Court Opinion

ID: 9728263
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 14:03:23.457603+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:47.235239
License: Public Domain

Ryan, J.
(dissenting). The plaintiff suffered a cerebral concussion accompanied by a loss of consciousness, a fracture of the left fibula, a fracture of the pelvis in the right acetabulum, the socket of the hipbone which receives the head of the femur, two cracked teeth, numerous lacerations and an injury to her pituitary gland. As a result of the injury to and the fracture of the acetabulum she will suffer pain and osteoarthritis in her right hip. She was confined to the hospital for three weeks and then, since she was still unable to get out of bed, she was taken home by ambulance. It was necessary for her parents to make special arrangements for her at their home. A hospital bed was obtained and a nurse was hired to take care of her. She was confined to bed continuously for the next five weeks and during that time she could not be left alone and required the constant attendance of another. She was assisted by the nurse and from time to time by her *37mother and two sisters. During this period her eating habits became progressively worse; she suffered frequent nausea, ate very little and suffered great loss of weight. Her weight dropped from about 110 to 115 pounds to 82 pounds.
She was readmitted to the hospital in October, 1968, because she was weak, drinking large amounts of fluid and suffering from chills. During a stay of about eight days in the hospital she complained of severe weight loss, thirst and nausea.
In July, 1969, eleven months after the accident, the plaintiff was referred to Jerome J. Klein, an endocrinologist. In her first admission to the hospital evidence of injury to the pituitary gland was found based on the plaintiff’s excessive urinary output. The pituitary gland was damaged by a shearing blow or by a hemorrhage into it. Klein obtained the plaintiff’s medical history and determined from this that the plaintiff had had no menstrual periods since her release from the Norwalk Hospital; that she had the symptoms of diabetes insipidis, which is polyuria (frequent and profuse urination) and polydipsia (increased thirst), a result of the increased urinary output; and that she was tired at all times. She required more than ten hours of sleep per day and had a noted decrease in axillary hair growth after the accident. She was dizzy ón suddenly arising from a sitting or lying position and had a decrease in muscle strength and increased sensitivity to cold. Her general vigor was poor and her appetite was not as it had been prior to the accident. Klein made extensive laboratory tests and found that her thyroid, adrenal and ovarian functions were diminished. Based on clinical and laboratory tests and the medical history, he made a diagnosis of pituitary insufficiency of moder*38ate degree. Normally on hearing of an injury characterized as “of moderate degree” one might get the impression that the injury was not of major importance. That was definitely not so as to the plaintiff in view of Klein’s uncontradieted testimony that if this pituitary insufficiency were of a marked degree such an insufficiency would not be compatible with life. The pituitary insufficiency was caused by an injury to the pituitary gland, which in turn was caused by a blow to the head incurred in the accident of August 3,1968. The injury was a rupture of the pituitary gland itself and of the hypothalamus.
The pituitary is the master gland of the body. It controls the secretions of the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands and ovaries in the adult female. It secretes the growth hormone in children and maintains blood sugar in the adult. It controls the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands and the ovaries by means of stimulating hormones. Immediately following the accident the pituitary gland was not secreting the stimulating hormones, which had the effect of making the patient weak, cold and tired and brought about decreased muscle strength and endurance as well as dizziness, frequent and profuse urination, increased thirst and the lack of menstrual periods.
At the time of the trial the plaintiff was taking four medications daily: twenty-five milligrams of cortisone to supply the adrenal hormone; fifty micrograms of cytomel to supply the thyroid hormone; a birth control pill which supplied estrogen and progesterone, and a posterior pituitary powder which is taken as “snuff” by atomizer. These medications are necessary because of the inadequate functioning of the pituitary gland as a result of the accident. The injury to her pituitary gland is perma*39nent. It will be necessary for her to take these four drugs for the rest of her life. It will also be necessary for her to see Klein or a physician of his training and background two to four times a year for the rest of her life. The approximate cost of this treatment per year is $100 and the cost of the drugs is approximately $100 per year.
Should the plaintiff marry and desire children, further medical treatment will be necessary. This treatment would consist of the injection of fertility drugs, which in many eases are the cause of multiple births. In the event the drug replacement therapy were withdrawn for any reason the plaintiff’s state of health would deteriorate, her blood pressure would fall, her weight may decline, her sleep requirements would increase, as would her sensitivity to cold. She might actually incur great disability, coma and even death.
The majority opinion emphasizes that the plaintiff could lead a normal life with the daily intake of medication, and there was testimony to this effect which will be examined later in this opinion. The plaintiff was a young lady twenty-one years of age at the time of trial with a life expectation of 44.77 years. The projected cost of drug therapy and medical care for the period of her expectancy is $8954 discounted to the present value of that sum. The plaintiff had other special damages of about $700.2 The jury’s evaluation of her injuries and special damages was $22,500. To say that the plaintiff can lead a normal life if she takes the medications and sees an endocrinologist two to four times a year for the next forty-four years is hardly de*40scriptive of the uncontradicted facts. This is quite different from saying that the plaintiff is or ever will be a normal person. What is normal about the requirement that she take hormones for the rest of her life? What is normal about a condition which prevents her from having a spontaneous menstrual period? What is normal about a requirement that she take injections of fertility drugs, with the concomitant hazard of multiple births if she desires children? What is normal about a condition which would subject her to great disability, coma and even death in the event, for any reason, that the drug replacement therapy should be withdrawn?
It seems obvious that the jury completely failed to comprehend the tragic and serious consequences of this young girl’s injuries. As a result of this they returned a verdict which is clearly inadequate. We know, of course, that it is not the burden of the defendant to disprove the plaintiff’s case. Since, however, the defendant saw fit to offer no medical testimony there is no conflict in the evidence arising out of the opinions of other physicians.
I have no disagreement with the majority opinion concerning the law recited therein. It is correctly stated. I do disagree with the application of that law to the facts of the present case. The issue here is not whether this court would allow more or less. It is whether the total amount of the verdict falls within the necessarily flexible limits of fair and reasonable compensation or is so small as to offend the sense of justice and compel a conclusion that the jury were influenced by partiality, prejudice or mistake. The verdict in the present case is so clearly inadequate that it shocks the sense of justice.
The case should be remanded for a new trial on the sole issue of damages.

 This is exclusive of the sum of $5309.41 for medical expense incurred by the plaintiff’s father in her behalf prior to the time she became twenty-one years of age.