Opinion ID: 518423
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Past Wage Loss

Text: 31 Masinter argues that the record contains no evidence to support the district court's award of $30,392 for past wage loss. We disagree. Each party proffered expert witnesses who prepared schedules of past and future wage losses after taking into account various factors. The court found Marlin's expert Dr. Boudreaux to be more credible than Masinter's witness. Dr. Boudreaux calculated past wage loss for the years 1985 and 1986 by subtracting what Masinter earned during those years from what he would have earned had he continued to work at his pre-accident income level. Based on his 1984 tax return, Masinter would have earned $38,950 in each 1985 and 1986, or a total of $76,900. Masinter's actual gross income for those years was $17,148.84 in 1985 and $23,939.00 in 1986, or a total of $40,087.84. The pre-tax difference between what Masinter would have made and what he earned is approximately $36,813. After subtracting taxes from this amount, it becomes evident that the award of $30,392 is adequately supported by the record.