Opinion ID: 1212962
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the procedural development

Text: The complaint filed by the plaintiff alleged personal injury and asked for compensation for past and future medical costs, past and future pain, past and future loss of earnings, loss of personal property and such other and further relief as the court deems just. The plaintiff's pretrial statement represented that the plaintiff would prove medical expenses, lost personal property, pain and suffering, and other damages claimed. The joint pretrial memorandum states that plaintiff has filed suit seeking past and future medical expenses, past and future pain and suffering, injury to personal property, and past and future loss of earnings. The trial judge's pretrial conference report and order incorporate the joint pretrial memorandum by reference. At the trial, the following discussion of the issues took place before any witnesses were called: THE COURT: All right... . Future medical expense, we don't know. Past pain and suffering, we don't know.       THE COURT: ... Past Loss [sic] wages.       THE COURT: And future lost wages, we don't know. And future pain and suffering, we don't know. MR. WALKER [defendant's counsel]: Correct, your Honor. THE COURT: So those are really the issues before the Court in this case. MR. SMITH [plaintiff's counsel]: Right. THE COURT: All right. The evidence which supports the loss-of-enjoyment-of-life claim is plaintiff's testimony that he had been forced, since the accident, to discontinue or reduce many activities which he had enjoyed prior to the accident. Such testimony was not objected to, but, of course, such testimony was also relevant to prove the existence of pain occurring after the accident. In his judgment, the trial judge awarded the damages already discussed but denied recovery for future medical expenses and for future lost wages.