Court Opinion

ID: 9687300
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 16:22:38.58865+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:25.520056
License: Public Domain

Holmes, J., Specially
Dissenting:
I dissent to the extent that in my opinion the $5,000 judgment of the lower court should be reversed and the $19,000 judgment reinstated.
ON SUGGESTION OF ERROR
Gillespie, J.
Following the decision in this case, reported in 111 So. 2d 645, the appellees filed a suggestion of error rais*685ing the question whether we erred in holding that the $5,000 verdict in the last trial was inadequate. No other question is before us.
We have carefully reconsidered the evidence in the light of the recognized rules of law applicable to the problem. We are of the opinion that we were in error in holding that the $5,000 verdict was so inadequate as to require a reversal.
 In deciding the question before us, we must reconsider all the evidence offered at the last trial, and for the purpose of deciding whether the jury’s verdict for $5,000 was justified under the proof, all the evidence must be considered in the light most favorable to the appellees (defendants).
There was evidence that appellant’s building was a total loss from the tornado of December 5, 1953. One of the appellant’s own witnesses so testified. A number of witnesses testified that after the tornado and before appellees threw the bricks on the Long building, the building was pulled away from the hotel and was leaning to the east. The proof showed without dispute that the front windows were blown out and the front wall pushed in; that the partition was blown out of place inside the building; and that the entire rear wall was blown out leaving the wall at the northeast corner cantered to the east. The jury had the benefit of photographs showing the damage to the roof after the tornado and before the appellees threw the bricks on the building. They also had photographs taken after the bricks were thrown on the building by appellees. There was proof that there were 800 to 1000 bricks blown loose from the wall of the hotel directly over the Long building during the tornado, and some stone, but it is not shown how many of these brick fell on the Long building. About 200 brick, one or more pieces of stone, and a window frame fell on the Long building when appellees pushed them off after the tornado. A number of witnesses testified *686that there was no substantial damage done to the Long building by appellees in throwing the brick on the building. It is a fair appraisal of the testimony touching the damage to the building so say that while appellees did some damage thereto, the jury was justified in finding that the building was substantially destroyed by the tornado and that it was unrepairable before appellees threw the brick on it.
As to the damage to the personal property in the building, the testimony for appellant is inconclusive. The jury would have had difficulty in determining just what specific items were removed from the building after the tornado and before the appellees threw the bricks on the building. And the same may be said as to what was damaged by the tornado, and what was damaged by appellee’s acts. We think the jury could have found that the refrigerator was not damaged by appellees. This was the largest item in this category. The total claimed for damages to personal property was $4,457.00. Under the proof, the jury was justified in finding that appellant was damaged much less than the amount claimed.
The jury was justified, as already stated, in finding that the building was not repairable after the tornado, and in that event, appellant was entitled to nothing for loss of the value of the use thereof.
 Considering all the evidence in the light most favorable to appellees, as we must do, and considering the reasonable inferences which the jury might draw from the evidence, we are of the opinion that the $5,000 verdict was justified. This requires the affirmance of the case.
Justices Hall, Lee and Holmes were and are of the opinion that in the former opinion the Court should have reinstated the $19,000 verdict, but all concur in holding that under the proof on the retrial, which resulted in the $5,000 verdict, the jury was justified in rendering the $5,000 verdict.
*687Suggestion of error sustained.
All justices concur, except Arrington, J., who took no part.