Opinion ID: 1482032
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: issues

Text: The defendant seeks a new trial on liability and damages. He argues that the trial justice's failure to instruct the jury on the law of negligent infliction of emotional distress was a fundamental error of law that constitutes a fatal flaw in the entire verdict. He assigns error to the trial justice's denial of a directed verdict on the count of intentional infliction of emotional distress because plaintiff allegedly failed to demonstrate any physical symptomatology or to causally connect his symptoms with the incident. The defendant also maintains that reversible error was committed by the trial justice when she allowed evidence of defendant's nolo contendere plea, arguing that permitting the jury to hear of his nolo plea was unfairly prejudicial. He further urges that the testimony of plaintiffs psychiatrist was improperly admitted because plaintiff failed to comply with the Rule 33(c) of the Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure discovery requirement that defendant be given notice of the identity of a testifying expert witness before trial. Moreover, defendant submits that the punitive damage award should be vacated because it was inappropriately awarded due to a lack of any evidence presented by plaintiff with regard to defendant's financial condition. We address each of these issues herein.