Opinion ID: 1292929
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Did the trial court err in granting a new trial?

Text: Gilbert argues that the trial court erred in granting Lane a new trial. We disagree. In South Carolina, a trial judge may grant a new trial following a jury verdict under the Thirteenth Juror Doctrine. The doctrine entitles the judge to sit, in essence, as the thirteenth juror when he finds `the evidence does not justify the verdict,' and then to grant a new trial based solely `upon the facts.' Norton v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co., 350 S.C. 473, 478, 567 S.E.2d 851, 854 (2002), citing Folkens v. Hunt, 300 S.C. 251, 387 S.E.2d 265 (1990). As the thirteenth juror, the trial judge can hang the jury by refusing to agree to the jury's otherwise unanimous verdict. Id. Upon review, a trial judge's order granting or denying a new trial will be upheld unless the order is wholly unsupported by the evidence, or the conclusion reached was controlled by an error of law. Norton, 350 S.C. at 478, 567 S.E.2d at 854. This Court's review is limited to consideration of whether evidence exists to support the trial court's order. Id. at 478-79, 567 S.E.2d at 854. As long as there is conflicting evidence, this Court has held the trial judge's grant of a new trial will not be disturbed. Id. The judge is not required to explain the reasons for his decision. Id. In this case, however, the trial judge provided an explanation in the order granting the motion for a new trial. The court noted that Lane presented evidence at trial, which was uncontested by the defendant, of actual medical costs of $73,754, lost wages from the date of injury up until the time of trial of $17,248, and a 21% permanent impairment rating. The court also noted that the jury heard testimony from two experts opining that Lane suffered a loss of personal services to his family equivalent to $19,381, such as household chores, and is unable to perform the duties required by his prior job as an HVAC mechanic. The court concluded: [A]fter careful review of all of the facts and circumstances of this case and other cases in the state of South Carolina, this Court believes that an amount of Seventy Five Thousand and no/100 ($75,000.00) Dollars can only be explained on the basis of passion, prejudice or caprice on the part of the jury. The jury's verdict in this case shocks the conscience of this Court, as an award of damages, particularly the considerations, or lack thereof, of the uncontested damages presented by the Plaintiff, including a Twenty-One (21%) percent permanent impairment to health. As such, this Court finds that the jury's verdict in this matter is grossly inadequate in light of the evidence presented. The trial judge then granted Lane's motion for a new trial absolute.
Gilbert first argues that it was legal error for the trial judge to base his order on the idea that certain damages were uncontested. Gilbert contends that it  did contest those damages, denying them in its Answer, by not stipulating as to damages and by questioning Lane's claims in cross-examining various witnesses about them. In Gilbert's view, the trial court's Order implied that Gilbert was required to put up witnesses to contest the claim of damages and thereby shifted the burden of proof from the plaintiff to the defendant. We disagree. In considering a motion for a new trial, the trial judge must look to see if the evidence justifies the jury verdict. See Norton, 350 S.C. at 478, 567 S.E.2d at 854. The court, in making such an inquiry, is perfectly justified in noting whether the evidence presented to the jury was or was not challenged in front of the jury. Moreover, the trial judge's statement that certain evidence was uncontested was not factually incorrect, since the evidence in question was not challenged by Gilbert at trial, even on cross-examination. Gilbert's counsel told the jury in his opening statement: We are not contesting that he was injured. We are not going to challenge those areas about his life. He was injured. He has undergone a lot of medical treatment. But, there is one part of his damages that we are going to talk about. We do take exception to the future los[t] wages that you are going to hear. As promised, Gilbert did not challenge the medical costs, lost wages prior to trial, or physical impairment rating. Instead, Gilbert chose to focus on disputing Lane's claims for future lost wages, and succeeded as the jury awarded $0 for that particular claim. The trial court committed no error in noting that certain damages were uncontested in its order granting a new trial.
Gilbert contends that the trial court erred in granting a new trial because there is no evidence to support the order. We disagree. On a special verdict form, the jury awarded $75,000 in actual damages of which it attributed $0 to future diminished earning capacity. Gilbert argues that the jury properly declined to award earning capacity since, at the time of trial, Lane was employed in a job that paid better than his previous job. Gilbert also posits reasons why the jury might choose to reduce the awards for pre-trial personal services, pain and suffering, and medical bills. [1] Gilbert's points are not entirely without merit. However, the question before this Court on appeal is whether the trial court's decision to grant a new trial is wholly unsupported by the evidence. See Norton, 350 S.C. at 478, 567 S.E.2d at 854. In the instant case, Lane presented evidence of $73,754 in medical bills and $17,248 in lost wages up to the time of trial, neither of which was challenged by Gilbert. Lane also presented evidence that Lane has a 21% physical impairment, experienced pain and suffering related to the accident, and suffered a loss of personal services to his family of $19,381. We find the trial court's decision order granting a new trial is supported by the evidence.