Opinion ID: 484641
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Trial of the Damages Issues

Text: 18 In March 1986, the damages issues were tried. Woodling sought damages for past and future losses of support, services, and fatherly care and guidance. She presented, inter alia, evidence that Albert Woodling's annual salary at the time of his death was approximately $32,000 and expert testimony as to his reasonably expected increases from age 34 to retirement and the likely effect of inflation on those earnings. The trial court permitted defendants to cross-examine Woodling's expert as to the likely effect of income taxes and social security taxes on Albert Woodling's lost future earnings. 19 The court submitted interrogatories to the jury with respect to each element of damage claimed by Woodling. It instructed the jury to deduct likely income taxes from Albert Woodling's gross income in calculating the amount to be awarded for lost support; no instruction was given with regard to the effect of social security taxes. As to the proper discount rate, reduced for the effect of inflation, the court instructed the jury as follows: 20 The plaintiffs' expert has suggested that the real investment return rate is 1 percent per year after allowing for the effects of inflation. Our appellate court has suggested that from an analysis of long term figures the real investment return rate has averaged one and a half or 2 percent per year. But these figures vary from time to time depending on economic conditions. You must determine what figure is appropriate in bringing the award down to present value. 21 Thus, you must award one sum for each of the future pecuniary losses which when invested will provide the widow and children with the same increasing values of future support[,] care and services that Albert Woodling if still alive would have provided to his family. 22 The jury returned its special verdict awarding Woodling a total of $1,055,000 for the following categories of injury: 23 Past loss of support $150,000 Future loss of support $600,000 Past loss of fatherly care and guidance $25,000 Future loss of fatherly care and guidance $235,000 Past loss of services $ 20,000 Future loss of services $ 25,000 24 Following this verdict, the court entered the final judgment here appealed, awarding Woodling the $1,055,000, plus $87,888 representing prejudgment interest for the period between Albert Woodling's death and the entry of judgment on the sums awarded for past losses, for a total of $1,142,888. The judgment reflected the jury's assessment of defendants' relative culpability (TGA 70%; Garrett 20%; Phoenix and Colt 5% each) by providing that each defendant was entitled to contribution from the others in accordance with that assessment. 25 Although TG had not been sued directly by Woodling, the court entered the judgment in Woodling's favor against TG as well on the basis that when TGA, as TG's wholly owned subsidiary, was dissolved in 1982, assets in excess of the amount of the judgment were distributed to TG. Motions to vacate or modify the judgment were denied, and these appeals followed.