McElroy v. Perry

753 So. 2d 121, 2000 WL 3913
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedJanuary 5, 2000
Docket98-03049
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 753 So. 2d 121 (McElroy v. Perry) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McElroy v. Perry, 753 So. 2d 121, 2000 WL 3913 (Fla. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

753 So.2d 121 (2000)

James R. McELROY, as Personal Representative for the Estate of Mable E. Christensen, deceased, Appellant/Cross-Appellee,
v.
Gaylord C. PERRY, Appellee/Cross-Appellant.

No. 98-03049.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.

January 5, 2000.
Rehearing Denied March 15, 2000.

*122 Bonita K. Brown of Fowler, White, Gillen, Boggs, Villareal & Banker, P.A., Tampa, for Appellant/Cross-Appellee.

Mary Van Leuven of Brown, Ward, Van-Leuvan & Salzman, P.A., Orlando, and Patricia A. Doherty of Wooten, Honeywell & Kest, P.A., Orlando, co-counsel for Appellee/Cross-Appellant.

FULMER, Judge.

James R. McElroy, as personal representative for the Estate of Mable C. Christensen, appeals a judgment entered following a jury verdict awarding $63,700 to Gaylord C. Perry for injuries incurred in an automobile collision with Christensen. We reverse for a new trial on damages because the trial court erred in directing a verdict for Perry on the issue of permanency where there was a genuine dispute and jury question regarding whether Perry suffered a permanent injury as a result of the automobile accident.

In November 1994, Perry's vehicle was hit on the driver's side by Christensen's vehicle. Perry hit her head on the side window and her elbow collided with the armrest. The door to her vehicle was pushed in, the armrest was broken, and the window was derailed. At the conclusion of the accident investigation, Perry and Christensen drove their own vehicles away from the scene of the collision. Later in the day, Perry went to the emergency room because she had persistent pain in her head and neck. She was treated with Tylenol and ice. Approximately one week later, she began treatment with a chiropractor because she was still experiencing pain which, according to Perry's testimony, now included her elbow and shoulder. Perry continued treatment with the chiropractor who also referred her to two other doctors, one of whom referred her to a third doctor. All of the medical doctors recommended that she have cortisone treatment. Perry testified that she declined the cortisone because she had had an allergic reaction to it long ago. In the medical history Perry gave to the doctors, *123 however, she reported no allergy to cortisone. The defense presented other inconsistencies in or impeachment of the medical history Perry provided to the doctors.

The records of Perry's treating chiropractor indicated that in June 1995, Perry lifted a heavy box and strained her neck and shoulder. In 1997 Perry began to work with her husband in his lawn maintenance business where she used a mower, blower, and other lawn equipment. She testified that she works fourteen hours per week doing lawn maintenance and cannot sleep by the end of the week because of the pain. Perry previously worked in the insurance business for almost twenty years.

Three medical experts testified on Perry's behalf that she sustained permanent injuries as a result of the automobile accident. McElroy introduced into evidence the written reports of two medical experts. One of the experts, Dr. Phillips, performed a medical examination of Perry at the request of Perry's personal injury protection (PIP) carrier pursuant to section 627.736(7), Florida Statutes (1995). Dr. Phillips concluded in his report that: Perry had not sustained any disability; she was probably capable of full-time sedentary work; and, if his recommendations were followed, he anticipated an increase in her physical capacity to her pre-accident status. Dr. Phillips did not testify at trial, and as explained below, the trial court erred by admitting his report. The other report was prepared by Dr. McCraney, a neurologist hired by the defense to perform an independent medical examination of Perry. Dr. McCraney testified at trial and was asked, "Based on the information that you have gathered in this case, are you able, within a reasonable degree of medical probability attributing [sic] any permanent injury to this patient as a result of a reported motor vehicle accident?" He responded, "Permanent? No." On cross-examination he was asked: "And in fact, your opinion when you gave your deposition regarding permanent injury with Ms. Perry, is you have no opinion as to whether or not she sustained a permanent injury. You can't rule it in or rule it out, and especially to the ulnar nerve, is that correct?" He responded, "That's correct."

Prior to trial, a partial summary judgment was entered in favor of Perry as to the negligence of Christensen. During trial, at the close of all the evidence, the trial court granted Perry a directed verdict as to permanency of injuries, but not as to causation. In so doing, the trial court stated, "there is no dispute, she has injuries that are permanent. The question is whether they were caused by the car accident." The court acknowledged that Perry's symptomatology seemed to be related more to median nerve rather than ulnar nerve damage, and that there was expert testimony that the type of labor in which she is currently engaged "causes exactly that type of injury."

The trial court instructed the jury that Christensen was negligent and that Perry's injuries were permanent. The verdict form asked the jury, "Was the negligence on the part of MABLE E. CHRISTENSEN, deceased, a legal cause of damages to Plaintiff, GAYLORD C. PERRY?" The jury answered "YES" and awarded $37,700 for future medical expenses and lost earnings, $13,000 for past pain and suffering, and $13,000 for future pain and suffering, for a total award to Perry of $63,700. The jury awarded no damages for past medical expenses or lost earnings.

On appeal, McElroy argues that: (1) the trial court erred in directing a verdict and instructing the jury that Perry's injuries were permanent; (2) the error was compounded by a jury instruction on intervening cause, which could have led the jury to believe that even if Perry's physical problems were caused by her voluntary choice to engage in the lawn maintenance business, she was nevertheless entitled to recover; and (3) the court erred in failing to instruct the jury to reduce any award of future medical expenses or lost wages by *124 the amount of the remaining no-fault PIP benefits. Perry has cross-appealed on an evidentiary issue concerning the admissibility of compulsory medical examination reports under the business record exception to the hearsay rule.

We first consider the issue that we find dispositive, the directed verdict on permanency of injury. A directed verdict is proper when the evidence and all inferences therefrom, considered in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, support the movant's case as a matter of law and there is no evidence to rebut it. See Memorial Park, Inc. v. Spinelli, 342 So.2d 829, 832 (Fla. 2d DCA 1977).

While "[p]ermanency determinations are generally made by juries," a directed verdict on permanency is proper where the evidence of injury and causation is such that no reasonable inference could support a jury verdict for the defendant. Evans v. Montenegro, 728 So.2d 270, 271 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999). A plaintiff establishes a prima facie case of permanency by presenting expert testimony of permanency. The burden then shifts to the defendant to defeat the directed verdict by presenting countervailing expert testimony, severely impeaching the plaintiff's expert, or presenting other evidence which creates a direct conflict with the plaintiffs evidence. See id. (citing Holmes v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 624 So.2d 824 (Fla. 2d DCA 1993), and Jarrell v. Churm,

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Bluebook (online)
753 So. 2d 121, 2000 WL 3913, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcelroy-v-perry-fladistctapp-2000.