Opinion ID: 1424214
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the superior court's denial of a new trial.

Text: Beadles' primary contention here is that the superior court erred in refusing to grant a new trial because the jury's verdict of $270,918.00 was below the sum of Beadles' estimated past lost wages and his medical expenses. [3] The grant or denial of a motion for a new trial rests in the sound discretion of the trial court. We will not interfere with the trial court's discretion except in the most exceptional circumstances and to prevent a miscarriage of justice. Ahlstrom v. Cummings, 388 P.2d 261, 262 (Alaska 1964). A motion for new trial will be granted where the evidence to support the verdict is completely lacking or is so slight and unconvincing as to make the verdict plainly unreasonable and unjust. Sloan v. Atlantic Richfield Co., 541 P.2d 717, 724 (Alaska 1975), vacated on other grounds, 552 P.2d 157 (Alaska 1976), quoting Ahlstrom, 388 P.2d at 262. If there is an evidentiary basis for the jury's decision, denial of the motion for a new trial will be affirmed. City of Whittier v. Whittier Fuel & Marine Corp., 577 P.2d 216, 222 (Alaska 1978). Here we conclude that the superior court did not abuse its discretion in denying Beadles' motion for a new trial. Our review of the record does not lead us to believe that the evidence supporting the jury's damage award is so lacking as to make the award plainly unreasonable and unjust. The evidence indicated that Beadles' lost wages up to the time of trial totaled $201,914.00. Witnesses testified that Beadles had the capacity to become a vocational education instructor, engineer, or other related professional, and that he was a highly competent individual. Given the evidence as to lost wages and the stipulated amount of $29,813.24 of medical expenses, it is clear that the jury's determination of damages fell within the range of the evidence presented. [4]