Opinion ID: 1737864
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: did the order of additur fail to take into consideration the additional loss and injury of the plaintiff?

Text: The Court elects to discuss Copeland's assignment No. 2 and the cross-appeal together. As noted earlier, when this case was first tried, Copeland was awarded $350,000.00 in damages. After this Court remanded the case to the trial court for a redetermination of the issue of contributory negligence, if any, and damages, the jury awarded Copeland $40,000.00. The trial judge then granted an order of additur, increasing the award to the original $350,000.00 figure from the second trial. It has been conceded by the appellees that Copeland has accumulated almost $20,000.00 in actual damages, attributable to loss of income, hospital bills, doctors' bills and drug bills. Dr. Walter Neill testified at trial that the fractures of Douglas Copeland's spinal vertebrae resulted in a loss of a certain amount of sensory capacity from approximately chest level down to the appellant's feet. Dr. Neill also testified that Copeland has lost a good deal of muscle structure and also suffers from ankle clonus. Copeland also has to turn his whole body when he attempts to turn around. There is also a possibility of spinal stenosis resulting later in Copeland's life. It is also possible that Copeland's spine will have to be decompressed again, and there is also some risk of arthritis. Copeland, a young adult in his 20's, also testified to the amount of physical activities in which he engaged before the accident, and how he had been affected by the accident. He testified as to a lack of sensation in certain portions of his body, and also testified as to how his education plans had been affected. The pain he suffers occurs daily, and he has also been affected socially by the accident. Lucille Copeland, Douglas's mother, testified how her son seemed to be tired more often, and she also testified that he seemed to have more problems sleeping. She also testified that her son was much less active athletically than he had been before the accident. Dr. Barry Amyx, a psychiatrist who did not testify at the first trial, testified at length about how Copeland would be affected psychologically by the accident. He testified that Copeland had a reduced sense of pain and also suffered from sleeplessness. It was also his opinion that Copeland suffered from some symptoms of depression and that eventually he could have a major depression. He also testified that due to the nature of Copeland's injury, his sexual urges were dramatically decreased, due at least in part to the fact that he had reduced sensitivity from chest level down. Despite the presence of this voluminous testimony, the jury only awarded Copeland $40,000.00 as damages. Upon Copeland's motion for a new trial or a JNOV, the trial court entered an order of additur restoring the damages to the original figure of $350,000.00 from the second trial, stating that the nominal amount of damages awarded was so insufficient as to shock his conscience. Clearly the verdict was against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. Howard Bros. of Phenix City, Inc. v. Penley, 492 So.2d 965 (Miss. 1986). Section 11-1-55 of Miss. Code Ann. (Supp. 1988) reads as follows: The supreme court or any other court of record in a case in which money damages were awarded may overrule a motion for new trial or affirm on direct or cross appeal, upon condition of an additur or remittitur, if the court finds that the damages are excessive or inadequate for the reason that the jury or trier of facts was influenced by bias, prejudice, or passion, or that the damages awarded were contrary to the overwhelming weight of credible evidence. If such additur or remittitur be not accepted then the court may direct a new trial on damages only. If the additur or remittitur is accepted and the other party perfects a direct appeal, then the party accepting the additur or remittitur shall have the right to cross appeal for the purpose of reversing the action of the court in regard to the additur or remittitur. This Court has held on many occasions that the test for deciding whether or not to overturn a granting of additur or remittitur is whether or not the trial court manifestly abused its discretion. Holmes County Bank & Trust v. Staple Cotton Co-Op, 495 So.2d 447, 448 (Miss. 1986). See also James v. Jackson, 514 So.2d 1224 (Miss. 1987); Mississippi State Highway Commission v. Antioch Baptist Church, 392 So.2d 512 (Miss. 1981). Thus, trial judges are given a great deal of discretion in making decisions concerning additurs or remittiturs. However, it is also true that jury awards will not generally be set aside unless they are shown to be unreasonable. Holmes County Bank at 451. After reviewing the extensive testimony presented in this case concerning Douglas Copeland's prior good health, medical expenses, pain and suffering and permanent physical impairment, this Court is of the opinion that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in reinstating the original amount of damages awarded to Copeland, namely $350,000.00. Therefore, it is the opinion of this Court that the cross-appeal of the City and Butler is without merit. However, it is also the opinion of this Court that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by refusing to grant an additur greater than the original $350,000.00 damages figure.