Opinion ID: 1503908
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Instructions as to Damages.

Text: Strictly speaking, there was no assignment of error in the instructions with respect to damages. After the original instruction to the jury had been made, the plaintiff objected to two omissions in the charge by pointing out to the trial judge that he had omitted any mention of the plaintiff's inability to do her household duties, and that the court had denied her any recovery for her crippled condition. The judge by his amended charge instructed the jury that the plaintiff was entitled to a fair and reasonable [sum] for the    loss of use of her hands in personal or household matters, in addition to the loss of earning power. On appeal the plaintiff contends that the court did not include in the amended instruction the omissions from the original instruction except in the alternative. She insists that a proper instruction would have informed the jury that she was entitled to compensation for her crippled condition and disability, not only with respect to her earning power but also with respect to her ability to perform her household duties and other personal matters. Even if we assume that the plaintiff's contentions are correct, we are without authority to consider the matter for the simple reason that she failed to object to the amended instruction pursuant to Maryland Rule 554 d. We think it is clear that Rule 554 is as applicable to an amended instruction as it is to an original instruction, and that a party must fully comply with the requirements of the rule at every stage of the instructions in order to preserve his rights; otherwise there is nothing for us to consider on an appeal. However, in this instance, since the case is to be retried, we think it is desirable, if not necessary, for us to comment briefly on the instructions of the court with respect to damages. If the original and amended instructions are read together as we read them, we think it is clear that the charge as a whole contains a fair statement of the law with respect to damages in a case such as this. See West v. Belle Isle Cab Co., 203 Md. 244, 100 A.2d 17 (1953). The law on the subject was fairly covered by the instructions in the present case, and that is all the rule requires. We have repeatedly stressed the fact that we cannot put the trial judge in a strait jacket and prescribe or adopt a formula to be used and followed by him, with respect to his instructions to the jury. State, use of Taylor v. Barlly, 216 Md. 94, 140 A.2d 173 (1958), and cases therein cited. We have also held that it is sufficient if the question or point of law involved is fully and comprehensively covered by the judge in his instructions. Ager v. Baltimore Transit Co., 213 Md. 414, 132 A.2d 469 (1957). For the reasons assigned the judgment must be reversed, and the case remanded for a new trial. Judgment Reversed and Case Remanded for a New Trial, the Appellee to Pay the Costs. HAMMOND J., filed the following dissenting opinion. I agree with the Court that the trial judge should have asked the jurors on voir dire substantially the questions that appellant's counsel requested. I see no need to reverse, however, for prejudice was not shown and is not fairly inferable. The jurors sitting on front benches, but a few feet from the clerk, hardly can fail to have heard the names of the parties when the case was called for trial a few minutes before Judge Niles asked the question he did as to possible prejudice as to a religious corporation. Immediately after he asked it the jurors again heard the names of the parties, when they were sworn. No juror could have failed to know that the Roman Catholic Archbishop was the religious corporation to which possible prejudice was to be related and no juror felt disqualified. The Court's decision on the use of the altered statement of the witness Moore seems to me wrong and unfortunate. It is still the rule in Maryland  whether or not it is a good or bad rule  that negligence cases are supposed to be tried and determined as if insurance were not involved  even negligence cases against charitable corporations. If the defendant brings out the fact that he is insured generally he may not call for a mistrial even though, in the words of this Court as to juries in International Co. v. Clark, 147 Md. 34, 42, it seems to be natural and a weakness of human nature to allow the fact that the record defendant will not have to pay the judgment, to influence them in their verdict   . If the aim is to continue to be to keep from the jury whether or not the defendant is insured, a defendant who desires to bring out the truth by use of a statement that contains a reference to insurance should be allowed to alter the statement even to the point of slight distortion of meaning, and use it. A fundamental and primary purpose of a law suit is to reveal the true facts. Because a law suit is an adversary contest is no reason to put difficulties in the way of this purpose by hampering a party who seeks to show facts favorable to him. The Court has erected such a road block by finding a distortion of meaning where none existed and thus requiring a defendant to elect between not using a paper calculated to draw out the truth and using it at the disadvantage of letting the jury know he is insured. Father Monmonier's reply to Mrs. Brown's statement that the floor was slippery and she hoped the church's insurance was paid up  that she was not to worry about it,  could have meant any one or more of a number of things. It could have been intended, for example, to say politely, that the matter was none of Mrs. Brown's business, or to say that which ought to be done under the circumstances would be done. As altered the statement said the floor was slippery and Father said not to worry about it. The reply to Mrs. Brown's remark, as changed, meant just as much or just as little as the reply to her original remark. Certainly there was no substantial alteration of meaning, or even the slightest of distortions. It may well be that the rule as to the jury's knowledge of insurance should be changed. If so, it should be done directly by the Legislature. The Court should not, I feel, change it piecemeal by requiring a defendant to reveal the fact he is insured or lose the use of a weapon effective in bringing out the truth. By straining to find an altered meaning, where none existed, the Court has begun the change in the instant case, it seems to me.