Patty Jean Talbott and Sam Talbott v. Judy F. Slaven

Court of Appeals of Tennessee

Patty Jean Talbott and Sam Talbott v. Judy F. Slaven

Court of Appeals of Tennessee·Decided August 17, 2004·No. 03A01-9609-CV-00304·Published

Opinion

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE

EASTERN SECTI ON

PATTY J EAN TALBOTT ) KNOX COUNTY a n d SAM TALBOTT ) 03A01- 9609- CV- 00304 ) Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l a nt s ) ) ) HON. W HEELER ROSENBALM, v. ) J UDGE ) ) J UDY F. SLAVEN ) ) De f e nda nt - Appe l l e e ) AFFI RMED AND REMANDED

J OHN M FOLEY OF KNOXVI LLE FOR APPELLANTS .

PAUL F. DUNN OF KNOXVI LLE FOR APPELLEE

O P I N I O N

Godda r d, P. J .

Pa t t y J e a n Ta l bot t a nd he r hus ba nd, Sa m Ta l bot t , a pp e a l

a j u d g me nt e nt e r e d i n t he Ci r c ui t Cour t f or Knox Count y whi c h, i n

a c c o r d a nc e wi t h a j ur y ve r di c t , a wa r de d he r $2264. 59 f or pe r s o n a l

i n j u r i e s r e c e i ve d i n a n a ut omobi l e a c c i de nt . The j ur y obvi ous l y

f o u n d t ha t M . Ta l bot t s uf f e r e d no da ma ge s a nd f i xe d hi s r e c ov e r y r

a t z e r o. The Ta l bot t s a ppe a l , i ns i s t i ng t ha t t he j udgme nt s a r e

s o i n a d e qua t e t ha t t he Tr i a l Cour t e r r e d i n not gr a nt i ng a ne w

t r i a l or a n a ddi t ur . The y a l s o i ns i s t t he Tr i a l Cour t e r r e d i n

n o t a wa r di ng di s c r e t i ona r y c os t s whi c h t ot a l e d $1595. 40.

The s t a nda r d of r e vi e w i n de t e r mi ni ng whe t he r a n

a p p e l l a t e c our t s houl d r e qui r e a ne w t r i a l be c a us e of t he

i n a d e q u a c y of a j ur y ve r di c t i s whe t he r t he a mount a wa r de d f a l l s

b e l o w t he r a nge of r e a s ona bl e ne s s . Smi t h v. She l t on, 569 S. W 2 d .

4 2 1 ( Te nn. 1978) . Al t hough not s pe c i f i c a l l y c i t i ng Smi t h, t h i s

Co u r t , i n W l ke r s on v . Al t i z e r , 845 S. W 2d 744, 749 i .

( Te n n . App. 1992) , f ol l owe d t he s a me r ul e a nd, i n doi ng s o, s a i d

t h e f o l l owi ng:

Thi s Cour t doe s not ha ve t he a ut hor i t y t o gr a nt a n a d di t ur . Te nn. Code Ann. § 20- 10- 101. W r e vi e w t he e a c t i on of t he t r i a l c our t i n s ugge s t i ng a n a ddi t ur p u r s ua nt t o Te nne s s e e Rul e of Appe l l a t e Pr oc e dur e 1 3 ( d) . Te nn. Code Ann. 20- 10- 101( b) ( 2) .

Howe ve r , t he s t a t ut e doe s not pr ovi de a ny gui da nc e wh e n t he t r i a l c our t r e f us e s t o gr a nt a n a ddi t ur . Se e Fo s t e r v. Amc on I nt e r na t i ona l , I nc . , 621 S. W 2d 142, . 1 4 6 ( Te nn. 1981) .

He r e , t he j ur y' s ve r di c t wa s not wi t hi n t he " r a nge o f r e a s ona bl e ne s s . " The r e f or e , t he t r i a l c our t s houl d h a ve s ugge s t e d a n a dd i t ur or gr a nt e d a ne w t r i a l . Fo s t e r v. Amc on I nt e r na t i ona l , I nc . , 621 S. W 2d 142 . ( Te nn. 1981) . W a r e of t he opi ni on t ha t t he t r i a l e c o ur t a bus e d i t s di s c r e t i on i n f a i l i ng t o s ugge s t a n a d di t ur o r , i n t he a l t e r na t i ve , f a i l i ng t o gr a nt a ne w t r i al .

W r e c ogni z e t ha t t he r e i s e vi de nc e i n t he r e c or d f r om whi c h t h e e

j u r y c o ul d ma ke a s i gni f i c a nt l y l a r ge r a wa r d a s t o M s . Ta l bot t r

a n d a l s o a n a wa r d a s t o M . Ta l bot t . r

2 The Ta l bot t ' s pr oof s howe d t ha t t he me di c a l e xpe ns e s

i n c u r r e d by M s . Ta l bot t i nc i de nt t o he r i nj ur i e s we r e $4719. 5 9 , r

a n d t h a t s he s uf f e r e d i nj u r i e s t o t he l e f t s i de of he r f a c e , h e r

n e c k, h e r l e f t a r m a nd h e r c he s t , t ha t s he wa s t a ke n by a mbul a nc e

t o St . M r y' s Hos pi t a l Eme r ge nc y Room whe r e s he wa s e xa mi ne d a n d a

x - r a ye d. She wa s a l s o t r e a t e d wi t h a ne c k c ol l a r a nd gi ve n a

p r e s c r i pt i on me di c i ne be f o r e be i ng r e l e a s e d.

I mme di a t e l y a f t e r t he a c c i de nt , s he wa s t r e a t e d br i e f l y

b y h e r phys i c i a n f a t he r a n d t he r e a f t e r by a c hi r opr a c t or f or a

s h o r t p e r i od o f t i me . La t e r , s he c a me unde r t he c a r e of Dr .

Ge o r g e Fi l l mor e who pr e s c r i be d phys i c a l t he r a py. W n t he he

p h y s i c a l t he r a py di d not s i gni f i c a nt l y i mpr ove he r c ondi t i on, Dr .

Fi l l mo r e r e f e r r e d h e r t o Dr . A. B. Kl i e f ot h, I I I , a ne ur os ur ge o n .

MRI s c a ns we r e done unde r Dr . Kl i e f ot h' s s upe r vi s i on, whi c h

r e v e a l e d a s ma l l r upt ur e d di s c i n he r ne c k. Thi s c a us e d he r n o

p r o b l e m a nd s ur ge r y wa s not i ndi c a t e d. Dr . Kl i e f ot h t e s t i f i e d

t h a t i n hi s opi ni on t he a ut omobi l e a c c i de nt a ggr a va t e d a pr e -

e x i s t i n g c ondi t i on on he r l e f t s i de , a nd wa s of t he f ur t he r

o p i n i o n t ha t s he mor e l i ke l y t ha n not woul d ne e d f ut ur e me di c a l

t r e a t me nt a nd me di c a t i on f or pa i n.

I f t he f or e goi ng we r e t he onl y e vi de nc e t ouc hi ng upo n

M s . Ta l bot t ' s i nj ur i e s we woul d ha ve no he s i t a nc y i n f i ndi ng t h e r

a wa r d wa s not wi t hi n t he r a nge of r e a s ona bl e ne s s . Howe ve r , t h e r e

i s o t h e r pr oof i n t he r e c or d whi c h s hows t ha t M s . Ta l bot t ha d r

b e e n i n vol ve d i n a pr e vi ous a ut omobi l e a c c i de nt i n 1977, a nd s o me

3 n i n e mo n t hs pr i or t o t he a c c i de nt f or whi c h s he s e e ks r e c ove r y

s h e v i s i t e d Dr . Robe r t Fi ne l l i , c ompl a i ni ng of t he s a me i nj ur i e s

a n d p r o bl e ms s he c ont e nds we r e a r e s ul t of t he a c c i de nt .

The r e wa s a l s o i nt r oduc e d a me di c a l hi s t or y

q u e s t i o nna i r e whi c h M s . Ta l bot t c ompl e t e d a ppr oxi ma t e l y t hr e e r

mo n t h s pr i or t o t he a c c i de nt whe r e s he a l s o c ompl a i ne d of t he

s a me t y pe pa i n a nd di s a bi l i t i e s . I n t hi s c onne c t i on, M s . r

Ta l bo t t t e s t i f i e d a s f ol l ows :

Q Di d you t e l l me i n M . Fol e y' s of f i c e i n hi s r p r e s e nc e t ha t a f t e r Dr . Fi ne l l i di d t hos e di a gnos t i c s t udi e s t he n you got t ot a l l y we l l a s f a r a s you know a n yhow?

A Af t e r t he mye l ogr a m wa s done I di d not ha ve a n ymor e pr obl e ms e xc e pt one t ha t I s a w a de nt i s t a bout .

Q Di d t he a ns we r - - di d you gi ve me t he a ns we r a t t h a t t i me t ha t I di d not ha ve a nymor e ne c k pr obl e ms a f t e r t ha t or a r m or s houl de r pr obl e m a f t e r I ha d t ha t d o ne ?

A Af t e r I ha d t he mye l ogr a m; t ha t ' s t r ue . I t hought I wa s c ompl e t e l y we l l .

Q W n I a s ke d you a bout t ha t , di d you t e l l me a bout he h a vi ng s ome mor e ne c k pa i n be f or e t hi s a c c i de nt ?

A I don' t r e me mbe r ; I j us t don' t r e me mbe r .

. . . .

Q You he a r d your f a t he r I be l i e ve - - be f or e I ge t i nt o t ha t - - t e s t i f y t oda y t ha t s o f a r a s he r e c a l l e d b e f or e t hi s a ut omobi l e a c c i de nt of Apr i l t he 15t h of 1 9 94, t ha t you ha d no t ha d a ny di z z i ne s s e xc e pt pe r ha ps wh e n you we r e e xpe c t i ng your c hi l dr e n?

A I h e a r d h i m t e s t i f y t o t ha t ?

Q Ye s .

A Ye s , I di d he a r hi m s a y t ha t .

4 Q And i s di z z i ne s s one of t he t hi ngs t ha t you now c o mpl a i n of ?

A Ye s .

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