Palmer v. Jensen

In this personal injury action, Pamela Palmer asks us to reverse the trial court’s denial of her motion for a new trial. Palmer argues the jury’s verdict in an amount exactly equal to special damages is inadequate as a matter of law because the award necessarily failed to include damages for pain and suffering.

On January 30, 1990, Palmer was driving her Volkswagen Rabbit in Tacoma when the car was rear-ended by a Ford Aerostar mini-van driven by Thomas Jensen. Palmer’s son Shawn, then aged three and one-half, was riding in the backseat restrained in his car seat. Palmer filed this action for…