Opinion ID: 2226673
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Trial Court Finding of Proximate Cause.

Text: Finally, the State asserts that the injuries Sherrod now complains of were not proximately caused by Palmer's attack. In support of this assertion, the State contends that the record reflects Sherrod complained of headaches long before Palmer's attack and that the physician who treated Sherrod after his injuries, Dr. Sposato, was of the opinion that Sherrod's current symptoms were not caused by Palmer's attack. Instead, Dr. Sposato opined that Sherrod's current symptoms were caused by his employment in the meatpacking industry subsequent to his release from prison. On the other hand, Dr. Burkman testified that Sherrod's posttraumatic myofascial pain syndrome resulted from the attack Sherrod suffered in prison. Dr. Taylon was of the opinion that Sherrod's previously asymptomatic Chiari-1 malformation was aggravated and became symptomatic as a result of the prison assault. In essence, the State asks this court to give less weight to Sherrod's experts, Drs. Burkman and Taylon, and more weight to its expert, Dr. Sposato, than did the trial court. This we will not do. Determining the weight that should be given expert testimony is uniquely the province of the fact finder. McWhirt v. Heavey, 250 Neb. 536, 550 N.W.2d 327 (1996). There was clearly sufficient evidence to support the trial court's finding that Sherrod's injuries now complained of were a result of the assault in prison.