Munn v. Hotchkiss School
United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
24 F. Supp. 3d 155 (2014)
- Written by Liz Nakamura, JD
Facts
Cara Munn (plaintiff) was a 15-year-old boarding school student at The Hotchkiss School (defendant) in Connecticut. Munn was bitten by a tick during a poorly supervised school trip to China. As a result, Munn contracted tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), which resulted in devastating physical and social impairments. Munn’s intelligence was largely unaffected, but she lost her ability to speak or use sign language, and her facial muscles became so rigid that she was unable to express her emotions. Because of the damage Munn had suffered, it was expected that Munn would never mature emotionally or socially beyond the age of 15 despite having a normal life expectancy. Munn was expected to live until at least the age of 80, or an additional 65 years. Before contracting TBE, Munn was an active, healthy child with a bright future. Munn, through her parents, sued The Hotchkiss School, alleging that the school’s negligence had caused Munn’s injuries. The jury awarded Munn $31.5 million in noneconomic damages. In a posttrial motion for judgment as a matter of law, The Hotchkiss School argued that the damages award was excessive.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Underhill, J.)
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