Ruiz v. Summit Appliance Division

Plaintiff was injured while cooking in her apartment when flames shot out of the side of the stove, startling plaintiff and causing her to fall over backward and drop a pot of boiling water on herself. Following a jury trial, a verdict was reached finding that plaintiff and her landlord, Valentine, were both negligent, but that Valentine’s negligence was not a substantial factor in the happening of the accident. Despite this finding, in response to the special interrogatories in support of the general verdict, the jury sought to award plaintiff damages for past pain and suffering and…