Southern Railway Company v. Sloan

Ruth Galyon Sloan and her nine year old son, Randy, were killed in an automobile-train collision, which occurred on December 16,1963 at the Brickyard Road grade crossing in the unincorporated town of Powell, Tennessee.

Ben Sloan, the husband and father, qualified as administrator of the estates of the two decedents and brought suit against the Southern Railway Company in an effort to recover damages for their wrongful death. He also filed suit, in his own name, to recover damages for the destruction of his automobile.

Upon the trial, the jury awarded plaintiff verdicts in all three suits — the…