Supreme Court Cases

Bynum v The Esab Group Inc - Plaintiff was injured in 1988 while operating a robotic welding system that was manufactured by defendant. The case has been tried three times. In the first trial, the jury awarded plaintiff $50,000 for economic and noneconomic damages and reduced the award by finding that plaintiff had been partially at fault for her injuries. The trial court granted plaintiff's motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict regarding her negligence, and additur of $849,750 or a new trial. The trial court agreed with plaintiff that the comparative negligence verdict was contrary to the evidence. It ordered a new trial, limited to the issue of damages. At the conclusion of the second jury trial, a verdict in excess of $2 million was returned. The defendant appealed both the decision granting a second trial and the verdict of the second trial. The Court of Appeals held that the trial court did not err in granting a judgment notwithstanding the verdict, but said the second trial should not have been limited to determination of damages. The Court of Appeals ordered a new trial on all issues. [ more ]

Brunsell v City of Zeeland - Plaintiff alleges that she tripped and fell while walking because of a defect1 in a sidewalk, resulting in a fractured left wrist. The sidewalk was part of an area leased to the city by the First Michigan Bank & Trust Company. The lease agreement provided that a sidewalk was among the "improvements" that the city, as lessee, was authorized to construct. [ more ]

Jones v Enertel Inc - In this case, plaintiff alleged that she suffered injuries as a result of the failure of defendant city of South Lyon to fulfill its statutory duty under MCL 691.1402(1) to maintain a sidewalk in reasonable repair. The circuit court denied South Lyon's motion for summary disposition, which was premised on the position that it should not be held liable because the condition of the sidewalk was open and obvious. [ more ]