Opinion ID: 2334569
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Trial Court Incorrectly Calculated Owner's Award Against Hauler.

Text: Owner also argues that the trial court incorrectly applied a $50,000 credit, the settlement from Adjuster, when it calculated the damages due from Hauler. The trial court subtracted the Adjuster's settlement from the total jury award after apportioning the damages between Owner and Hauler according to the jury verdict. The proper method for calculating damages is first to deduct from the total damages the amount the plaintiff received from settling defendants and then to apportion the remaining damages between the plaintiff and non-settling defendants according to their respective percentages of fault. Jensen v. ARA Servs., Inc., 736 S.W.2d 374 (Mo. banc 1987). In this case, the trial court erred in subtracting the Adjuster's settlement from the total jury award after apportioning the damages. As a result, Owner's recovery was reduced by $15,000. The judgment of the trial court finding Owner's award to be $1,435,000 is reversed, and the case is remanded.