Opinion ID: 1860874
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Directed Verdict for Elam

Text: Elam claims that the circuit court erroneously failed to grant his motion for directed verdict, because all the experts and witnesses agreed on the nature of bipolar affective disorder. First Unum responds that the circuit court properly denied Elam's directed verdict motion, because disputed evidence was presented at trial concerning the meaning of mental illness. For example, Dr. Bowden testified that bipolar affective disorder is a biological disease of the brain; Dr. Don Martin testified that bipolar affective disorder is a mood disorder and a mental illness; and Dr. Larry Miller testified that bipolar affective disorder is classified as a mental illness and a disease of the brain. The circuit court did not err in refusing to grant Elam's directed-verdict motion. The extrinsic evidence clearly was not all in accordance with Elam's position that bipolar affective disorder is biological and not a mental illness. As such, the issue was properly submitted to the jury. There was no error by the circuit court in this regard.