Opinion ID: 1710560
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Was the jury's award of damages for future pain and suffering excessive?

Text: Appellants next contend that the award of $9,000 to the eighty-four-year-old plaintiff for future pain and suffering is excessive. This contention was made in motions after verdict and the trial court found the award not to be excessive. Where such a contention is made at the appellate level . . . The verdict will not be upset merely because the award was large or because the reviewing court would have awarded a lesser amount, but rather only where it is so excessive as to indicate that it resulted from passion, prejudice, or corruption, or a disregard of the evidence or applicable rules of law. [3] Our central inquiry must be to the question of whether there is credible evidence to support the jury's finding. A separate jury determination was made for pain and suffering from the time of the accident (January 16, 1969) to the date of trial (April 2, 1970) as $3,000. Therefore, the finding of the jury as to future pain and suffering was to cover damages by reason of permanent injury, and pain and suffering subsequent to the trial. Evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict. [4] After the left hip fracture, Merz had a Jewitt nail inserted in his injured hip. At the time of trial there was some limitation of motion. Although the hip operation was successful there still remained pain with extremes of motion. Merz had a slight limp. Appellants do not question the fact that there are residuals but contend that the evidence as to these residuals does not justify the amount awarded by the jury. There is no question but that the entire life-style of the plaintiff was changed by this accident. He no longer can do house or yard chores, shopping, or do other things to accommodate his wheelchaired wife. While he had been an active and alert individual prior to the accident, his mobility after the accident was decreased. Under the circumstances we think it is entirely within the range of reason for the jury to award $9,000. Although it may be that his life expectancy was limited to between 2 to 4.2 additional years, this does not mean that he should be foreclosed from receiving the award made here. In recent years we have reviewed a number of jury verdicts in which the claim is made that awards have been excessive in view of the substantial age and short life expectancy of the parties injured. We have said: While age and life expectancy are entirely proper items for consideration in the assessment of damage awards, it does not follow that persons of advanced years are to be foreclosed from receiving substantial awards. [5] We conclude that the evidence supports the jury's award of damages.