Court Opinion

ID: 9761704
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 01:50:58.960919+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:23:15.563074
License: Public Domain

Ryan, J.
(dissenting). At the time of her injury on August 24, 1961, the plaintiff was four to four and one-half months pregnant. When she was thrown from the motorcycle, she suffered multiple contusions and abrasions and injuries to her shoulder and back. The principal injury, however, was to her left leg. She received fractures to both the tibia and fibula in the lower leg. She also had a fracture at the ankle joint, which was twisted. In the hospital, an orthopedic surgeon performed two reductions of the fractures, one about five days after the other. The bones were manipulated into place, and a cast was applied which extended from her toes to the groin. She was in the hospital for a period of eleven days. On November 24, three months after the accident, x rays showed sufficient healing to permit removal of the cast, but she was not permitted to bear weight on the injured leg. Pursuant to the instructions of her physician, she *326continued to use crutches until February, 1962. Fifteen months after the accident, x rays showed good healing of the fractures, but there was still present some osteoporosis, which is a thinning of the bone. She was last seen by her physician on February 27, 1963, at which time she had reached maximum improvement. She has a 10 percent permanent disability of her lower left leg. The anide is deformed, and this too is permanent. As a result of the permanent injury, she will continue to have some swelling and discomfort in her leg, especially if she puts too much strain on it by heavy housework or standing or walking for long periods of time. It should be noted in passing that the plaintiff was examined by a physician on behalf of the defendants but that there is no medical testimony in the record to contradict the evidence offered by the plaintiff’s expert. She was twenty-five years old at the time of trial and had a life expectancy of 51.6 years.
The plaintiff had hospital and medical bills totaling $756.65. Although it is true that because of her pregnancy the plaintiff could expect to work for no longer than two additional months prior to the birth of her child, she suffered a loss of earning capacity for that period of time amounting to at least $360. Her total special damages were therefore in excess of $1100. “ ‘In passing upon a motion to set aside a verdict, the trial judge must do just what every juror ought to do in arriving at a verdict. The juror must use all his experience, his knowledge of human nature, his knowledge of human events, past and present, his knowledge of the motives which influence and control human action, and test the evidence in the case according to such knowledge and render his verdict accordingly. . . . The trial *327judge in considering the verdict must do the same . . . and if, in the exercise of all his knowledge from this source, he finds the verdict to be so clearly against the weight of the evidence in the case as to indicate that the jury did not correctly apply the law to the facts in evidence in the case, or were governed by ignorance, prejudice, corruption or partiality, then it is his duty to set aside that verdict and to grant a new trial.’ . . . [Howe v. Raymond, 74 Conn. 68, 71, 49 A. 854]; Cables v. Bristol Water Co., 86 Conn. 223, 224, 84 A. 928; Capital Traction Co. v. Hof, 174 U.S. 1, 13, 19 S. Ct. 580, 43 L. Ed. 873; see Bissell v. Dickerson, 64 Conn. 61, 29 A. 226. The trial judge has a broad legal discretion and his action will not be disturbed unless there is a clear abuse. Allen v. Giuliano, 144 Conn. 573, 578, 135 A.2d 904; Slabinski v. Dix, 138 Conn. 625, 628, 88 A.2d 115; Brower v. Perkins, 135 Conn. 675, 681, 68 A.2d 146; Roma v. Thames River Specialties Co., 90 Conn. 18, 20, 96 A. 169; Loomis v. Perkins, 70 Conn. 444, 447, 39 A. 797; Maltbie, Conn. App. Proc., 187, 196.” Butler v. Steck, 146 Conn. 114, 116, 148 A.2d 246. The trial court in its memorandum of decision on the motion to set aside the verdict expressed its belief that the jury failed to understand the law applicable to damages or were influenced by improper considerations. The ruling of the trial court on the motion to set aside the verdict is entitled to great weight. Lupak v. Karalekas, 147 Conn. 432, 433, 162 A.2d 180. In my opinion, the evidence does not demonstrate the clear abuse of discretion which would warrant a reversal of the action of the trial court in setting aside the verdict as inadequate.