INTRODUCTION
This appeal involves a matter of first impression in Pennsylvania stemming from an assault and battery inflicted by a stock trader (Ralph DiDonato) against another stock trader (William J. Dooner) while employed at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange (PSX). As a result of the attack, plaintiff-husband and his wife, Maureen Dooner, filed on May 28, 2004, a civil action against defendant DiDonato and defendant PSX averring counts of assault and battery, negligence, negligent supervision, intentional infliction of emotional distress and punitive damages. Plaintiff-husband claims that in the assault, defendant DiDonato yanked him downward causing him to suffer serious injuries. A jury subsequently found in favor of plaintiffs and against both defendants and assessed comparative negligence among the parties.
Thereafter, defendant PSX only filed a post-trial motion for judgment n.o.v. and/or a new trial, which was denied by this trial judge. Dissatisfied, defendant PSX filed this appeal essentially contending that this trial judge incorrectly denied its post-trial motion and erred when finding that plaintiffs’ claims were not federally preempted, when ruling on numerous evidentiary matters, and when charging the jury. This trial judge disagrees.
RELEVANT FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
It is reasonable to infer that the jury considered the following relevant facts when rendering its verdict:
On December 4, 2002, defendant DiDonato had arrived at the trading floor earlier than plaintiff-husband, set up his computer and left the immediate area.
When plaintiff-husband arrived at his home, he immediately called his family physician for an appointment. He was subsequently diagnosed with whiplash and a sprain. His physician also prescribed Tylenol with codeine, Vicodin and Fexeril. Plaintiff-husband continues to take Flexeril, a muscle relaxant, and Naproxen, to sleep.
As a result of the injuries suffered, Plaintiff-husband was unable to return to his employment as a stock trader.
Testimony offered at trial by several witnesses described the work enviromnent on defendant PSX’s trading floor as hostile, competitive, cramped and violent.
Procedurally, plaintiffs filed this civil suit against defendant PSX, John Wallace and defendant DiDonato. By order dated February 28,2006, the Honorable Gregory E. Smith granted defendant Wallace’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed him, with prejudice, from the case.
Discovery ensued and a jury trial was scheduled. On March 7, 2006, after a five-day trial, the jury found in favor of plaintiffs and against both defendant PSX and defendant DiDonato in the amount of $1,800,000. The jury also assessed comparative negligence among the parties; to wit: plaintiff-husband was found to be 20 percent negligent, defendant DiDonato 30 percent negligent, and defendant PSX 50 percent negligent. Additionally, the jury returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff-wife for loss of consortium claim in the amount of $135,000.
On July 11,2006, defendant PSX filed the instant appeal with the Superior Court.
ISSUES
In response to an order issued on July 12, 2006, in accordance with Pennsylvania Rule of Appellate Procedure 1925(b), defendant PSX on July 25, 2006, filed of record and served onto this trial judge a statement of matters complained of on appeal and averred that this trial court erred and/or abused its discretion:
(1) in failing to find that the plaintiffs’ claims against defendant Philadelphia Stock Exchange were federally preempted, in that the conduct at issue was governed by the Rules of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, which were approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission through its quasi-legislative authority as granted it by the United States Congress and, consequently, in denying defendant Philadelphia Stock Exchange’s motion for summary judgment, motion for nonsuit, motion for direct verdict and motion for post-trial relief on that basis;
(3) in allowing Ira Somerson, plaintiffs’ liability expert, to testify to improper conclusions of law regarding the duty of care owed by the Philadelphia Stock Exchange;
(4) in providing conflicting jury charges regarding the duty of care owed by the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, namely plaintiffs’ proposed points 23, 24 and 25, since they provided for a much higher standard of care than that imposed by Pennsylvania law on a possessor of land that is not held open to the public;
(5) in permitting plaintiffs’ medical expert, Dr. Gene Salkind, to testify over defendant Philadelphia Stock Exchange’s objections that plaintiff William Dooner is medically incapable of working as a trader at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, despite the fact that the opinion was not set forth in Dr. Salkind’s expert report and caused unfair surprise, and consequently, in denying defendant Philadelphia Stock Exchange’s motion for post-trial relief on that basis;
(6) in failing to find that the testimony of Terry Leslie, plaintiffs’ vocational expert, regarding lost wages and/ or lost earning capacity was improperly speculative in nature because he could not differentiate what portion of plaintiff William Dooner’s lost earning capacity was attributable to his alleged neck injury for which he was
(7) in allowing Mr. Leslie’s testimony which was improper based upon the inadmissible testimony of Dr. Gene Salkind, and, consequently, in denying defendant Philadelphia Stock Exchange’s oral motion in limine, motion for nonsuit, motion for directed verdict and motion for post-trial relief on that basis;
(8) in failing to enter a directed verdict against defendant Ralph DiDonato based on his admission that he committed an assault and battery; to include a proximate cause/substantial factor question on the verdict sheet regarding defendant Ralph DiDonato’s admitted assault and battery; charging the jury on the issue of negligence as to all defendants, notwithstanding defendant Ralph DiDonato’s admitted assault and battery, which caused confusion to the jury and, consequently, in denying defendant Philadelphia Stock Exchange’s motion for directed verdict and motion for post-trial relief on that basis; and
(9)in failing to find that the jury’s verdict was contrary to the law, that the jury’s verdict was against the weight of the evidence, that the jury’s verdict was excessive, and, consequently, in denying defendant Philadelphia Stock Exchange’s oral motion in limine, motion for nonsuit, motion for directed verdict and motion for post-trial relief on that basis.
LAW AND DISCUSSION
Succinctly, defendant PSX essentially avers that this trial judge erred and/or abused her discretion regarding
It is undisputed that the decision to grant and/or deny a request for a new trial is within the sound discretion of the trial court.
Anew trial is warranted where the jury’s verdict is so contrary to the evidence as to shock one’s sense of justice.
Federal Preemption
Defendant PSX’s principal argument is that as a national securities exchange registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
The preemption doctrine, which has its roots in the Supremacy Clause, United States Constitution, Article VI, Clause 2, requires an examination of congressional intent.
Even where Congress has not completely displaced state regulation in a specific area, state law is nullified
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 was promulgated “in order to protect interstate commerce, the national credit, the federal taxing power, to protect and make more effective the national banking system and Federal Reserve System, and to insure the maintenance of fair and honest markets in such transactions.”
• Supreme Court. The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is not intended to circumscribe the courts’ power to grant appropriate remedies.
• New York. The purpose of the Securities Exchange Act is to regulate securities exchanges and the securities
• District of Columbia. The intent of the Securities Exchange Act is protection of investors, markets, and the public generally by means of full disclosure.
• California. The Securities Exchange Act has the dual purpose of providing regulation of securities and over-the-counter markets and protecting investors from inequitable and unfair practices in such a market.
In Merrill Lynch v. Ware, 414 U.S. 117, 118 (1973), the United States Supreme Court held that a California wage statute was not preempted by the Securities Exchange Act because it: (1) did not fall within the mandate of the Securities Exchange Act to protect investors and to ensure fair trade practices, (2) could not be categorized as part of a need for uniform national regulation, and (3) did not unduly interfere with federal regulation of the securities industry or unconstitutionally burden interstate commerce. Absent repealing or exclusivity provisions, state law conflicting with a stock exchange’s self-regulation under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 should
Here, defendant PSX contends that as a self-regulating organization pursuant to the laws of Congress and the SEC Act, it is required to conduct disciplinary proceedings when a member, or a person associated with a member, is suspected of violating federal securities laws or internal rules or regulations.
In this trial judge’s opinion, while defendant PSX’s citation of the law may be correct, its conclusions, as applied to the facts in this case, are erroneous. This trial judge notes that this is not a case of preempting disciplinary action against the traders involved in this altercation. The instant matter is one of assault and battery by a trader resulting from an alleged atmosphere of hostility and violence. In reviewing the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and its amendments, it is evident that the purpose of the Act was to establish requirements for self-regulating organizations in the securities market. The Act seeks to regulate the stock exchanges and the relationships of the investing public to corporations which invite public investment by listing on such exchanges.
Plaintiffs’ averments against defendant PSX (negligent supervision, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and negligence) clearly do not fall within the ambit of protecting investors in the securities market. These claims against defendant PSX center on the environment on its trading floor. Plaintiffs’ claims do not interfere with federal regulation of the securities industry, nor do these burden interstate commerce. Consequently, this trial judge opines that there is no federal preemption to plaintiffs’ tort action against defendant PSX.
Jury Instructions
Defendant PSX next contends that an error of law and / or abuse of discretion was committed when this trial judge failed to find that defendant PSX did not have a duty to protect against criminal acts of third parties or to provide a security program beyond any gratuitous security program defendant PSX voluntarily undertook. Specifically, defendant PSX avers that this trial judge erred and/or abused its discretion in providing conflicting
Plaintiffs’ proposed points 23, 24 and 25 read as follows:
“(23) The standard or level of care owed by an occupier of land to a person who entered the land depends on whether the person who entered was an invitee, a licensee or a trespasser. In this case you heard testimony that Mr. Dooner paid fees to the defendant, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, for the right to do business on their premises. That means that, for purposes of duty, Mr. Dooner is to be considered a business invitee. A business visitor is a person who is invited to enter or remain on land for a purpose directly or indirectly connected with business dealings with the occupier of the land.
“(24) An occupier of land is required to use reasonable care in the maintenance and use of the land, and to protect invitees from foreseeable harm. An occupier of land is also required to inspect the premises and to discover dangerous conditions. An occupier of land is liable to invitees for any harm that the occupier should have anticipated, regardless of whether the danger is known or obvious.
“(25) Negligence — Failure to prevent intentional harm to business invitees. Negligence or carelessness is the failure to use the ordinary care that a reasonable person would have used under the circumstances. Specifically,
This trial judge specifically charged that defendant PSX’s duty of care was:
“As I stated negligence, or carelessness is failure to use the ordinary care that a reasonably prudent person would use under the circumstances. Here specifically the defendant, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, has a duty to use reasonable care to find out if one of their traders is
“The standard of care or level of care owed by an occupier of land, such as the defendant, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, to a person, such as the plaintiff, who entered the land depends upon whether the person who entered was an invitee, a licensee or a trespasser. In this case, you heard that the plaintiff paid fees to defendant, Phila
At the conclusion of the jury instructions defendant PSX made no objection to the jury charges. It is axiomatic that, in order to preserve an issue for review, litigants must make timely and specific objections during trial or at the time of jury instructions, and raise the issue in post-trial motions.
Notwithstanding this waiver, the Restatement (Second) of Torts, section 343, provides that:
“A possessor of land is subject to liability for physical harm caused to his invitees by a condition on the land if, but only if, he
“(a) knows or by the exercise of reasonable care would discover the condition, and should realize that it involves an unreasonable risk of harm to such invitees, and
“(b) should expect that they will not discover or realize the danger, or will fail to protect themselves against it, and
“(c) fails to exercise reasonable care to protect them against the danger.”
An invitee must prove either the proprietor of the land had a hand in creating the harmful condition, or had actual or constructive notice of such condition.
Expert Opinions
Defendant PSX next contends that this trial court erred in allowing the opinion testimony of Plaintiffs’ experts regarding the duty of care owed by defendant PSX, (the opinion of Ira Somerson), the extent of his injuries, (Dr. Gene Salkind’s opinion), and the amount of lost wages and/or lost earning capacity (Terry Leslie’s opinion).
With regard to the duty of care argument, defendant PSX contends that this objection was preserved by its request for a Frye hearing regarding the methodology used by Somerson in reaching his expert opinion. This Frye motion was denied by this trial judge as an improperly and untimely filed motion.
As to the testimony of Dr. Salkind regarding plaintiff-husband’s medical inability to work as a stock trader, defendant PSX contends that his opinions should have been precluded because these were not set forth in the expert report, and caused unfair surprise. Dr. Salkind’s testimony had been videotaped for trial. After reviewing the transcript of the videotaped testimony, this trial judge determined that defendant PSX did not object to the questions and responses regarding plaintiff-husband’s ability to perform as an options trader during the expert’s testimony
As to the testimony of Mr. Leslie, plaintiffs’ vocational expert, regarding the lost wages and/or lost earning capacity claims, defendant PSX contends that this trial court erred and/or abused its discretion in allowing his opinion, as it “was improperly speculative in nature
The general rule in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is that a plaintiff bears the burden of proof as to damages.
In this case, Mr. Leslie based his expert testimony on the medical documents and reports, including the report of Dr. Salkind and opinion of the permanent nature of the physical disabilities sustained by plaintiff-husband due to the assault, and on a personal vocational interview
Jury Verdict
Lastly, defendant PSX contends that this trial court erred and/or abused its discretion “in failing to find that the jury’s verdict was contrary to the law, that the jury’s verdict was against the weight of the evidence, that the jury’s verdict was excessive, and, consequently, in denying defendant PSX’s oral motion in limine, motion for nonsuit, motion for directed verdict and motion for post-trial relief on that basis.”
A jury award can be set aside only when it appears to have been the product of passion, prejudice, partiality, or corruption, or where it clearly appears from uncontradicted evidence that the amount of the verdict bears no reasonable relation to the loss suffered by the plaintiff.
A trial court has the authority to order a remittitur of an excessive jury verdict.
As to the jury’s assessment of damages, at the time of the assault plaintiff-husband was 35 years old and earning an annual average salary of $95,304 plus additional benefits.
The jury also considered the loss of household services calculated to be approximately $93,653, and plaintiff-husband’s noneconomic damages, such as his pain and suffering and loss of life’s pleasures. It was the jury’s duty to assess a value to the noneconomic damages if that was its decision. Based on these elements of damage, the record clearly supports the jury award of $1,800,000.
It is, therefore, this trial judge’s opinion that the jury’s verdict in this case is supported by the evidence of record and is not the product of sympathy, prejudice, partiality, mistake or corruption. This trial judge finds no reason either to remit the award, order a new trial, or grant a judgment n.o.v.
As a final observation to defendant PSX’s argument that a directed verdict should have been issued against defendant DiDonato, no error was committed. While defendant DiDonato admitted to the assault, he did not accept full responsibility for the extent of the injuries suffered. It appears that the jury agreed with him.
Based on the foregoing discussion, this trial judge is of the opinion that no error was committed during the trial and/or when denying defendant PSX’s post-trial motion. This trial judge respectfully requests that this appeal be dismissed and the orders dated June 15,2006, be affirmed.
. N.T. 2/27/06, 250:2-4.
. Id. at 211:10-12.
. Id. at 144:21-25 — 145:1-3.
. N.T. 2/27/06, 268:1-6.
. Id. at 269:4-15.
. Id at 264:5-9, 274:11-20.
. Id at 274:11-20.
. Id. at 109:2-7.
. Id at 110:2-11.
. Id at 110:7-20.
. Id. at 275:13-18.
. Id. at 275:21-24.
. Id. at 277:14-19.
. Id. at 278:19-22.
. Id at 279:21-23.
. Id. at 16:7-15.
. N.T. 2/28/06, 68:13-18.
. N.T. 2/28/06, 19:5-21.
. Id. at 20:4-6.
. Id at 23:24-25 — 24:1-25.
. N.T. 2/27/06, 89:8-13.
. Andrews v. Jackson, 800 A.2d 959, 962 (Pa. Super. 2002), appeal denied, 572 Pa. 694, 813 A.2d 835 (2002). (citation omitted)
. Neison v. Hines, 539 Pa. 516, 520, 653 A.2d 634, 636 (1995) (citations omitted); Andrews, 800 A.2d at 962.
. See Fanning v. Davne, 795 A.2d 388, 393 (Pa. Super. 2002), citing Paden v. Baker Concrete Construction Co. Inc., 540 Pa. 409, 412, 658 A.2d 341, 343 (1995).
. Fanning, 795 A.2d at 393.
. Neison, 539 Pa. at 520, 653 A.2d at 636.
. Harman ex rel. Harman v. Borah, 562 Pa. 455, 469, 756 A.2d 1116, 1123 (2000).
. Harman, 562 Pa. at 467, 756 A.2d at 1122.
. Id.
. Id.
. This Act may be cited as the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. See 15 U.S.C.S. §78a.
. Fidelity Federal Savings and Loan Association v. de la Cuseta, 458 U.S. 141, 153, 102 S.Ct. 3014 (1982).
. Jones v. Rath Packing Co., 430 U.S. 519, 525 (1977).
. Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp., 331 U.S. 218, 230 (1947).
. Fidelity Federal Savings, 458 U.S. 141, 153 (1982).
. Florida Lime & Avocado Growers Inc. v. Paul, 373 U.S. 132, 142-143 (1963).
. Hines v. Davidowitz, 312 U.S. 52, 67 (1941).
. 15 U.S.C.S. §78b.
. Mills v. Electric Auto-Lite Co., 396 U.S. 375 (1970).
. Ernst & Ernst v. Hochfelder, 425 U.S. 185, 47 L.Ed.2d 668, 96 S.Ct. 1375, CCH Fed. Secur. L. Rep. p. 95479 (1976), reh. den., 425 U.S. 986, 96 S.Ct. 2194, 48 L.Ed.2d 811 (1976).
. Schoenbaum v. Firstbrook, 405 F.2d 200, CCH Fed. Secur. L. Rep. p. 92218 (CA2 NY 1968), rev’d on other grounds, en banc 405 F.2d 215, CCH Fed. Secur. L. Rep. p. 92327, 12 F.R. Serv. 2d 1233 (CA2 NY 1968), cert. den., 395 U.S. 906, 89 S.Ct. 1747, 23 L.Ed.2d 219(1969).
. Lank v. New York Stock Exchange, 548 F.2d 61, CCH Fed. Secur. L. Rep. p. 95841 (CA2 NY 1977).
. Graphic Sciences Inc. v. International Mogul Mines Ltd. 397 F. Supp. 112, CCH Fed. Secur. L. Rep. p. 94834 (D.C. Dist. Col. 1974).
. Crofoot v. Sperry Rand Corp., 408 F. Supp. 1154, CCH Fed. Secur. L. Rep. p. 95611 (ED Cal. 1976).
. Defendant PSX’s motion for post-trial relief, p. 6.
. Id.
. Schoenbaum v. Firstbrook, 405 F.2d 200, 206 (1968).
. N.T. 3/2/06, 98:25, 99:2-25, 100:2-25.
. Id. at 105:8-25, 106:1-15.
. Harman ex rel. v. Borah, 562 Pa. 455, 471, 756 A.2d 1116, 1124 (2000), citing Takes v. Metropolitan Edison Co., 548 Pa. 92, 98, 695 A.2d 397, 400 (1997).
. Id.
. Id., citing Dilliplaine v. Lehigh Valley Trust Co., 457 Pa. 255, 258, 322 A.2d 114, 116(1974).
. Id. at 471, 756 A.2d at 112, citing Reilly v. SEPTA, 507 Pa. 204, 214, 489 A.2d 1291, 1296 (1985).
. Restatement (Second) of Torts, §343.
. Moultrey v. Great A & P Tea Co., 281 Pa. Super. 525, 535, 422 A.2d 593, 598 (1980).
. Porro v. Century III Associates, 846 A.2d 1282, 1286 (Pa. Super. 2004), citing Myers v. Penn Traffic Co., 414 Pa. Super. 181, 186, 606 A.2d 926, 929 (1992).
. N.T. 2/27/06, 11:3-25, 12:1-4.
. Id at 101:5-15.
. N.T. 2/28/06, 139:12-17.
. N.T. 2/27/06, 102:24.
. N.T. 3/1/06, 91:9-13.
. Id. at 92:14.
. Judge Technical Services Inc. v. Clancy, 813 A.2d 879, 885 (Pa. Super. 2002).
. Id.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id
. Kiser v. Schulte, 538 Pa. 219, 648 A.2d 1 (1994).
. Id. at 225, 648 A.2d at 4.
. Id.
. Id. at 226, 648 A.2d at 4, citing Elza v. Chovan, 396 Pa. 112, 118, 152 A.2d 238, 241 (1959).
. Daley v. John Wanamaker Inc., 317 Pa. Super. 348, 352, 464 A.2d 355, 357 (1983). (citation omitted)
. Id.
. Id.
. Id.
. N.T. 2/28/06, 186:9-21.
. Id. at 196:21-22, 189:21-25, 190:2.
