Opinion ID: 1966853
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the trial court abused its discretion by denying defendant's motion to pass the case and for a new trial on the issue of liability after finding the jury was improperly influenced and acted out of passion and sympathy for plaintiff

Text: This motion is premised upon the failure of the court to pass the case, or in the alternative, to grant a motion for new trial on the issue of liability as well as damages when it found that the verdict on punitive damages reflected an attempt to compensate plaintiff for a medical condition. The short answer to this issue is that the trial justice specifically found that the evidence strongly supported the jury's finding on liability and that this finding was in no way based upon passion or prejudice. The trial justice determined that the prejudicial effect of the jury's verdict was confined to damages only. We are of the opinion that the trial justice was correct in his evaluation of the evidence concerning liability. Consequently, in light of these findings the trial justice properly applied the law of this jurisdiction by granting a new trial on the issue of damages only and thereby avoiding the cost in time and money of conducting a new trial on all issues. See Morgan v. DiBiase, 121 R.I. 826, 833, 403 A.2d 1080, 1083 (1979). See also Brimbau v. Ausdale Equipment Rental Corp., 120 R.I. 670, 672, 389 A.2d 1254, 1255 (1978).