Opinion ID: 2218989
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Evidence of Collateral Source Benefits.

Text: Because the issue is likely to arise again on retrial, we consider plaintiffs' claim that evidence of collateral source benefits was improperly allowed. At issue is that provision in Iowa Code section 147.136 (1991), which states: [T]he damages awarded shall not include actual economic losses incurred or to be incurred in the future ... to the extent that those losses are replaced or are indemnified by insurance, or by governmental, employment, or service benefit programs or from any other source except the assets of the claimant or of the members of the claimant's immediate family. Id. At trial, defendants were permitted to offer over plaintiffs' objection evidence of family support subsidy programs, in-home treatment services, licensed residential treatment facilities for handicapped children, Medicaid and SSI benefits and other family support subsidy programs. The witnesses who gave this evidence acknowledged that there were qualification requirements having to do with resources available to Jamie or other members of the Peters family. In addition, defendants were permitted to offer over plaintiffs' objection evidence of medical insurance available to Jamie through his father's employer, Iowa Beef Packing Company. The current lifetime maximum benefits for the existing plan are $150,000 of which $80,159 remains unpaid. Coverage is provided only if the employee continues employment with IBP or chooses to continue coverage through payment of premiums after employment termination. The thrust of plaintiffs' complaints concerning the admission of this evidence was the district court's failure to instruct the jury concerning the burden of proof in establishing the dollar amount by which any recovery should be diminished based on the contingencies that existed with respect to receipt of the collateral source payments. In addition to not instructing on the burden of proof, nothing in the court's instructions required the jury to resolve the several factual issues presented over collateral source benefits. Because of the considerable uncertainty that existed with respect to the monetary value of these potential benefits, we believe it was essential that the jury be instructed as to the contingencies involved and that they be required to make specific findings concerning what collateral source amounts were in fact available to plaintiffs. The burden of proof on these issues should have been placed on defendants. We have considered all issues presented and conclude that for the reasons stated in Division II of this opinion the district court must be reversed. The case is remanded to that court for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion. REVERSED AND REMANDED.