Court Opinion

ID: 9717529
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:05:09.346258+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:53.703200
License: Public Domain

FORD ELLIOTT, J.,
concurring and dissenting:
¶ 1 I agree with the majority that a new trial is necessary in this ease, and therefore join that part of the majority’s opinion affirming the trial court’s grant of a new trial. I must respectfully disagree, however, as to the need for a new trial on both liability and damages, and would therefore affirm the trial court’s grant of a new trial on damages only. My reasons follow.
¶ 2 The majority finds that the jury’s verdict was against the weight of the evidence because the jury improperly found that appellant’s negligence was not a substantial factor in causing appellee’s injuries, despite uneontroverted medical evidence to the contrary. As the majority notes, appellant admitted her negligence. The only dispute at trial concerned whether appellant’s negligence was a substantial factor in causing appellee’s injuries. Once we have decided, therefore, that the jury’s verdict is against the weight of the uncontroverted evidence as to this issue, I do not believe that any jury could find appellant’s negligence not to be a substantial factor in causing any of appellee’s injuries. As a result, I do not believe that issue should be relitigated.