Opinion ID: 1894141
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Was the compensatory-damages award supported by the evidence?

Text: The Liberty National defendants argue that the trial court erred in denying their motions for a remittitur and their motions for a new trial, because, they argue, the jury's award of $300,000 in compensatory damages was not supported by the evidence. According to the Liberty National defendants, a jury verdict awarding damages for mental anguish is subject to strict scrutiny in a case where the plaintiff has suffered no physical injury or offers little or no direct evidence concerning the degree of his alleged mental anguish. See Kmart Corp., 723 So.2d at 578. The Liberty National defendants argue that the only evidence regarding Daugherty's alleged mental anguish was the nonspecific and indefinite testimony of Daugherty and his wife and that this testimony alone is not sufficient to sustain a $300,000 compensatory-damages award. Based upon the previous discussion of the presumption of injury to reputation, we cannot assume that the entire award should be viewed as related only to mental anguish. Nevertheless, this Court has stated the following with respect to the quantum of proof necessary to support damages for mental anguish: `Under Alabama law, the presence of physical injury or physical symptoms is not a prerequisite for a claim for damages for mental anguish. The plaintiff is only required to present some evidence of mental anguish, and once the plaintiff has done so, the question of damages for mental anguish is for the jury. The amount of the jury's award is left to the jury's sound discretion, and the jury's award will not be set aside absent a clear abuse of discretion. Also, a jury's verdict is presumed correct, and that presumption is strengthened by the trial court's denial of a motion for new trial.' Horton Homes, Inc. v. Brooks, 832 So.2d 44, 53 (Ala.2001), quoting Kmart Corp., 723 So.2d at 578. The testimony of a witness is admissible to prove that he or she suffered mental anguish as a result of the alleged wrongdoing by the defendant. Orkin Exterminating Co. v. Jeter, 832 So.2d 25 (Ala.2001). However, we give stricter scrutiny to an award of damages for mental anguish where the victim has offered little or no direct evidence concerning the degree of suffering he or she has experienced. Horton Homes, supra. Mental anguish includes anxiety, embarrassment, anger, fear, frustration, disappointment, worry, annoyance, and inconvenience. Horton Homes, 832 So.2d at 53. Daugherty testified that from 1994 until he sued the Liberty National defendants in 1996, he received approximately 25 to 30 telephone calls from former Liberty National customers regarding visits they had received from Hartley. Daugherty testified that as a result of the telephone calls he began to develop high blood pressure, became very irritable, and felt terrible. Daugherty testified that the stress related to Hartley's statements adversely impacted his relationship with his wife. He testified that during this period he would go home and say things to his wife that he should not have said to her. Daugherty testified that as a result of Hartley's statements he became fearful that he would lose his insurance license, that he would be sued, and that he would not be able to support his family. Daugherty testified that he had worked all his life to build a good name, and he felt that his name was being destroyed. Sybil Daugherty, Daugherty's wife, also testified regarding Daugherty's mental anguish. She testified that since learning of Hartley's statements, Daugherty had been depressed, worried, and anguished. She testified that Daugherty could not sleep at night. She testified that Daugherty often woke up in the middle of the night and that when he did she and he would sit and talk. She testified that Daugherty worried a lot about his reputation and that Hartley's statements had caused Daugherty to become irritable with her at times. The fact that the Liberty National defendants may not have succeeded in ruining Daugherty's reputation does not justify a reduction of the damages awarded for mental anguish sustained while worrying day and night as to whether the slanderous statements would gain traction in the community. The testimony of Daugherty and his wife described mental anguish over a period of approximately two years in sufficient detail to permit a thorough cross-examination. While the jury's verdict of $300,000 is higher than a Justice of this Court, sitting as a juror, might have awarded, that is not the test to determine whether such an award is excessive. This award is sufficiently grounded in evidence to withstand the strict scrutiny of the jury's verdict mandated by Kmart.