the bus until it reached a certain…