Court Opinion

ID: 9709383
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 03:46:25.191034+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:48.252422
License: Public Domain

SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION ON DENIAL OF REHEARING Mr. JUSTICE HARRISON delivered the opinion of the court: This supplemental opinion is based on Norfolk & Western’s petition for rehearing wherein it alleges that we were incorrect in holding in our opinion filed May 16,1980, that it had failed to file a notice of appeal and thereby failed to preserve its points of error for review. While Norfolk & Western attached a copy of its “Notice of Separate Appeal” to its petition for rehearing, we point out that it failed to include the same in the record on appeal in violation of Supreme Court Rule 321 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 110A, par. 321). However, in our discretion we now consider the points raised by Norfolk & Western. We note that three of the issues raised by Norfolk & Western were disposed of in the original opinion. These have to do with the excessiveness of the verdict, the denial of a motion for a physical examination and for reconsideration and continuance in connection therewith, and a jury instruction relating to the effect of taxes upon any award to plaintiff. Finding that Norfolk & Western has presented no other substantial grounds upon which to dissuade us from our initial position, we abide by our holdings on these issues for the reasons stated in the May 16, 1980, opinion. Norfolk & Western also contends that the jury was erroneously given plaintiff’s instruction No. 4, which reads as follows: “If you decide for the plaintiff on the question of liability, you must then fix the amount of money which will reasonably and fairly compensate him for any of the following elements of damage proved by the evidence to have resulted from the negligence of the defendant. The nature, extent and duration of the injury. The disability resulting from the injury. The pain and suffering experienced and reasonably certain to be experienced in the future as a result of the injuries. The reasonable expense of necessary medical care, treatment, and services received and the present cash value of the reasonable expenses of medical care, treatment and service reasonably certain to be received in the future. The value of earnings lost and the present cash value of the earnings reasonably certain to be lost in the future. Whether any of these elements of damages has been proved by the evidence is for you to determine.” (Emphasis added.) Norfolk & Western suggests that there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of damages regarding future medical expenses and lost earning capacity. It also seems to contend that the italicized portions of the instruction were subject to mitigation and were improperly included.  However, at the instruction conference only the following objection was made by Norfolk & Western with respect to this instruction: “I don’t think there’s any proof to all the elements of damage.” This position was reiterated in the post-trial motion of Norfolk & Western with another irrelevant argument. It is clear that all of the grounds of objection should be particularly specified at the instruction conference and renewed in the post-trial motion. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 110A, par. 239(b); Mathis v. Burlington Northern, Inc. (1978), 67 Ill. App. 3d 1009, 1011, 385 N.E.2d 780.) Thus, having failed to adequately specify the objections to the instruction and thereby preserve these grounds for appeal, this point has been waived. For the reasons stated herein and in our opinion of May 16,1980, the judgment of the circuit court of Madison County is affirmed. Judgment affirmed. JONES, P. J., and SPOMER, J., concur.