Opinion ID: 1720809
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Loss of Earnings and Expenses.

Text: It was stipulated, in open court, between the parties that the plaintiff's wage loss for the late summer and fall following his accident was $812.50, and that he incurred travel expenses in the amount of $266.80. The jury awarded the plaintiff $2,410 for loss of earnings. There is no evidence that the plaintiff will suffer any future loss of earnings. At the time of trial, he was completing his last semester of college. He had a position as a social worker awaiting him upon graduation at a salary of $540 a month. However, it is undisputed that the plaintiff's injury delayed his graduation from college by one semester, four months. The appellant submits that the jury instructions told the jury to include future loss of earnings with the permanent injury item of damages. However, we are of the opinion that the personal injury and loss of earnings items of damages were sufficiently differentiated in the instructions. [1] In addition to the immediate loss of earnings due to his injury, the jury was instructed to consider impairment of earning capacity suffered to date and reasonably certain to be suffered in the future. The instruction as given referred to all the damage items in question six of the special verdict: (a) doctor bills, (b) loss of earnings, (c) transportation expenses incurred for treatment of injuries, and (d) personal injuries. The fact the plaintiff's graduation from college was delayed for one semester as a result of the injury and that he had a position awaiting him upon graduation at a salary of $540 a month is a reasonable basis upon which the jury could reach its determination as to loss of earning capacity suffered to the date of the trial, and affords credible evidence to support the jury's determination. Question 6(c) of the special verdict was answered by the jury as follows: As Stipulated In Court. The question relates to the plaintiff's transportation expenses. On defendant's appeal, the plaintiff seeks review of the judgment to include 90 percent of the transportation expenses, which were stipulated at the trial to be $266.80. The appellant does not oppose this request for review and the judgment is so modified.