Liberatore v. Monongahela Ry. Co.
Citation | 2016 PA Super 79,140 A.3d 16 |
Decision Date | 07 April 2016 |
Docket Number | No. 1011 EDA 2015,1011 EDA 2015 |
Parties | Larry LIBERATORE, Appellee v. MONONGAHELA RAILWAY COMPANY, and American Premier Underwriters, Inc., Formerly Known as Penn Central Corporation, Individually and/or as Success–In–Interest or Liability to Penn Central Transportation Company, Penn Central Company, the Pennsylvania New York Central Railroad Company, and/or the Pennsylvania Railroad and Consolidated Rail Corporation, and Norfolk Southern Railway Company, Appellants. |
Court | Superior Court of Pennsylvania |
Nancy L. Winkelman, Philadelphia, for Norfolk Southern and Consolidated Rail, appellants.
David L. Lockard, Philadelphia, for appellee.
Marion Erickson, Philadelphia, for Association of American Railroads, amicus curiae.
Consolidated Rail Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company, (collectively “Railroad”), appeal from the judgment of $87,500.00, entered on February 25, 2015, in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, in favor of plaintiff, Larry Liberatore, in an action to recover personal injury damages pursuant to the Federal Employers' Liability Act (“FELA”).1 On appeal, Railroad argues the trial court erred in granting Liberatore's motion to enforce full satisfaction of the verdict, thereby precluding it from deducting Liberatore's share of Railroad Retirement Tax Act (“RRTA”)2 taxes, as well as sick benefits Liberatore had received through the Railroad Retirement Board (“RRB”),3 and a collectively-bargained supplemental sickness plan, from the jury award.4 Railroad also challenges the court's preliminary determination that its issues are waived because they were not raised in a post-trial motion. For the reasons that follow, we vacate the judgment entered in favor of Liberatore, and remand for further proceedings.
The factual and procedural history underlying this appeal are aptly summarized by the trial court as follows:
This Court granted said Motion on January 28, 2015.
Trial Court Opinion, 5/12/2015, at 2–5 (internal citations omitted).6 ,7 In its first issue, Railroad addresses the trial court's determination that it failed to preserve any claims for review on appeal. Specifically, the court found that, pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. 227.1, Railroad was required to file a post-trial motion, within 10 days of the verdict, to “present the manner in which [it] intended to distribute the funds.” Trial Court Opinion, 5/12/2015, at 9. Because Railroad failed to do so, the court concluded Liberatore “was not given a chance to respond and/or dispute the proposed distribution.” Id. Accordingly, the court determined Railroad's claims were waived.
Conversely, Railroad asserts it was not required to file post-trial motions. First, it emphasizes that post-trial motions are necessary to permit a trial court to correct errors it made at trial. Here, however, the issues arose for the first time in a post-trial context, when Railroad paid the adjusted award, and the trial court granted Liberatore's motion to enforce the full judgment. See Railroad's Brief at 13–14. Second, Railroad claims it was not required to seek the trial court's approval to deduct RRTA taxes and previously-paid sick benefits from the jury award because it was legally required to deduct those amounts and “no court permission is needed to perform a legally-required act.” Id. at 15.
We agree with Railroad's contention that it was not required to file a post-trial motion seeking the trial court's permission to deduct the RRTA taxes, the RRB lien and the supplementary sick benefits from Liberatore's FELA award. As we will discuss infra, Railroad was legally required to deduct these amounts from the judgment, and, consequently, it was not obligated to seek the trial court's permission to do so.
Moreover, Railroad was not required to file post-trial motions to challenge a court ruling that occurred after trial. Railroad is not disputing either the jury's award to Liberatore or its finding of liability, but rather, contests the trial court's grant of Liberatore's post-trial motion to enforce the judgment—an issue that did not arise until after trial. See Atwell v. Beckwith Machinery Co., 872 A.2d 1216, 1220 (Pa.Super.2005) (...
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