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Gonzalez v. Price

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District
Mar 23, 2001
783 So. 2d 301 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2001)

Summary

finding "no evidence in the record" to support argument by plaintiff, a singer and dancer that continued to perform after her accident, that her accident "diminishe[d] her chance to become a star on Broadway or in the movies" and that, "even assuming [this] extraordinarily speculative prospect," there was no evidence "on the amount of damages attributable to the accident"

Summary of this case from Chaudhry v. Adventist Health Sys. Sunbelt

Opinion

No. 5D00-748.

Opinion filed March 23, 2001.

Appeal from the Circuit Court for Putnam County, A. W. Nichols, III, Judge.

Affirmed in part; Reversed in part and Remanded to strike the award for lost earning ability from the judgment.

F. Bradley Hassell, of Eubank, Hassell Moorhead, Daytona Beach, for Appellant.

Preston J. Fields, of Watterson, Hyland Klett, P.A., Palm Beach Gardens, for Appellee.


Of the several issues on appeal in this personal injury action, we find that only one merits discussion. Price was injured when her vehicle was struck by one being driven by Gonzalez. We affirm Price's awards for past medical expenses, past pain and suffering and future pain and suffering. We reverse the award for lost earning ability.

In this case, Price, a professional singer and dancer, continues to perform but claims that her condition since the accident diminishes her chance to become a star on Broadway or in the movies. There is no evidence in the record, even assuming the extraordinarily speculative prospect of "making it on Broadway", on the amount of damages attributable to the accident. Although Price testified that she could earn at least twice as much if she made it on Broadway, there was no testimony as to what she was making at her job at the time of trial: singing and dancing with the Louise Mandrel show. We therefore affirm the judgment except for that portion relating to lost earning ability.

THOMPSON, C.J., and SAWAYA, J., concur.


Summaries of

Gonzalez v. Price

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District
Mar 23, 2001
783 So. 2d 301 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2001)

finding "no evidence in the record" to support argument by plaintiff, a singer and dancer that continued to perform after her accident, that her accident "diminishe[d] her chance to become a star on Broadway or in the movies" and that, "even assuming [this] extraordinarily speculative prospect," there was no evidence "on the amount of damages attributable to the accident"

Summary of this case from Chaudhry v. Adventist Health Sys. Sunbelt

finding the speculative testimony of professional singer and dancer injured in automobile accident that she could earn at least twice as much money on Broadway as she was making at her job at the time of trial was insufficient to support damages award for lost earning ability

Summary of this case from Safeco Ins. Co. of Ill. v. Fridman
Case details for

Gonzalez v. Price

Case Details

Full title:MARIA BENEJAM GONZALEZ, Appellant, v. AMY MELINDA PRICE, Appellee

Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District

Date published: Mar 23, 2001

Citations

783 So. 2d 301 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2001)

Citing Cases

Safeco Ins. Co. of Ill. v. Fridman

This type of speculative testimony is insufficient to support an award of damages. See, e.g., Gonzalez v.…

Chaudhry v. Adventist Health Sys. Sunbelt

Furthermore, the suggestion that previously unachieved levels of performance and earnings may have been…