Coffee v. Seaboard System R.R., Inc.

This is an appeal from an order granting Seaboard System Railroad's motion for a new trial. Appellant, Richard Coffee, had received a jury award for compensatory damages in the amount of $895,000.

Coffee worked as a trainman for Seaboard. Part of his job was to switch hopper cars at a private side rail owned by the Jessie Morrie Sand Company. While working at this particular location, Coffee stepped from a hopper car and tripped on an object which was hidden from view by a large accumulation of sand. He suffered severe, permanent injury to his knee. The testimony tended to show that this…