Opinion ID: 1789131
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: was the award of compensatory damages grossly excessive?

Text: Under this assignment of error, South Central Bell contends that the jury's verdict of $75,000.00 compensatory damages was grossly excessive and should be set aside by this Court. Bell argues that Mrs. Epps sustained very little medical expenses, no future medical expenses, and no permanent injuries. As such, they contend that the jury's verdict was against the overwhelming weight of the evidence and a product of bias, passion and prejudice. We do not agree. As a general rule, the measure of compensatory damages for breach of a telephone service contract is the amount which will compensate the injured subscriber for all losses and damages sustained as a direct or approximate consequence of the breach of that contract. See 86 C.J.S. Telegraphs, Telephones, Radio & Television, § 273 at 286-287 (1954). Additionally, we have held that where telephone services are wrongfully disconnected, the subscriber is entitled to recover actual damages as well as damages occasioned by the inconvenience and the annoyance caused by the deprivation of services. Cumberland Telegraph & Tel. Co. v. Hobart, 89 Miss. 252, 261-263, 42 So. 349, 350-51 (1906). However, damages for physical pain and suffering or mental pain and suffering are generally not recoverable absent a showing that the telephone company had knowledge of some special circumstances surrounding the subscriber's account which could cause such damages to occur. 86 C.J.S. at 286. Reviewing the record at hand, we find that South Central Bell was aware of special circumstances surrounding Mrs. Epps' account. When Mrs. Epps applied for reconnection of her services, Bell's employees were informed of her previous illness. Further, Bell's employees knew that Epps was an elderly subscriber residing in a rural community and that she needed and relied on her phone in order to remain at her home. Under these facts, we think that it would be reasonably foreseeable that the wrongful termination of Mrs. Epps' services could cause her to suffer both mental anguish and physical pain and suffering, especially where the services were terminated without further notice and in such an abrupt manner. Additionally, we find that there was sufficient evidence to justify the jury's award of compensatory damages. Mrs. Epps was admitted to the hospital shortly after her telephone was disconnected. While there, she was treated for a variety of symptoms, including acute anxiety, headaches, nervousness, and blackouts. Further, Mrs. Epps developed a condition of involuntary voiding of her urine while she was hospitalized and continued to suffer from that condition after she was released from the hospital. There can be no question that she also suffered extreme mental anguish due to the incident, which undoubtedly aggravated her previous health problems. These injuries, both mental and physical, were a direct and proximate result of the breach of the subscribers' contract. In City of Jackson v. Locklar, 431 So.2d 475 (Miss. 1983), we stated that when reviewing the verdict of a jury, we will consider the evidence in a light most favorable to the plaintiff, together with all reasonable inferences that can be drawn therefrom. Locklar, 431 So.2d at 478, 481. Further, we have held that when an issue of damages is properly before a jury, their verdict will not be vacated or reduced unless it is so out of line in light of the evidence so as to shock the conscience of the court. Anderson v. Jaeger, 317 So.2d 902, 907 (Miss. 1975). The measure of damages in cases of this nature are necessarily difficult to ascertain. They include a combination of both damages normally associated with personal injury and damages normally associated with breach of contract. The jury of course is required to look at all the alleged injuries to determine the extent of the damages. From our review of the record, it is clear that Mrs. Epps was hospitalized, experienced mental pain and suffering, and continued to suffer the effects of the incidents long after her release from the hospital. We find that the jury was reasonable in its assessments of damages and that their verdict is neither against the overwhelming weight of the evidence nor the product of bias, passion or prejudice. Accordingly, we affirm the jury's verdict of compensatory damages and find South Central Bell's assignments of error on this issue to be without merit. Finally, we note that the remaining assignments of error are simply part of the issues we resolve today. As such, we need not address those assignments of error specifically. For the reasons stated, we reverse the award of punitive damages and affirm the award of compensatory damages. THE AWARD OF COMPENSATORY DAMAGES IS HEREBY AFFIRMED; THE AWARD OF PUNITIVE DAMAGES IS HEREBY REVERSED AND RENDERED. WALKER, C.J., ROY NOBLE LEE and HAWKINS, P.JJ., DAN M. LEE, PRATHER, ROBERTSON, ANDERSON and GRIFFIN, JJ., concur.