Opinion ID: 1831724
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: trial and appellate judgments

Text: During trial, Magnolia Transportation Company, Inc. and its insurer, Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, compromised Melton's claim against Magnolia for $250,000. At the conclusion of trial, despite GEESI's objection, the trial judge refused to pose a jury interrogatory about the fault of Steel Tank. The jury answered special interrogatories, assessing fault of GEESI at sixty percent, Magnolia at twenty percent and Melton at twenty percent. The jury found no fault on the part of Fluor or Tenneco. Total damages were fixed at $1,011,500: $33,000 in past medical; $45,000 in future medical; $94,500 in past lost wages; $464,000 in future lost wages; $250,000 for pain and suffering; $75,000 for mental anguish; and $50,000 for disability and disfigurement. Judgment was rendered in favor of Edgar C. Melton against General Electric Environmental Services, Inc. and its insurer, Electric Mutual Liability Insurance Company, for $606,900, sixty percent of the total damages. The intervention of Steel Tank's compensation insurer, American Motorists Insurance Company, Kemper Group, was granted. The court of appeal reversed on the ground that the jury should have considered any negligence of the employer, relying on Lemire v. New Orleans Public Service, Inc., 458 So.2d 1308 (La.1984), LSA-C.C.P. art. 1812, and Nance v. Gulf Oil Corp., 817 F.2d 1176 (5th Cir.1987). The court of appeal decided Gonzales v. Xerox Corporation, 320 So.2d 163 (La.1975), could not be applied and remanded for a new trial. Melton v. General Elec. Co., Inc., 566 So.2d 98 (La.App. 4th Cir. 1990). Writs were granted to consider the opinion of the court of appeal. 572 So.2d 79 (La.1991).