Opinion ID: 1703084
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶ 2. The Court of Appeals' majority opinion included the following recitation of facts: A Redd Pest Control employee delivered his service truck to Weathersby Chevrolet complaining that the air conditioning unit had begun to turn on and off of its own volition. A Weathersby Chevrolet mechanic replaced the air conditioner control panel for the unit, after which the air conditioning system again worked satisfactorily. Approximately five days later and after the truck had been driven approximately 310 miles, the Redd Pest Control employee noticed smoke coming from the center area of the dashboard, which is where the air conditioner control panel is physically located. The employee discovered that the smoke was coming from a fire burning under the dash but he was unable to extinguish the blaze. The truck and all equipment installed on the truck were destroyed. At trial, the Redd Pest Control employee testified that, from the time of repair until he noticed smoke coming from the dashboard, the air conditioning system had performed properly in all respects and that he had experienced no other problems in the truck's operation after the repair work. Redd Pest Control commenced this action, alleging that Weathersby Chevrolet was negligent in performing the truck repairs. At trial, Redd Pest Control appeared to advance two alternative theories of negligence. One theory was that Weathersby Chevrolet had misdiagnosed the problem with the truck and that the true cause of the malfunctioning air conditioner was either a short or a loose connection in the truck's wiring system which remained unrepaired after the control panel was replaced. Another theory was that the Weathersby Chevrolet mechanic, when pulling out the control panel to replace it, had pulled the device out too far, causing the attached wiring to be scraped over a piece of bare metal framing in the dash which cut through the insulation and exposed the bare wiring. Under either scenario, according to Redd Pest Control's theory, the inevitable jostling of the wiring caused by the normal use of the truck ultimately caused the exposed or loose wiring to short out and produce the fire that destroyed the truck. Weathersby Chevrolet Co. v. Redd Pest Control Co., No.1998-CA-01020-COA at ¶¶ 2-3 (Miss.Ct.App. Mar. 14, 2000). ¶ 3. Weathersby appealed, and the matter was assigned to the Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals found that the jury's verdict finding Weathersby negligent was based on pure speculation and conjecture, and reversed and rendered the jury verdict. Then Judge, now Justice Diaz, joined by Presiding Judge King and Judges Bridges and Lee, dissented, and opined that Redd produced enough evidence to create a jury question regarding negligence on the part of Weathersby. ¶ 4. The Court of Appeals majority found, as a matter of law, that the evidence was insufficient to support the jury verdict. This Court has repeatedly concluded that once the jury has returned a verdict in a civil case, the appellate court is not at liberty to overturn the verdict unless, after considering the evidence as a whole in the light most favorable to the jury's verdict, no reasonable hypothetical juror could have found as the jury found. Bell v. City of Bay St. Louis, 467 So.2d 657, 660 (Miss. 1985); see also Junior Food Stores, Inc. v. Rice, 671 So.2d 67, 76 (Miss.1996). Moreover, this Court has stated that when the jury returns a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, this Court resolves all conflicts in the evidence in favor of the plaintiff. Id. at 75. ¶ 5. Further, this Court has held that when examining the decision of the trial court to deny a JNOV motion, it will examine all the evidence which supports the non-movant's case in the light most favorable to the party opposed to the motion. Id. at 76. All credible evidence tending to support the non-movant's case and all favorable inferences that can be reasonably drawn therefrom are accepted as true and go to the benefit of the non-movant. Id. If after examining the evidence, reasonable and fair-minded jurors could reach different conclusions, the jury verdict should be allowed to stand and the JNOV motion denied. Id. ¶ 6. The rationale behind this standard is found in Travelers Indem. Co. v. Rawson, 222 So.2d 131 (Miss.1969): This Court is not in the position to evaluate or weigh the truth or falsity of the witnesses who testified for appellant and appellees as is the jury, and we have so held many times. The demeanor or bearing, the tone of voice, the attitude and appearance of the witnesses, all are primarily for inspection and review by the jury. The jury not only has the right and duty to determine the truth or falsity of the witnesses, but also has the right to evaluate and determine what portions of the testimony of any witness it will accept or reject; therefore, unless it is clear to this Court that verdict is contrary to the overwhelming weight of the credible testimony, this Court will not set aside the verdict of a jury. Id. at 134 (emphasis added).