Opinion ID: 2051413
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Was the Evidence of Damages Sufficient?

Text: The defendants seek to uphold the trial court ruling setting aside the jury verdict on the basis that the plaintiffs introduced insufficient evidence of the amount of their damages. We have noted in the past that [t]here is a distinction between proof that a party has suffered damages and proof regarding the amount of those damages. Sun Valley Iowa Lake Ass'n v. Anderson, 551 N.W.2d 621, 641 (Iowa 1996). If the record is uncertain and speculative whether a party has sustained damages, the fact finder must deny recovery. But if the uncertainty is only in the amount of damages, a fact finder may allow recovery provided there is a reasonable basis in the evidence from which the fact finder can infer or approximate the damages. Id. (citation omitted). We think the evidence in the case before us gave the jury a reasonable basis from which to approximate the plaintiffs' damages. Each plaintiff testified to the representations made to him or her by Palmer and, in the case of Odom, by Jennison as to the salary and benefits they would receive. (These promises were purportedly made to encourage them to stay on as employees of AERS.) Each plaintiff, with the exception of Jay, also testified to the dollar amount of the promised salary and benefits that remained unpaid. Although Jay did not state the amount not paid to him, he did testify to the sums he was actually paid. From this testimony and Jay's statements as to the salary and benefits promised, the jury would be able to calculate the shortfall. Although the defendants attack the plausibility of the plaintiffs' damage calculations, the credibility of the plaintiffs' testimony was for the jury to decide. See Matthess v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 521 N.W.2d 699, 704 (Iowa 1994) (holding credibility of the witnesses' testimony with respect to damages was for the jury). At a minimum, the plaintiffs' testimony was sufficient to permit the issue of damages to go to the jury. Therefore, we cannot affirm the trial court's setting aside of the jury's verdict on the basis that the plaintiffs failed to prove the amount of their damages.