McLaughlin v. Siegel
Supreme Court of Virginia · 1936-06-11 · cited 47×
The case involved Richard McLaughlin, who obtained a joint judgment against Alex Siegel (servant) and S. Jurin (master) for personal injuries sustained in a car accident due to Siegel's negligence. After settling with Jurin and releasing the judgment as to him while reserving rights against Siegel, the trial court ordered the judgment released as to Siegel as well. The court affirmed this order, holding that satisfaction of a joint judgment by one of several parties jointly liable for a tort operates as a release as to all, because the injured party is entitled to only one satisfaction for the same injury. This principle applies even in master-servant cases under respondeat superior and regardless of any reservation in the release.