Arner v. Sokol, 96 A.2d 854 (Pa. 1953). · Go Syfert
Arner v. Sokol, 96 A.2d 854 (Pa. 1953). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
69 citation events (18 in the last 25 years) across 10 distinct courts.
Treatment trajectory · 1955 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1955 1990 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 24 distinct citers. How cited ↗
cited Cited as authority (rule) L.B., Individually and as Parent and Natural Guardian of E.C., a Minor v. Leechburg Area SD
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2025 · confidence medium
See Bilt-Rite, 866 A.2d at 280 ; Arner v. Sokol, 96 A.2d 854, 855 (Pa. 1953).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Fuhrman v. Mawyer
M.D. Penn. · 2024 · confidence medium
“The act or omission relied on as negligence must be alleged either in direct and positive terms, or by setting out facts from which the fact of negligence can fairly and legally be inferred.” Arner v. Sokol, 96 A.2d 854, 854 (Pa. 1953) (citation omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) LaCivita v. Town & Country Bar & Grill
pactcompllawren · 2015 · confidence medium
In Connor v. Allegheny General Hospital, 501 Pa. 306, 311 , 461 A.2d 600 , 603 fn. 3 (1983) (citing Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592-593 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953); King v. Brillhart, 271 Pa. 301 , 114 A. 515, 516 (1921)), the Court determined that an averment stating, “otherwise fail[ed] to use due care and caution under the circumstances,” lacked specificity and the defendant could have filed a motion to strike off that statement, but chose not to do so.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Olinger v. Zikeli
pactcompllawren · 2014 · confidence medium
In Connor v. Allegheny General Hospital, 501 Pa. 306, 311 , 461 A.2d 600 , 603 fn. 3 (1983) (citing Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592-593 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953); King v. Brillhart, 271 Pa. 301, 114 A. 515, 516 (1921)), the court determined that an averment stating, “otherwise fail[ed] to use due care and caution under the circumstances,” lacked specificity and the defendant could have filed a motion to strike off that statement, but chose not to do so.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Imblum v. Shober
pactcompllawren · 2011 · confidence medium
Id., 501 Pa. at 311 , 461 A.2d at 603 fn. 3 (citing Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592-593 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953); King v. Brillhart, 271 Pa. 301 , 114 A. 515, 516 (1921)).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Denucci v. Cathedral Foundation
pactcompllawren · 2010 · confidence medium
Id., 501 Pa. at 311 n.3, 461 A.2d at 603 n.3 (citing Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592-93 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953); King v. Brillhart, 271 Pa. 301, 304 , 114 A. 515, 516 (1921)).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Department of Transportation v. Pennsylvania Industries for the Blind & Handicapped
Pa. Commw. Ct. · 2005 · confidence medium
Laursen v. General Hospital of Monroe County, 494 Pa. 238, 244 , 431 A.2d 237, 240 (1981) (quoting Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953)). 14 . .
cited Cited as authority (rule) Sullivan v. Modern Group Ltd.
pactcomplyork · 2000 · confidence medium
Wilson v. Howard Johnson Restaurant, 421 Pa. 455, 460 , 219 A.2d 676, 678-79 (1966); Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 , 96 A.2d 854, 855-56 (1953); 3 Standard Pennsylvania Practice 682.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Reynolds v. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Pa. Super. Ct. · 1996 · confidence medium
Wilson v. Howard Johnson Restaurant, 421 Pa. 455, 460 , 219 A.2d 676, 678-79 (1966); Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 , 96 A.2d 854, 855-56 (1953); 3 Standard Pennsylvania Practice .682.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Taylor v. Ryder Truck Rental, Inc.
pactcomplcheste · 1984 · confidence medium
Wilson v. Howard Johnson Restaurant, 421 Pa. 455, 460 , 219 A.2d 676, 678-79 (1966); Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 , 96 A.2d 854, 855-56 (1953); 3 Standard Pa. Pract. 682.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Del Turco v. Peoples Home Savings Ass'n
Pa. · 1984 · confidence medium
Wilson v. Howard Johnson Restaurant, 421 Pa. 455, 460 , 219 A.2d 676, 678-79 (1966); Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 , 96 A.2d 854, 855-56 (1953); 3 Standard Pennsylvania Practice 682.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Daley v. John Wanamaker, Inc. (2×)
Pa. · 1983 · confidence medium
Wilson v. Howard Johnson Restaurant, 421 Pa. 455, 460 , 219 A.2d 676, 678-79 (1966); Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 , 96 A.2d 854, 855-56 (1953); 3 Standard Pennsylvania Practice 682.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Connor v. Allegheny General Hospital (2×)
Pa. Super. Ct. · 1982 · confidence medium
Wilson v. Howard Johnson Restaurant, 421 Pa. 455, 460 , 219 A.2d 676, 678-79 (1966); Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 , 96 A.2d 854, 855-56 (1953); 3 Standard Pennsylvania Practice 682.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Laursen v. GENERAL HOSP. OF MONROE CTY.
Pa. · 1981 · confidence medium
It is always desirable to dispose of litigation on the merits, if possible.” Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953) (quoting Townsend v. Universal Insurance Co., 129 Pa.Super. 188, 191 , 195 A. 167, 168 (1937)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Junk v. East End Fire Department (2×)
Pa. Super. Ct. · 1978 · confidence medium
Wilson v. Howard Johnson Restaurant, 421 Pa. 455, 460 , 219 A.2d 676, 678-79 (1966); Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 , 96 A.2d 854, 855-56 (1953); 3 Standard Pennsylvania Practice 682.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Hagenbuch v. Cole
pactcompllycomi · 1973 · confidence medium
Defendants object to said amendments on the grounds that they constitute new allegations of negligence and new causes of action and, therefore, are barred by the statute of limitations. “ ‘ “The tests to be applied when the question presented is whether an amended statement presents a new and different cause of action are, would a judgment bar any further action on either, does the same measure of damages support both, is the same defense open in each, and is the same measure of proof required” ’ ”: Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 (1953).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Bata v. Central-Penn National Bank
Pa. · 1972 · confidence medium
Wilson v. Howard Johnson Restaurant, 42: 1 Pa. 455, 461 , 219 A. 2d 676, 679 (1966); Schaffer v. Larzelere, 410 Pa. 402, 407 , 189 A. 2d 267, 270 (1963); Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592 , 96 A. 2d 854, 856 (1953); Shenandoah Borough v. Philadelphia, 367 Pa. 180, 192 , 79 A. 2d 433, 438 (1951).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Aul v. Associated Transport, Inc.
pactcomplallegh · 1965 · confidence medium
An example of this position is that statement of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592 (1953): “The day of tight-rope walking in pleading when one slight mis-step on the part of the attorney plunged his client’s cause into the abyss of extinction is happily gone.
examined Cited "see" Yacoub v. Lehigh Valley Medical Associates, P.C. (4×)
Pa. Super. Ct. · 2002 · signal: see · confidence high
See Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592-93 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953) (quoting King v. Brillhart, 271 Pa. 301 , 114 A. 515, 516 (1921)) (stating "[T]he [plaintiff's statement] may not be such a statement, in a concise and summary form, of the material facts upon which the plaintiff relies ...; but, if not, it was waived by defendant's [answer] to and going to trial upon the merits.... [A] defendant may move to strike off an insufficient statement, or, if it is too indefinite, may obtain a rule for one more specific.
discussed Cited "see" Kuisis v. Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corp. (2×)
Pa. · 1974 · signal: see · confidence high
See Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587 , 96 A.2d 854 (1953); Cox v. Wilkes-Barre Ry.
discussed Cited "see" Cutler v. DUSHOFF (2×)
Pa. Super. Ct. · 1960 · signal: see · confidence high
See Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587 , 96 A. 2d 854 (1953), at page 592: “The day of tight-rope walking in pleading when one slight misstep on the part of the attorney plunged his client’s cause into the abyss of extinction is happily gone. ‘It is the consistent policy of the courts to give full opportunity to parties to plead their cause of action, if they have one, and not turn them out of court for technical errors.
discussed Cited "see" Boyd v. Rager
pactcomplmercer · 1956 · signal: see · confidence high
See Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 591 , where the court said: “ ‘ “The tests to be applied when the question presented is whether an amended statement presents a new and different cause of action are, would a judgment bar any further action on either, does the same measure of damages support both, is the same defense open in each, and is the same measure of proof required?” ’ ” See also Downes v. Hodin, 377 Pa. 208, 215 .
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Shiflett, B. v. Lehigh Valley Health Network, Inc. (2×)
Pa. Super. Ct. · 2017 · signal: compare · confidence low
Compare Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592-93 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953), citing King v. Brillhart, 271 Pa. 301 , 114 A. 515, 516 (1921) (“[T]he [plaintiff’s statement] may not be a statement in a concise and summary form of the material facts upon which the plaintiff relies . . .; but, if not, it was waived by defendant’s affidavit to and going to trial upon the merits . . . a defendant may move to strike off an insufficient statement, or, if it is too indefinite, may obtain a rule for one more specific.
examined Cited "see, e.g." Connor v. Allegheny General Hospital (4×)
Pa. · 1983 · signal: compare · confidence low
Compare Arner v. Sokol, 373 Pa. 587, 592-93 , 96 A.2d 854, 856 (1953), citing King v. Brillhart, 271 Pa. 301 , 114 A. 515, 516 (1921) ("[T]he [plaintiff's statement] may not be a statement in a concise and summary form of the material facts upon which the plaintiff relies . . .; but, if not, it was waived by defendant's affidavit to and going to trial upon the merits . . . a defendant may move to strike off an insufficient statement, or, if it is too indefinite, may obtain a rule for one more specific.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Arner, Appellant,
v.
Sokol
Appeal, 115.
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
May 25, 1953.
96 A.2d 854
A. W. McMichael, with him Guy A. Bowe, Jr., for appellants., D. J. Boyle, with him. John T. Pfeiffer, III, for appellee.
Stern, Stearne, Jones, Bell, Chidsey, Musmanno, Arnold.
Cited by 37 opinions  |  Published

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Musmanno,

-- On February 17,1947, at-the intersection of Legislative Route No. 13006 and Route No. 443 in Normal Square, Carbon County,''an automobile' Owned" and Op[*589] erated by the defendant, Andrew Sokol, came into collision with an automobile owned by the plaintiff Raymond Arner and operated by the wife-plaintiff Mary E. Arner. In their suit in trespass against Andrew Sokol, the Arners filed a complaint which averred that on the day in question, “after ascertaining that there were no vehicles travelling east or west on said Route No. 443, the Plaintiff, Mary E. Arner, entered said intersection, still travelling in a southwardly direction.” She “continued to look as she passed over said Route No. 443 on her right or lawful side.” Paragraph No. 12 declared that the defendant “made a left turn entering Legislative Route No. 13006 and was then travelling in a southwardly direction.” The next 2 paragraphs read : “13. At the time and place aforesaid the Defendant drove his Chrysler automobile into the left rear of the automobile driven by the Plaintiff, Mary E. Arner, after she had completely crossed over said intersection. 14. As a result of said collision the car driven by the Plaintiff was knocked off the road to her right and over a culvert.”

When the case came on for trial, the wife-plaintiff (the husband having died on October 11, 1949) offered to prove the averments in the Complaint but the defendant objected to the introduction of substantiating evidence, contending that the averments and the offer of proof did not make out a cause of negligence. The Court sustained the objection. The plaintiff then offered to amend the Complaint by adding: “ “That the accident was caused solely by the negligence of the Defendant, which negligence consisted in the following: 1. That Defendant was driving his car at a speed in excess. of fifty miles per .hour. 2. That Defendant was driving his car on the wrong or unlawful side of the highway. 3. That Defendant did not have his car under proper control,so that he could stop in a safe and assured distance ahead.’ ”

[*590] The court sustained the defendant’s objection to the amendment and entered a compulsory non-suit. The subsequent refusal of the court en banc to lift the non-suit has brought the case to this Court on appeal.

Although the plaintiffs’ statement of claim was far from vivid in its description of the accident involved and was singularly devoid of the usual deprecatory charges of law violations levelled against the defendant in superlative and repetitive language, we cannot agree with the lower court that it did not “sufficiently describe, picture or visualize what actually happened.” A careful reading of the Complaint reproduces in mental motion pictures the wife-plaintiff cautiously approaching a street intersection, looking to the right and left; and then, being assured of the absence of vehicles moving east or west on the transverse street, committing herself to the intersection; continuing to maintain a lookout for other vehicles as she guardedly negotiates the crossing; and after she has reached the other side of the crossing where she has the right to assume she is safe, the defendant suddenly appears, makes a left turn into her lane of traffic, and drives his Chrysler automobile into the left rear of her car. That the defendant’s car was not travelling at a speed of safety required by the circumstances is evidenced by the violence with which he struck the plaintiff’s automobile which “was knocked off the road to her [the plaintiff’s] right and over a culvert.” With the concluding paragraph: “Wherefore, the Plaintiffs, by reason of the aforesaid negligence of the Defendant, have suffered great damage, etc.” the plaintiffs charge the defendant with such phases of legal negligence applicable to the traffic misconduct attributed to him in the statement.

Accepting as true the relevant facts averred in that statement and every inference fairly deducible there[*591] from, we conclude that the allegations are sufficient to state a cause of action. “The act or omission relied on as negligence must be alleged either in direct and positive terms, or by setting out facts from which the fact of negligence can fairly and legally be inferred 65 C.J.S., Negligence, §187, page 883. (Emphasis supplied.)

In City of Birmingham v. Young, 246 Ala. 650, 22 So. 2d 169, the Court there explained that: “. . . a general averment that ‘all of her said injuries were proximately caused by the negligence of defendant in negligently permitting said open ditch to be and remain in said highway,’ is a sufficient averment that such condition was known, or, in the exercise of reasonable care, would have been known to the city authorities.”

Since the original Complaint sufficiently set forth a cause of action based on negligence, it followed that no new cause of action would have been introduced by the plaintiff’s proposed amendment which merely specified the acts of negligence clearly inferable from the allegations of the original complaint. In Miners Sav. Bank of Pittston v. Naylor et al., 342 Pa. 273, we stated: “ ‘The tests to be applied when the question presented is whether an amended statement presents a new and different cause of action are, would a judgment bar any further action on either, does the same measure of damages support both, is the same defense open in each, and is the same measure of proof required?’ ”

In the instant case the answer would be “Yes” to all the questions, and it was, therefore, error for the Court not to permit the proposed amendment.

The right of amendment is well stated in Wessling v. Latkanich, 144 Pa. Superior Ct. 317: “Discretionary at common law (Penna. N.Y. Railroad Co. v. Bunnell, 81 Pa. 414), the allowance of an amendment to a pleading, within the scope of §6 of the Act of March[*592] 21, 1806, 12 PS §531, became a matter of right and the refusal of the right to amend is subject to review on appeal ... 0/ course, after the statute of limitations has run, a plaintiff may not introduce a new cause of action . . . hut he may . . . amplify what has already heen averred (Spry et al. v. The F.U.M.F. Ins. Co. of Pa., 101 Pa. Superior Ct. 49) so long as the same negligence is charged as that set out in the original statement. Coll v. Westinghouse E. Mfg. Co., 230 Pa. 86, 79 A. 163 . . . Liberality is the first consideration in determining the right to amend where an amendment will enable the plaintiff to secure a just disposition of his case on all of its merits and does not change the cause of action . . .” (Emphasis supplied.)

The day of tight-rope walking in pleading when one slight misstep on the part of the attorney plunged his client’s cause into the abyss of extinction is happily gone. “It is the consistent policy of the courts to give full opportunity to parties to plead their cause of action, if they have one, and not turn them out of court for technical errors. That is especially true if the objections refer more to the manner of pleading than to a complete lack of a cause of action. If the pleading is vague or insufficient and it appears that a clear and adequate statement of facts can be averred, permission should be given to amend. It is always desirable to dispose of litigation on the merits, if possible. As was said in Stevens v. Smith, 310 Pa. 287, 288, 165 A. 237: ‘Under present day practice and procedure we will not foreclose a cause of action for defects resting more on form than want of substance.’” (Townsend v. Universal Ins. Co., 129 Pa. Superior Ct. 188.)

In King v. Brillhart, 271 Pa. 301, we said: “The statement charges negligent management of the car and that is what the evidence tends to establish. True, the former may not be a statement in a concise and sum[*593] mary form of the material facts upon which the plaintiff relies, as contemplated by section 5 of the Practice Act of May 14, 1915, P. L. 483, but, if not, it was waived by defendant’s affidavit to and going to trial upon the merits ... a defendant may move to strike off an insufficient statement, or, if it is too indefinite, may obtain a rule for one more specific. Failing to do either, he will not be entitled to a compulsory nonsuit because of the general character of plaintiff’s statement . .

We also see no merit in the position that the non-suit could not be lifted by the lower court because the argument on its merits was not made within six months after the trial. The delay in the argument was apparently due to difficulties in getting the record transcribed and certified.

The order refusing to take off the nonsuit is reversed with a venire facias de novo.