Title: Irving v. Agency of Transportation

State: vermont

Issuer: Vermont Supreme Court

Document:

Irving v. Agency of Transportation  (99-393); 172 Vt. 527; 768 A.2d 1286

[Filed 13-Feb-2001)

                                 ENTRY ORDER

                      SUPREME COURT DOCKET NO. 1999-393

                             NOVEMBER TERM, 2000

Stephen A. Irving, et al.	}	APPEALED FROM:
                                }
                                }
     v.	                        }	Franklin Superior Court
                                }	
Agency of Transportation,	}
Champlain Valley Aviation, Inc.,}	DOCKET NO. S232-97 Fc
Charles Boyer and Wayne Eels	}
                                }       Trial Judge: Alden T. Bryan  

       In the above-entitled cause, the Clerk will enter:

       Plaintiff Stephen A. Irving appeals the judgment of the Franklin
  Superior Court denying his  motion for judgment as a matter of law or,
  alternately, a new trial following a jury verdict for  defendants.  Irving
  brought suit individually, as the administrator of the estates of Sandra
  and  Andrew Irving and as next friend to Adam Irving against the Vermont
  Agency of Transportation,  Champlain Valley Aviation, Charles Boyer, and
  Wayne Eels following a mid-air collision in which  his wife and son were
  killed.  Irving argues on appeal that liability was proved as a matter of
  law or,  alternatively, the verdict was against the weight of substantial
  evidence.  Furthermore, Irving argues  that the trial court erred when it
  failed to exclude expert testimony from lay witnesses and when it 
  instructed the jury on the standard of care.  We affirm.

       When reviewing a trial court's refusal to grant a post-trial motion
  for judgment as a matter of  law or a new trial, the evidence must be
  viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party.   Brueckner v.
  Norwich Univ., 169 Vt. 118, 120-21,