Court Opinion

ID: 9695709
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:27:59.830881+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:15:30.738007
License: Public Domain

PRICE, Judge,
dissenting:
I agree that this verdict may have been molded if the intention of the jury was clear and unmistaken. Stevens v. Frank, 151 Pa.Super. 222, 30 A.2d 161 (1943). The majority concludes that this jury clearly evidenced its intention to award only the husband-appellant damages to the truck. Because I cannot find that clear intention, I must dissent. I would award a new trial on all issues.
Initially I note the following colloquy between the lower court and juror No. 7 prior to the charge of the court:
“RAYMOND F. BROSCIOUS, Juror No. 7: It isn’t a question, Judge, it’s a request. As a member of the jury, we will be charged by yourself, we’ll go into the jury room where we’ll make our decision. In order to arrive at a decision, I do not feel that I have the necessary information to arrive at a justifiable decision unless I, and I’m asking for the rest of the jury, to have permission as a body to see the scene of the accident in order to determine in our own mind that who is at fault and who isn’t at fault. There has been at no time any presentation to the jury of the scene of the accident, a diagram or anything, so that we can follow *265in our own mind the discussion that has been presented to us; and in order, in my own personal opinion, in order to arrive at a justifiable decision, I should be permitted and I would like the rest of the jury as a body to actually see the scene of the accident so we can arrive at that decision.” [R 369a] (Emphasis added)
This comment, to me, raises doubt that the jury as a whole felt qualified on the evidence presented to render a verdict.
Further, Plaintiff’s Exhibit No. 2 [R 401a] lists the stipulated damages including hospital, doctors, drugs and damages to the truck, which total $5,016.96. Had the jury returned a verdict in that amount perhaps such a verdict would clearly indicate its intent to reimburse the husband for his proper out-of-pocket expenses. However a verdict of $5,516.96 contains an unexplained $500 differential which further convinces me that the jury’s intention is not clear.
Since this jury was given three (3) verdict slips to correspond to the three (3) options outlined by the trial court in its charge to this jury, it is an equally possible conclusion that the additional $500 was intended for the wife-appellant. However, the jury selected the wrong verdict slip. This is supported by the fact that the trial court clearly charged this jury as follows:
“In this same connection, if you conclude to award damages to the Plaintiff husband, then he would be entitled to recover the reasonable cost of the repairs to his motor vehicle which was injured or damaged as a result of this accident. In considering those damages, you will consider the stipulation which has been admitted into the record stating that the amount of the automobile damage was $2755.00.” [R 389a]
From these factors I have difficulty achieving 20/20 hindsight and therefore must conclude it is far from *266clear just what was intended by this jury in reaching the verdict in question.
Accordingly, I would reverse the order of the lower court and grant a new trial on all issues.
SPAETH, J., joins in this dissenting opinion.