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$13,000,000 VERDICT IS AGAINST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE IN THIS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT BACK-INJURY CASE, NEW TRIAL ORDERED UNLESS PLAINTIFFS STIPULATE TO A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED VERDICT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the over $13,000,000 verdict was against the weight of the evidence and ordered a new trial unless the defendants (the Tarpleys) stipulated to substantially reduced damages in this traffic accident back-injury case:

​” The amount of damages to be awarded to a plaintiff for personal injuries is a question for the jury, and its determination will not be disturbed unless the award deviates materially from what would be reasonable compensation'” ( … see CPLR 5501[c]). ” The reasonableness of compensation must be measured against relevant precedent of comparable cases'” … .  …

Considering the nature and extent of the injuries sustained by Tarpley, the awards for past and future pain and suffering and past and future loss of services deviate materially from what would be reasonable compensation … (see CPLR 5501[c] … ). …

“A party claiming lost earnings has the burden of proving the amount of actual past earnings with reasonable certainty, by means of tax returns or other documentation” … . “Unsubstantiated testimony, without documentation, is insufficient to establish lost earnings” … . Here, the award for lost earnings was speculative to the extent that it exceeded the income Tarpley could have expected to earn based on his 2008 and 2009 W2 forms submitted into evidence, since no documentation or expert testimony was presented to establish that Tarpley’s income was likely to increase in future years … . …

Tarpley’s treating physician provided an uncontroverted opinion that Tarpley would require a future lumbar fusion surgery, with an estimated cost of $100,000, due to his ongoing symptoms following the prior laminectomy. However, the verdict awarding damages for future medical expenses in excess of $100,000 was speculative, and we reduce it accordingly … . Tarpley v New York City Tr. Auth., 2019 NY Slip Op 08440, Second Dept 11-20-19

 

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