Opinion ID: 1794630
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: issue of proof of damages

Text: Having found that the evidence supports the conclusion Rasmussen breached his duty to Bristol and that Rasmussen's acts were the proximate cause of the damage sustained by Bristol, we now turn to the issue of whether the damages awarded Bristol were in conformance with Nebraska law. While damages need not be proved with mathematical certainty, neither can they be established by evidence which is speculative and conjectural. Lone Cedar Ranches v. Jandebeur, 246 Neb. 769, 523 N.W.2d 364 (1994). The question of whether damage based on the destruction of an unmatured crop is speculative is decided by whether there is sufficient data to determine with reasonable certainty the probable value it would have had if it had matured. Patrick v. City of Bellevue, 164 Neb. 196, 82 N.W.2d 274 (1957). The amount of damages to be awarded is a determination solely for the fact finder, and its action in this respect will not be disturbed on appeal if it is supported by the evidence and bears a reasonable relationship to the elements of the damages proved. Records v. Christensen, 246 Neb. 912, 524 N.W.2d 757 (1994); McDonald v. Miller, 246 Neb. 144, 518 N.W.2d 80 (1994). In awarding damages, the fact finder is not required to accept a party's evidence of damages at face value, even though that evidence is not contradicted by evidence adduced by the party against whom the judgment is to be entered. Schuessler v. Benchmark Mktg. & Consulting, 243 Neb. 425, 500 N.W.2d 529 (1993). The measure of damages for the destruction of an unmatured growing crop is the value the crop would have had if it had matured, minus any savings to the plaintiff in the costs of producing, harvesting, and transporting the crop to market. Romshek v. Osantowski, 237 Neb. 426, 466 N.W.2d 482 (1991). Damages based upon the value of an unmatured crop are analogous to profits lost and are governed by the same rule precluding recovery in cases of either uncertainty or remoteness. Id. The value of a matured crop may be proved by showing the market value, less the necessary costs of producing, harvesting, and transporting the crop to market. See Hopper v. Elkhorn Valley Drainage District, 108 Neb. 550, 188 N.W. 239 (1922). However, there are several factors that assist the trier of fact in determining the value of an unmatured crop at the time of its injury or destruction, including: the nature of the land; the type of crop planted; the kind of season, whether wet or dry; the yield of crops growing in such a season; the average yield of crops on neighboring land; the development of the crop at the time of destruction; the yield of a similar crop not injured; the market value of the crop as injured; the market value of the probable crop without injury; the time of the injury; the expense that would have been incurred if the crop had not been injured; the circumstances which surrounded the crop which may have resulted in the crop's not maturing; and all other circumstances illustrated by the evidence tending to establish such value. Romshek v. Osantowski, supra (citing Hopper v. Elkhorn Valley Drainage District, supra ). The trial court properly identified the measure of damages to unmatured growing crops and cited the factors to be considered from Hopper v. Elkhorn Valley Drainage District, supra . The court specifically identified four factors that were considered in awarding damages in this case: (1) the acres affected by Rasmussen's negligence, (2) the reasonably probable yield from those acres, (3) the market value of the crops destroyed, and (4) the cost saved by Bristol in not having to finish producing and in not having to harvest and transport the crop to market.