Hinton v. Cline

76 S.E.2d 162, 238 N.C. 136, 1953 N.C. LEXIS 727

• Court: Supreme Court of North Carolina
• Decided: June 12, 1953
• Docket: 745
• Status: Published

Opinion

Ervin, J.

The plaintiff assigns as error the refusal of the trial judge to set the verdict aside and award him a new trial on the ground of inadequacy of the damages.

The granting or the denying of a motion for a new trial on the ground that the damages assessed by the jury are excessive or inadequate is within the sound discretion of the trial judge. McClamroch v. Ice Co., 217 N.C. 106, 6 S.E. 2d 850; Johnston v. Johnston, 213 N.C. 255, 195 S.E. 807; Waller v. Hipp, 208 N.C. 117, 179 S.E. 428; Blum v. R. R., 187 N.C. 640, 122 S.E. 562; Hoke v. Whisnant, 174 N.C. 658, 94 S.E. 446; Harvey v. Railroad Company, 153 N.C. 567, 69 S.E. 627; Billings v. Observer, 150 N.C. 540, 64 S.E. 435; Braddy v. Elliott, 146 N.C. 578, 60 S.E. 507; Boney v. Railroad, 145 N.C. 248, 58 S.E. 1082; Slocumb v. Construction Co., 142 N.C. 349, 55 S.E. 196; Phillips v. Telegraph Co., 130 N.C. 513, 41 S.E. 1022; Burns v. Railroad, 125 N.C. 304, 34 S.E. 495; Benton v. Collins, 125 N.C. 83, 34 S.E. 242, 47 L.R.A. 33; Benton v. Railroad, 122 N.C. 1007, 30 S.E. 333; Norton v. Railroad, 122 N.C. 910, 29 S.E. 886; Goodson v. Mullin and Derr, 92 N.C. 211; Brown v. Morris, 20 N.C. 565; Young v. Hairston, 14 N.C. 54. His decision on tbe motion will not be disturbed on appeal unless it is obvious that be abused bis discretion. Lamm v. Lorbacher, 235 N.C. 728, 71 S.E. 2d 49; Francis v. Francis, 223 N.C. 401, 26 S.E. 2d 907; Freeman v. Bell, 150 N.C. 146, 63 S.E. 682.

An abuse of discretion does not appear in tbe case at bar. Indeed, tbe evidence at tbe trial was consistent witb tbe view tbat tbe plaintiff’s personal injuries were limited to temporary bruises.

No error.