Opinion ID: 1543224
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Check dated 7-10-98 in the amount of $ 7,012.00; payment for Lost Income.[2]

Text: After receiving the payments, Douglas and Columbia Insurance attempted to settle the entire liability matter. Their efforts were unavailing. On April 5, 1999, Douglas and his wife, Anna Douglas, filed a personal-injury complaint against Adams Trucking and alleged negligence. They asked for damages for pain and suffering, disfigurement, permanent injuries, lost wages, loss of present and future earning capacity, and loss of consortium. On February 22, 2000, Adams Trucking moved for offset for all of the advance payments, which totaled $110,220.13. The Douglases responded and denied that any payments were made directly to them as advance payments on any liability claim. They further asserted that there was no agreement between the parties that the funds were paid for the damages they sustained. On March 9, 2000, the circuit court held a pretrial hearing on the motion for offset. At the hearing, counsel for the Douglases urged the court to instruct the jury to break down any damages awarded into specific elements such as medical expenses, property loss, and lost earnings and profits. The circuit court tentatively agreed to do this but reserved ruling on whether a credit for advance payments would be allowed against a total damage award or whether the credit would only be allowed for advance payments which corresponded with a specific element of damage. Trial of this matter commenced on March 20, 2000. Prior to the submission of the case to the jury, it was stipulated by the parties and presented to the jury that Loye Douglas or the Douglases had incurred the following damages: (1) property damage in the amount of $18,625.00; (2) medical bills in the amount of $18,098.24; and (3) paid outside help in the amount of $8,904.00. [3] The case was submitted to the jury as a special verdict with the elements of damage broken out, and the jury returned a verdict in favor of Loye Douglas, awarding him: Medical Expenses $ 19,000.00; Personal Property $ 19,000.00; Lost Earnings and Profits $ 40,000.00; Nature and Permanency of Injury $ 0.00; Pain and Suffering $100,000.00; Lost of Ability to Earn $ 0.00. The circuit court conducted a posttrial hearing on the offset issue on March 29, 2000. At that hearing, Loye Douglas testified about the advance payments by Columbia Insurance, and the court received evidence. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court found that Adams Trucking was entitled to an offset in the total amount of advance payments, which was $108,734.57. This amount included the following advance payments but excluded the $1,099.46 paid to the Douglas family for reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses: (1) $63,111.33 for lost wages, (2) $18,625.00 for property loss, (3) $18,098.24 for medical expenses, and (4) $8,900.00 for the hiring of outside help. That left an unpaid judgment to be paid by Adams Trucking of $69,265.43.