Filed: Apr. 27, 2000
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: STEVEN COLON, M.D.Pamela B. Berger on brief pro se. Appellee Steven Colan, M.D.the judgment.issue on appeal.examination (which he did) and in his closing argument.chose to agree with Valhakes view of the medical evidence.discovered evidence is motion under Rule 60(b)(2);
[NOT FOR PUBLICATION–NOT TO BE CITED AS PRECEDENT]
United States Court of Appeals
For the First Circuit
No. 99-1155
PAMELA B. BERGER, Executrix of Estate of Aliya Berger,
Plaintiff, Appellant,
v.
STEVEN COLON, M.D.,
Defendant, Appellee.
APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
[Hon. Edward F. Harrington, U.S. District Judge]
Before
Torruella, Chief Judge,
Selya and Stahl, Circuit Judges.
Pamela B. Berger on brief pro se.
James H. Anderson, Shelley A. McNamee and Anderson, Adler,
Cohen & Harvey, LLP on brief for appellee.
APRIL 19, 2000
Per Curiam. Appellee Steven Colan, M.D. (“Colan”)
has moved for summary disposition of this appeal, and after
a thorough review of the record and of the parties’
submissions, we allow the appellee’s motion and we affirm
the judgment.
Appellant Pamela B. Berger’s (“Berger’s”) argument
that the jury’s verdict was against the weight of the
evidence may not be raised on appeal, as she did not raise
it in a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, nor
in a motion for new trial pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 59(a).
Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Auth. V. Constructora Lluch,
Inc.,
169 F.3d 68, 82 (1st Cir. 1999) (“A motion for a new
trial must be made in the first instance before the trial
court, particularly where the weight of the evidence is at
issue. . . . The failure to move for a new trial waives the
issue on appeal.”) (citations omitted); Velazquez v.
Figueroa-Gomez,
996 F.2d 425, 426-27 (1st Cir. 1993) (failure
to move for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and for a
new trial pursuant to Rule 59(a) results in waiver of
challenge to sufficiency or weight of evidence). Even if
the matter had been presented properly to the district
court, one may not argue that the verdict was against the
weight of the evidence simply by citing to the evidence
which was favorable to one’s position. If evidence was
offered to the contrary, the jury was free to accept or
reject each party’s evidence, and in most cases, a court is
not warranted in overriding the jury’s choice.
Likewise, Berger’s argument that the testimony and
opinion of Colon’s expert witness Valhakes was “erroneous”
is insufficient to support relief on appeal. Berger makes
no argument that Valhakes was unqualified as an expert
witness or that his testimony was for some other reason
inadmissible under the Federal Rules of Evidence. Her
counsel was free to attack Valhakes’ opinion on cross-
examination (which he did) and in his closing argument. But
Berger is not entitled to reversal simply because the jury
chose to agree with Valhakes’ view of the medical evidence.
Berger’s claim that she is entitled to relief based
on newly-discovered evidence fails. Such claims must first
be brought to the district court through a motion under
Fed.R.Civ.P. 60(b)(2) within one year of judgment. See In
re Colonial Mortgage Bankers Corp.,
186 F.3d 46, 51 (1st Cir.
1999) (procedure for reopening judgment in light of newly-
discovered evidence is motion under Rule 60(b)(2); new
evidence is not to be proffered for the first time on
appeal).
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Finally, there is no record support for Berger’s
contention that jurors slept through portions of the trial,
so her claim that she is entitled to relief on this ground
must fail.
Affirmed. 1st Cir. Loc. R. 27(c).
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