Opinion ID: 1980868
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Lightning as the Cause of Death of the Deer

Text: [¶ 10] Peerless presented substantial evidence at trial indicating that lightning was not the cause of the death of the deer, and contends that the evidence presented by Maine Farms failed to establish that lightning was the cause of death of its deer. Peerless introduced the testimony of several experts, in electrical engineering, in lightning detection, in meteorology, and in veterinary science, to support its contention that lightning was not the cause of the death of Maine Farms's deer. Nathaniel Johnson conducted an investigation that included visiting the scene, and testified that lightning did not cause magnetization or treeing [1] of the utility pole guide wire near Maine Farms. He testified that magnetization is expected regardless of the presence of lightning and that what was characterized as treeing was really the effects of environmental exposure of the guide wire. Johnson also testified that if lightning had struck the utility pole near Maine Farms, it would have affected only the deer within ten feet of the pole. [¶ 11] Dr. Richard Orville, an expert in lightning detection, testified that the Lightning Detection Network did not detect lightning on the night in question, that the Network has an 80-90% detection rate, and that he was unaware of any occasion when the Network failed to detect a lightning storm. Additionally, there was evidence that Global Atmospherics, Inc., a company that specializes in lightning location, detection, and advance warning equipment, did not detect lightning on the date in question. Paul Cousins, a meteorologist, testified that he reviewed meteorological data and concluded that no thunderstorms occurred in the vicinity of Maine Farms on September 16 or 17. [¶ 12] Peerless also called a veterinarian, Dr. Thomas Judd, who conducted the autopsy of the deer, and testified that he could not find any evidence that lightning killed the deer, and that there was no acute myocardial damage, an indicator of lightning as the cause of death. [¶ 13] Although Peerless presented substantial and credible evidence that the deer were not killed by lightning, we must view all the evidence in the light most favorable to Maine Farms, and when viewed in that light, there is sufficient evidence for the jury to have found that lightning caused the deaths of the deer. St. Francis De Sales Fed. Credit Union v. Sun Ins. Co. of New York, 2002 ME 127, ¶ 25, 818 A.2d 995, 1003. Waltz and his wife testified that they saw lightning, or a brilliant blue flash of light, on the night of September 16. In addition, Maxmin testified that he and his children saw lightning and heard thunder on the same night. Richard Kithil, an expert witness for Maine Farms, testified that in his opinion lightning was present at Maine Farms during the night at issue. Kithil relied on the presence of treeing as physical evidence to support his opinion. He also relied on information that the deer that were killed were standing in water and those that survived were on higher ground. In addition, Kithil testified that it is impossible to detect all lightning strikes that occur. [¶ 14] Dr. Robert Scott, a veterinarian who visited the scene of the deaths of the deer, testified that in his opinion lightning killed the deer. After eliminating other possible causes of death, Dr. Scott testified that lightning is the only thing that will kill a group of animals virtually instantaneously, or in the manner the deer were killed in this case. He based his opinion on test results that found no evidence of infection, bacteria, or poisoning in the dead deer. Dr. Scott also relied on pictures from the weather service showing the path of Hurricane Floyd on the date in question, and photographs of the scene taken by John Hilton showing the position of the dead deer. [¶ 15] Although the jury could have come to a different conclusion, there is sufficient evidence in the record to support the jury's finding that lightning struck and killed Maine Farms's deer. [2]