Opinion ID: 1222459
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Future Medical Damages

Text: The defendant asserts it was error for the trial court to instruct the jury on the issue of damages for future medical expenses and to allow future medical damages on the jury verdict form in the absence of evidence establishing to a reasonable degree of medical certainty that the plaintiff would incur those expenses. Before a verdict may be reversed on the basis of excessiveness, the trial court must make a detailed appraisal of the evidence bearing on damages. Because the verdict below is entitled to considerable deference, an appellate court should decline to disturb a trial court's award of damages on appeal as long as that award is supported by some competent, credible evidence going to all essential elements of the award. Syllabus Point 15 of Jordan v. Bero, 158 W.Va. 28, 210 S.E.2d 618 (1974), states: To warrant a recovery for future medical expenses, the proper measure of damages is not simply the expenses or liability which shall or may be incurred in the future but it is, rather, the reasonable value of medical services as will probably be necessarily incurred by reason of the permanent effects of a party's injuries. None of the physicians who appeared at trial or whose depositions were read to the jury testified as to the plaintiff's need for future medical expenses. Dr. Chand, in answer to a hypothetical question, stated that surgery to repair a herniated disc would cost in the range of $7,500 to $10,000. However, Dr. Chand did not state the plaintiff required the surgery or would probably incur the expense of the surgery in the future. Accordingly, we find it was error to submit this issue to the jury in the absence of evidence supporting an award for future medical damages. The proper remedy for this error is for this Court to order a remittitur of that portion of the recovery and sustain the remainder of the judgment below. Syl. pt. 2, Earl T. Browder, Inc. v. County Court of Webster County, 145 W.Va. 696, 116 S.E.2d 867 (1960).