Jury’s Conclusion the School Negligently Supervised Students But the Negligent Supervision Was Not the Proximate Cause of Plaintiff’s Injuries Was Supported by the Evidence/Inconsistent Verdict Issue Not Preserved Because Not Raised Before the Jury Was Discharged

The Second Department noted that the issue whether the jury’s conclusion that the school district negligently supervised students who assaulted plaintiff but that the negligent supervision was not the proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries was not preserved for appeal because no objection to the verdict was raised before the jury was discharged.  The court further noted that the jury’s conclusion was based upon a fair interpretation of the evidence (and therefore did not constitute an inconsistent verdict):

The plaintiffs contend that the jury verdict finding that the defendant … School District … negligently supervised certain students who assaulted the plaintiff …, but that such negligence was not a proximate cause of his injuries, is inconsistent and contrary to the weight of the evidence. Since the plaintiffs did not raise the issue of the claimed inconsistent jury verdict before the jury was discharged, that issue is not preserved for appellate review … . Contrary to the plaintiffs’ further contention, the jury verdict was not against the weight of the evidence. The jury’s finding that, while the School District negligently supervised these students, such negligence was not a proximate cause of [plaintiff’s] injuries, was based on a fair interpretation of the evidence… . LaMacchia v City of New Rochelle, 2015 NY Slip Op 01422, 2nd Dept 2-18-15