Opinion ID: 72339
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: fraudulent suppression

Text: 19 The second issue we address is whether the trial court erred in denying MML's motion for judgment as a matter of law as to McGriff's claim that in the fall of 1994, MML fraudulently suppressed the fact that MML was contemplating his termination while, at the same time, encouraging him to place additional business with MML. Under Alabama law, to succeed on a claim of fraudulent suppression, McGriff must show that MML failed to disclose a material fact, thereby creating a false impression on which McGriff relied, believing it to be true, which proximately caused damages. See Ford New Holland, Inc. v. Proctor-Russell Tractor Co., 630 So.2d 395, 398 (Ala.1993). Specifically, McGriff points to the letter dated September 13, which stated that [i]t is time to put the past behind us and build for the future. McGriff testified that this letter led him to believe his position with MML was somewhat secure and induced him to place a considerable amount of business with MML. McGriff presented evidence that at the same time he received this letter, MML was at least contemplating the termination of unsupervised agents such as McGriff. Further, an internal memo dated October 4 specifically proposed appointing Diane Cook as service representative for the Birmingham service office but terminating all other agents. McGriff claims that had he known that his position with MML was in jeopardy, he would not have placed the additional business with MML. McGriff testified that he lost the income flow of at least some of these annuities when he was terminated from MML. 20 Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to McGriff, we conclude that McGriff presented substantial evidence to support a verdict in his favor on the fraudulent suppression claim. McGriff presented evidence that MML knew at the time it sent the letter dated September 13 to McGriff or shortly thereafter that McGriff's position was in jeopardy, that the September 13 letter induced him to place additional business with MML that he would have placed elsewhere had he known his position was in jeopardy, and that he suffered damages as a result in the form of lost income flow from the annuities that he placed with MML rather than with other companies for whom he was an agent. Therefore, the district court did not err in denying MML's motion for judgment as a matter of law on the fraudulent suppression claim. 21 Our decision to reverse the district court's denial of MML's motion for judgment as a matter of law on the fraudulent inducement claim requires a new trial. 2 A general verdict was returned by the jury. Thus, the verdict could have been based upon two possible claims, one of which was improperly submitted to the jury. Because we have no evidence upon which to determine the basis of the verdict reached by the jury, the verdict must be set aside. See Grant v. Preferred Research, Inc., 885 F.2d 795, 800 (11th Cir.1989) (citations omitted). We vacate the judgment of the district court; the fraudulent suppression claim is remanded for a new trial on both the issue of MML's liability as to the fraudulent suppression claim and the amount of damages, if any, arising from that claim; the district court is instructed to enter judgment in favor of MML on the fraudulent inducement claim. 22 VACATED AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS.