Alexandro Puga v. About Tyme Transport, Inc
Opinion
IT IS ORDERED that the pending joint motion for clarification of this court's opinion is GRANTED and our prior panel
*289
opinion,
Puga v. RCX Solutions, Inc.
,
RCX Solutions, Incorporated is a licensed motor carrier that contracted with a driver, Ronald Brown, to transport a load across Texas. During his drive, Brown crossed the median into oncoming traffic and crashed into Alexandro Puga's truck, leaving Puga with significant injuries. The Pugas sued. After a week-long trial with expert testimony, a jury found RCX liable for Brown's negligence and awarded Mr. Puga a variety of damages and his wife, Norma Puga, loss of consortium damages.
RCX now launches a multitude of challenges at the district court's handling of the case. RCX claims that the district court wrongly interpreted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations because it failed to take account of regulatory amendments. RCX contends that this misinterpretation subjected RCX to liability where none should exist. RCX also argues that the district court used faulty jury instructions, improperly allowed the Pugas' expert to testify, and upheld an excessive jury award for Mrs. Puga's loss of consortium. Finally, RCX claims that the district court erred in not applying a settlement credit to the final damages award. After reviewing the record, we AFFIRM the district court's rulings with respect to all issues except (1) Mrs. Puga's award for past consortium damages and (2) the settlement credit. We REVERSE and REMAND to the district court to calculate the appropriate amount of past consortium damages and settlement credit amount, and then modify its final judgment accordingly.
I.
Sunset Transportation entered into a brokerage account with L'Oreal. In its role as a broker, Sunset was responsible for choosing a motor carrier for individual L'Oreal shipments on a load-by-load basis. Sunset chose RCX to transport the L'Oreal load involved in the accident. RCX did not have a contract with L'Oreal.
When it came time for RCX to transport L'Oreal's load, RCX ran into equipment problems. So RCX contacted Ronald Brown to transport the load. Conveniently, Brown already had an RCX trailer in his possession. RCX had leased the trailer from another company, Xtra Lease, and RCX assumed responsibility for the trailer's operation under the lease agreement. The bill of lading listed RCX as the carrier for the load. Brown also signed the bill of lading, apparently on behalf of RCX. 1
While transporting the load, Brown swerved across the median into oncoming traffic, hitting Alexandro Puga's truck. Brown did not survive the accident. Mr. Puga suffered a variety of injuries, including burns on large parts of his body and fractures in his spine, legs, pelvis, and fingers. Mr. Puga was still undergoing treatment and surgeries two-and-a-half years after the accident.
Following the accident, Mr. Puga and his wife, Norma, sued RCX, About Tyme, and Xtra Lease, claiming that Brown's negligent driving caused Mr. Puga's injuries. Prior to trial, RCX filed a motion under Rule 50(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, requesting the court to enter judgment as a matter of law because the Pugas lacked sufficient evidence for a *290 jury to find that (1) Brown was employed by RCX and (2) Brown acted negligently when the crash occurred. The district court denied the motion.
At trial, the Pugas designated Trooper Andrew Smith as an expert witness. Smith was the first responder to the accident and saw the explosion from the accident from afar. RCX sought to exclude Smith's testimony regarding the cause of the accident. The district court denied RCX's motion.
The trial concluded with a jury verdict in favor of the Pugas. The jury determined that RCX was "using motor vehicle(s) it did not own to transport property under an arrangement with Ronald Brown." As a result, the jury awarded the Pugas a variety of damages. The jury specifically awarded Mrs. Puga damages for loss of consortium, $1.6 million for past loss of consortium and $1.8 million for future loss of consortium.
After the trial, RCX filed a renewed Rule 50(b) motion, again requesting judgment as a matter of law, this time because amendments to Federal Motor Carrier Regulations precluded the jury from finding for the Pugas. The district court again denied the motion and entered judgment in favor of the Pugas. RCX now appeals.
II.
RCX first argues that federal law does not allow courts to hold motor carriers liable for the acts of independent contractors, a concept both parties refer to as the statutory-employee doctrine. RCX raised this argument for the first time in its post-verdict Rule 50(b) motion.
Rule 50(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allows a party to move for judgment as a matter of law at trial before the jury renders its verdict. Under Rule 50(a), the movant must "specify the judgment sought and the law and facts that entitle the movant to the judgment." Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(a)(2). If the pre-verdict motion is denied, then the party can renew its motion under Rule 50(b). But the renewed Rule 50(b) is "technically only a renewal of the [ Rule 50(a) motion for judgment as a matter of law]."
Mozingo v. Correct Mfg. Corp.
,
This rule makes sense in light of Rule 50(b) 's purposes. Rule 50(b) is designed to prevent a litigant from ambushing both the district court and opposing counsel after trial.
See
Dimmitt Agri Indus., Inc. v. CPC Int'l. Inc.
,
Here, RCX did not argue that the statutory-employee doctrine was overruled in its Rule 50(a) motion, precluding it from raising the argument in its Rule 50(b) motion. In its oral Rule 50(a) motion, RCX argued that judgment as a matter of law was appropriate because the record contained insufficient evidence to determine that (1) Brown was a statutory employee of RCX and (2) Brown acted negligently when the accident occurred. Even in its earlier summary judgment briefing, RCX only attacked the evidentiary bases for determining that Brown was an employee of RCX. At no time prior to its Rule 50(b) motion did RCX argue that the entire statutory-employee doctrine is now defunct. By failing to raise this argument in its initial Rule 50(a) motion, RCX waived it.
2
See
McCann v. Tex. City Ref., Inc.
,
Accordingly, we AFFIRM the district court's decision to deny RCX's Rule 50(b) motion.
III.
RCX next argues that the district court used improper jury instructions. More specifically, RCX argues that the district court's jury instructions were incorrect because they did not require the jury to find that RCX met the definition of "motor carrier."
This court reviews jury instructions under a two-prong standard of review. "First, the challenger must demonstrate that the charge as a whole creates substantial and ineradicable doubt whether"
*292
the instructions "properly guided" the jury "in its deliberations."
Pelt v. U.S. Bank Tr. Nat. Ass'n
,
RCX's arguments do not raise any doubt about the district court's jury instructions.
3
The district court instructed the jury to determine whether RCX was "using motor vehicle(s) it did not own to transport property under an arrangement with Ronald Brown." RCX correctly points out that this instruction does not follow the federal definition of motor carrier. The federal definition of a motor carrier is "a person providing motor vehicle transportation for compensation."
The relevant federal regulations only apply to motor carriers who use leased equipment. As Section 14102 makes clear, the Secretary of Transportation can only issue regulations requiring a motor carrier to "have control of and be responsible for" how employees operate equipment if the motor carrier "uses motor vehicles
not owned by it
to transport property under an arrangement with another party."
RCX's arguments to the contrary are unconvincing. RCX first argues that the instructions did not require the jury to find that RCX was acting as a motor carrier. Second, and relatedly, RCX argues that the instructions are so broad that they wrap in brokers, as well as motor carriers. We disagree. The main difference between a motor carrier and a broker is the actual operation of the leased equipment. This difference stands out when looking at the definitions of motor carrier and broker in the Act. While a broker is responsible for "providing, or arranging for, transportation by motor carrier,"
In sum, the district court did not err. On the contrary, the district court closely examined the statute, avoided the obvious, overbroad definition of motor carrier, and picked out the correct, limited definition. We AFFIRM the district court's jury instructions.
IV.
RCX next challenges the district court's decision to admit State Trooper Smith as an expert witness on accident investigation. According to RCX, Smith's opinion was irrelevant because he testified that he (1) could not find any defects on the road, (2) could not find any skid marks on the road, (3) did not determine how fast Brown was driving, and (4) did not know the weight of the trailer or its contents. 4
A trial court's decision to admit expert evidence is reviewed for abuse of discretion.
Knight v. Kirby Inland Marine Inc.
,
Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence governs the admissibility of expert testimony and reports. When evaluating expert testimony, the overarching concern is generally whether the testimony is relevant and reliable.
See
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharm., Inc.
,
When performing this analysis, the court's main focus should be on determining whether the expert's opinion will assist the trier of fact.
See
Peters v. Five Star Marine Serv.
,
As a general rule, questions relating to the bases and sources of an expert's opinion affect the weight to be assigned that opinion rather than its admissibility.
See
Rock v. Arkansas
,
Here, RCX only challenges the relevance of Smith's opinion. 6 But its arguments are not persuasive. The district court did not abuse its discretion in allowing Smith to offer an expert opinion on the cause of the accident-Smith considered an appropriate amount of physical evidence at the scene of the crime to offer his opinion, and RCX had ample opportunity to show the jury any flaws in his opinion.
No Fifth Circuit case applies Rule 702 and Daubert to an accident investigator. 7 But the majority of in-circuit district courts choose to admit accident investigators as experts. 8 District courts use a contextual *295 analysis when making this determination, looking to see if the investigating officer bases his opinion on a sufficient amount of physical evidence from the accident.
For example, in
Stevens
, the district court allowed an officer to testify based on "the position of Defendants' trailer after the accident, the tire marks visible at the scene, and his conversation at the scene with ... the driver of Plaintiffs' tractor-trailer."
Stevens
,
Here, Smith considered numerous facts and did not state that he was speculating about the cause of the accident. Smith was driving some distance behind Brown when the accident occurred and saw it happen from afar. He found wet, dark conditions. He determined which lane Brown was using. He determined that Brown was talking on his cell phone. He examined marks in the median showing the path of Brown's truck. He took photographs of the scene. He spoke to witnesses. He determined that Brown hydroplaned based on skid marks. He determined based on experience and training that Brown must have been driving too fast or used faulty evasive maneuvers to cross the median and end up on the other side of the road. He also relied on an accident reconstruction put together by another expert. Smith also admitted on cross-examination that he did not examine Brown's truck, the brakes, the weight of the truck, or attempt to estimate his speed. But he stuck to his opinion that Brown must have been driving too fast for the conditions or taken a faulty evasive maneuver.
In sum, Smith's opinion was based on a multitude of facts. It did not take into account every possible explanation for the accident, and some measurements were missing. But he was the closest to the scene when the accident happened, observed the conditions on the road, knew Brown was talking on the phone, and looked at various tire markings in the median and on the pavement. Numerous district courts have allowed an investigating officer to testify as an expert based on less. If Smith missed any important facts, the oversight should go to the weight of *296 his opinion, not its admissibility. We AFFIRM the district court's decision to allow Smith to testify as an expert witness on causation.
V.
Next, RCX argues that the district court erroneously affirmed the jury's award of consortium damages to Mrs. Puga.
This court reviews the district court's decision to deny a motion for a new trial or remittitur for abuse of discretion.
9
Salinas v. O'Neill
,
The Supreme Court of Texas defines loss of consortium as the loss of companionship, emotional support, love, felicity, and sexual relations necessary to a successful marriage.
Glasscock v. Armstrong Cork Co.
,
While "translating the subjective nature of this loss into monetary terms" is difficult, Texas courts trust "the ability of the jury to calculate an appropriate award based on the evidence."
When determining the excessiveness of a jury verdict, courts "must review each case on its own facts."
Moore v. M/V ANGELA
,
This court uses the "maximum recovery rule" to determine whether an award is excessive. Under the maximum recovery rule, this court "will decline to reduce damages where the amount awarded is not disproportionate to at least one factually similar case from the relevant jurisdiction."
Lebron
, 279 F.3d at 326 (internal citations and quotations omitted). We measure disproportionality by applying a percentage enhancement to past similar awards. This enhancement is 50% for jury trials.
See
Salinas
,
The jury awarded Mrs. Puga $1.8 million for her future loss of consortium and $1.6 million for her past loss of consortium. Applying the maximum recovery rule, neither award is clearly excessive.
The award for future loss of consortium falls within this court's 50% multiplier. The highest decision we found awarded a wife $1 million for loss of future consortium in a case where the husband did not die. 11
*298
Reeder v. Allport
,
The parties did not point us to a factually similar case that specifically granted past loss of consortium damages.
13
See
Vogler
, 352 F.3d at 156-57, 157 n.7 (finding that prior cases were not factually similar when they did not distinguish between past and future loss of consortium). In our own research, however, we found a case in which the plaintiff-husband, like here, survived an accident but suffered physically and emotionally from his injuries.
See
W. Star Transp., Inc. v. Robison
,
Accordingly, we AFFIRM the district court's decision to affirm the jury's award of future consortium damages. However, we REVERSE the district court's decision to affirm the jury's award of past consortium damages and REMAND for the exact
*299
calculation of Mrs. Puga's maximum recovery in light of
West Star Transportation, Inc. v. Robison
,
VI.
Finally, RCX argues that it is entitled to a settlement credit under Texas law-an issue the district court did not consider. The Pugas agree that RCX is entitled to a settlement credit.
See
RSR Corp. v. Int'l Ins. Co.
,
We, therefore, REVERSE the district court's decision not to apply a settlement credit and REMAND for the district court to calculate the appropriate settlement credit amount and modify the final judgment accordingly.
VII.
For the foregoing reasons, we AFFIRM the district court's choice of jury instructions; we AFFIRM that Trooper Smith was properly admitted to testify as an expert on accident investigation; and we AFFIRM the district court's decision to uphold the jury's award for future loss of consortium. We REVERSE the district court's decision to uphold the full amount of the jury's award for past consortium damages and REMAND to the district court to calculate the appropriate amount of past consortium damages. We also REMAND to the district court so that it can calculate the settlement credit to which RCX is entitled and modify its final judgment accordingly.
RCX claims, however, that Brown was employed by About Tyme, another carrier. RCX had a trailer interchange agreement with About Tyme, under which they could use the other company's trailers. And About Tyme's logo was also on the trailer when the accident occurred. Brown had also listed About Tyme in his logbook.
RCX argues that it can raise and appeal a purely legal issue in a Rule 50(b) motion even though it did not raise that issue in its original Rule 50(a) motion. But RCX provides no support for this proposition. In fact, the case it cites cuts the opposite direction. In
Feld Motor Sports
, this court held that it could only review an appeal of a district court's purely legal conclusions if the challenging party "sufficiently preserved [it objections] in a Rule 50 motion."
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. v. Traxxas, L.P.
,
There are three main statutes at issue here. First, the definition of motor carrier: "The term 'motor carrier' means a person providing motor vehicle transportation for compensation."
The term "broker" means a person, other than a motor carrier or an employee or agent of a motor carrier, that as a principal or agent sells, offers for sale, negotiates for, or holds itself out by solicitation, advertisement, or otherwise as selling, providing, or arranging for, transportation by motor carrier for compensation.
Third, the statute giving the Secretary of Transportation the power to regulate motor carriers who lease trucking equipment: "The Secretary may require a motor carrier providing transportation subject to jurisdiction under subchapter I of chapter 135 that uses motor vehicles not owned by it to transport property under an arrangement with another party."
Both parties implicitly assume that an accident investigator can serve as an expert witness. Because RCX merely attacks Smith's opinion and does not challenge the idea that an accident investigator can serve as an expert at all, we reserve that more fundamental question for a later date.
Courts also look to Dabuert 's list of non-exclusive factors when determining whether testimony is reliable:
(1) whether the theory or technique has been tested; (2) whether the theory or technique has been subjected to peer review and publication; (3) the known or potential rate of error of the method used and the existence and maintenance of standards controlling the technique's operation; and (4) whether the theory or method has been generally accepted by the scientific community.
Arkema, Inc. ,685 F.3d at 459 .
RCX does not challenge Smith's qualifications. Officer Smith has worked on accident investigations since he became a Texas State Trooper in 2010. He received training on accident investigation when he became a trooper. He also took an advanced course on accident investigation. He has investigated "[o]ver a hundred" accidents.
Smith offered testimony as an accident investigator, not an accident recreator, which requires additional training and attention to detail. Accident investigation merely consists of "responding to the scene, looking at the evidence, taking statements from witnesses, making a preliminary determination about what may have been a contributing factor to the crash, [and] writing [and] submitting the initial crash report."
Stevens Transp., Inc. v. Glob. Transp., LLC
, No. 6:15-CV-552-MHS-JDL,
While this court has held that an investigating officer may not offer
lay
testimony on causation,
Duhon v. Marceaux
,
See, e.g.
,
Stevens Transport
,
This court has not spoken definitively about the appropriate standard of review for overturning a jury's award of damages. There are three that stand out in the case law.
See generally
Foradori v. Harris
,
Because RCX challenges the district court's decision to affirm the jury's award, as opposed to directly challenging the jury's award, we apply the abuse of discretion standard.
McCaig v. Wells Fargo Bank (Tex.), N.A.
,
See also
Elizondo v. Krist
,
We found other verdicts that were higher, but we do not rely on these verdicts because a higher court reversed them. The higher courts did not reverse because the jury awards were excessive-they reversed for other reasons.
See, e.g.
,
U-Haul Int'l, Inc. v. Waldrip
,
We performed this conversion using the Bureau of Labor Statistics's CPI Inflation Calculator, available at https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl.
See
Ledet
,
The largest award we found for loss of past consortium was $300,000.
Douglass
,
The most important reference point for determining factual similarity is whether the primary victim lived or died. For example, in
Lebron
, this court merely looked to see whether the child in past cases had died or lived when determining the correct comparison point for parental loss of consortium.
Lebron
,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Alexandro PUGA; Norma Puga, Plaintiffs - Appellees v. RCX SOLUTIONS, INCORPORATED, Defendant - Appellant
- Cited By
- 133 cases
- Status
- Published