Rodriguez v. Allgreen Corp.

Decision Date08 January 1971
Docket NumberNo. 70--349,70--349
Citation242 So.2d 741
PartiesJose A. RODRIGUEZ and Leah Rodriguez, Appellants, v. ALLGREEN CORPORATION, a Florida corporation, Appellee.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Harold C. Starkweather and James M. Henderson, of Kneale, Roberts, Kneale, Starkweather & Henderson, Miami, for appellants.

Gilbert Haddad, of Preddy, Haddad, Kutner & Hardy, Miami, for appellee.

WALDEN, Judge.

This was a personal injury case arising out of an automobile accident.

The liability issue was strongly contested.

The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff husband in approximately the sum of his medical bills. Without going into detail it is manifest and uncontradicted that he suffered damages greatly in excess of the sum allowed because of permanent disability, loss of wages, and pain and suffering occasioned by hospitalization, a bone transplant and required use of crutches for 4 1/2 months, and other things.

The jury shortly before rendition of verdict asked, 'can we compensate the plaintiffs for the medical expense only?' While we cannot plumb the mind of the jury, this question (correctly answered by the trial court) coupled with their return of only the medical expenses causes us to strongly suspect as a matter of consistency that the jury compromised the issues of liability and damages.

We are of the opinion with reference to the plaintiff husband that the verdict was grossly inadequate and legally inconsistent with the proofs. Grossman v. Short, Fla.App.1970, 235 So.2d 11; Griffis v. Hill, Fla.1969, 230 So.2d 143 and Pickel v. Rosen, Fla.App.1968, 214 So.2d 730. We reverse with directions to grant the plaintiff, Jose A. Rodriguez, a new trial upon both the issue of liability and the issue of damages.

Other points raised on appeal do not reveal error and do not merit discussion. We affirm the judgment entered in favor of the wife, Leah Rodriguez.

Affirmed in part; reversed in part, and remanded with directions.

OWEN and REED, JJ., concur.

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15 cases
  • Cedars of Lebanon Hosp. Corp. v. Silva
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • 10 Septiembre 1985
    ...suspect that the verdict is a "compromise verdict." See 1661 Corp. v. Snyder, 267 So.2d 362 (Fla. 1st DCA 1972); Rodriguez v. Allgreen Corp., 242 So.2d 741 (Fla. 4th DCA 1971); Duquette v. Hindman, 152 So.2d 789 (Fla. 1st DCA 1963). The present case, however, is not one where the evidence o......
  • Borges v. Jacobs, 84-1092
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • 11 Febrero 1986
    ...1981); Anderson v. Chirogianis, 384 So.2d 1289 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980), cert. discharged, 401 So.2d 1322 (Fla.1981); Rodriguez v. Allgreen Corp., 242 So.2d 741 (Fla. 4th DCA 1971). We reject the defendants' contention that the evidence rationally supports the jury's determination that only $26,......
  • Beauvais v. Edell
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • 7 Junio 2000
    ...Corp., 463 So.2d 1229 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985); Skelly v. Hartford Cas. Ins. Co., 445 So.2d 415 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984); Rodriguez v. Allgreen Corp., 242 So.2d 741 (Fla. 4th DCA 1971); Pickel v. Rosen, 214 So.2d 730 (Fla. 3d DCA Daigneault, 624 So.2d at 819-20. In the cases cited in Daigneault, it a......
  • Mason v. District Bd. of Trustees of Broward Community College, 93-2531
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • 26 Octubre 1994
    ...446 So.2d 713 (Fla. 2d DCA 1984); Skelly v. Hartford Casualty Ins. Co., 445 So.2d 415 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984); and Rodriguez v. Allgreen Corp., 242 So.2d 741 (Fla. 4th DCA 1971). ...
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