Court Opinion

ID: 9671668
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:41:37.531458+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:11.403988
License: Public Domain

FOSHEIM, Justice
(dissenting).
Mindful that no award of damages will adequately compensate decedent’s wife and adult children for their loss, I nevertheless dissent. The award is low. However, damages for amorphous losses requires that the factfinder “must be allowed a wide latitude.” Morey v. Keller, 77 S.D. 49, 54, 85 N.W.2d 57, 60 (1957). That damages are awarded in an extremely liberal or extremely conservative fashion does not alone allow this Court to disturb the judgment. Hotovec v. Howe, 79 S.D. 337, 111 N.W.2d 748 (1961) (“extremely liberal” award affirmed). The present award does not “manifestly show” the court below was motivated by the “passion, partiality, prejudice or corruption" necessary for this Court to disturb its decision. The court’s award for appellant’s other losses are seemingly adequate and undisputed. Since the award for the entirety of damages appears fair, I cannot conclude the court was motivated by any of the four above mentioned improprieties in fixing the single area of damages appealed from.