Opinion ID: 3180361
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Federal Abuse of Discretion Standard

Text: “We review the district court’s decision to deny a new trial or remittitur under an abuse of discretion standard.” Smith v. Ingersoll-Rand Co., 214 F.3d 1235, 1251 (10th Cir. 2000). “In order to establish an abuse of discretion, the party that moved unsuccessfully for a new trial on the basis of an excessive verdict carries the heavy burden of demonstrating that the verdict was clearly, decidedly, or overwhelmingly against the weight of the evidence.” Hynes v. Energy W., Inc., 211 F.3d 1193, 1206 (10th Cir. 2000) (quotations omitted). We consider a jury’s “determination of fact is considered inviolate” absent an award “so excessive or inadequate as to shock the judicial conscience and to raise an irresistible inference that passion, prejudice, corruption or other improper cause invaded the trial.” Id. (quotations omitted). We do so because - 26 - [t]he jury holds the exclusive function of appraising credibility, determining the weight to be given to the testimony, drawing inferences from the facts established, resolving conflicts in the evidence, and reaching ultimate conclusions of fact. It is a fundamental legal principle that the determination of the quantum of damages in civil cases is a fact-finder’s function. The jury, who has the first-handed opportunity to hear the testimony and to observe the demeanor of the witnesses, is clothed with a wide latitude and discretion in fixing damages, pursuant to the court’s instructions, deemed proper to fairly compensate the injured party. Prager, 731 F.3d at 1063 (quotations and citations omitted). Finally, “[a]s the reviewing court, we must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the prevailing party.” Whiteley v. OKC Corp., 719 F.2d 1051, 1058 (10th Cir. 1983); see also Prager, 731 F.3d at 1063 (“[T]he amount of damages awarded by a jury can be supported by any competent evidence tending to sustain it.” (quotations omitted)). b. Oklahoma Law Regarding the Excessiveness of a Jury Award Under Oklahoma’s wrongful death statute, recoverable damages include “[m]edical and burial expenses,” the “mental pain and anguish suffered by the decedent,” and the “grief and loss of companionship of the children and parents of the decedent.” Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 1053(B). The Oklahoma Supreme Court has acknowledged the difficulty of quantifying damages based on pain and suffering and loss of companionship. See Carraco Oil Co. v. Morhain, 380 P.2d 957, 959 (Okla. 1963) (“There is no yardstick by which the loss of companionship can be measured . . . . ” (quotations omitted)); Denco Bus Lines v. Hargis, 229 P.2d 560, 563 (Okla. 1951) (“[T]here is no market where pain and suffering are bought and sold, nor any standard by which compensation for it can be definitely - 27 - ascertained, or the amount actually endured determined.” (quotations and brackets omitted)). Oklahoma law accordingly only “supports the granting of a new trial where the inadequacy or excessiveness of an award, in and of itself, evidences that the passion and partiality inhering in it are so clear as to strike mankind, at first blush, as being beyond all measure unreasonable and outrageous.” West v. Bd. of Cty. Comm’rs of Pawnee Cty., 273 P.3d 31, 32 (Okla. 2011). 2. Evidence of Damages, Jury Instructions, and Jury Award a. Evidence of Jimmy’s Decline in Health and Death Mr. Hill’s infectious disease expert, Dr. Steven O’Marro, reviewed Jimmy’s medical records and testified that Jimmy was a smoker and suffered from various preexisting medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and obstructive pulmonary disease. The accident fractured Jimmy’s ankle. He underwent an operation on September 10. At his follow-up appointment on October 5, his pain was increasing, and his wound was not healing well. His doctor noted the possibility of osteomyelitis, meaning a bone infection, and stated the infected plate in Jimmy’s ankle may need to be removed. The pain and pain medications, in turn, interfered with Jimmy’s diet and digestion, exacerbating his diabetes, increasing his blood sugar levels, and causing constipation. On October 10, Jimmy was admitted to the hospital and never left. His records note decreased cognition, a urinary tract infection (UTI), two kinds of bacteria in his ankle, constipation, diarrhea, ischemic colitis, chronic liver inflammation, sepsis, and low blood pressure. His right ankle was draining puss, and there was a deep lateral opening. - 28 - Jimmy’s physicians began to administer total parenteral nutrition (“TPN”)—intravenous nutrition—because of his difficulty eating. On October 24, Jimmy underwent a second surgery to remove the infected hardware in his ankle. Jimmy was transferred to long-term acute care (“LTAC”) on October 30, where he was treated with intravenous antibiotic therapy. While in the LTAC unit, he contracted fungal sepsis, which is yeast in the blood, and was admitted to the intensive care unit. He died on December 2. His death certificate stated the immediate cause of death was fungal sepsis, and the contributing cause was osteomyelitis. Jimmy’s medical bills, which were stipulated to by the parties and read to the jury, totaled $80,065.84. Jimmy’s burial expenses were $2,695.