Opinion ID: 2155661
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the appellate court opinion

Text: The appellate court, in affirming the trial court's order granting a new trial, first noted that a reviewing court will not overturn a decision on a motion for a new trial unless the trial court abused its discretion. (175 Ill. App.3d at 7, citing Ramseyer v. Illinois Central R.R. Co. (1969), 110 Ill. App.2d 95, 96.) The court then noted that plaintiff was the only witness who testified that the accident occurred, making plaintiff's credibility the crucial issue at trial. Therefore, the appellate court concluded, the improper impeachment of plaintiff through the use of the nurse's note, compounded by defendant's repeated references to the note during the trial, had so serious a prejudicial effect on plaintiff as to warrant a new trial. 178 Ill. App.3d at 8. Specifically, the appellate court disagreed with defendant's contention that plaintiff, by failing to object at trial to the references to the nurse's note, had waived his right to raise this issue on appeal. The court explained that a court may review errors where a party made no objection to ensure a fair trial and to protect the judicial process from deterioration. (178 Ill. App.3d at 9, citing Underwood v. Pennsylvania R.R. Co. (1966), 34 Ill.2d 367, 371.) It also stated that defendant, in a pretrial conference, had told the trial court that it intended to call the nurse to testify. Therefore, the appellate court concluded that, despite plaintiff's failure to renew the objection each time defendant raised the issue of the nurse's note, defendant was aware that it had to submit the nurse's testimony in order to properly introduce any evidence concerning the note. 178 Ill. App.3d at 9. The appellate court also disagreed with defendant's contention that, even if its references to the note were error, the error was harmless. The court held that the nurse's note was not merely cumulative evidence. Particularly, the court distinguished Dr. Jemsek's statement that plaintiff had to flex his knees    when he got into the truck from the nurse's statement that when plaintiff gets up in the truck he has to get up on his knees and pull himself up. The court stated that the former characterization of plaintiff's condition connoted much less disability than the latter. (178 Ill. App.3d at 13.) Also, despite there having been ample evidence to support defendant's view that the accident never occurred, plaintiff was a key witness testifying about a material issue. The court held that this improper impeachment in this kind of situation warranted a new trial. (178 Ill. App.3d at 14-15.) Therefore, considering all these factors, the appellate court held that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in granting plaintiff's motion for a new trial. 178 Ill. App.3d at 17.