TY - JOUR
T1 - Instructing jurors on general damages in personal injury cases
T2 - Problems and Possibilities
AU - Wissler, Roselle L.
AU - Kuehn, Patricia F.
AU - Saks, Michael
PY - 2000/9
Y1 - 2000/9
N2 - The authors consider instructions that courts do or could give to jurors to guide them in making awards for general damages in civil litigation. The authors review the nature and content of current instructions about the factors that should (or should not) affect jurors' awards, as well as the limited body of empirical research on the impact of these instructions. The most noteworthy feature of current instructions regarding damages is the lack of guidance they provide. The consequence appears to be awards that have considerable variability and that are influenced by improper considerations. The authors also discuss research on the effectiveness of alternative forms of jury instructions and trial procedures in preventing or reducing these problems.
AB - The authors consider instructions that courts do or could give to jurors to guide them in making awards for general damages in civil litigation. The authors review the nature and content of current instructions about the factors that should (or should not) affect jurors' awards, as well as the limited body of empirical research on the impact of these instructions. The most noteworthy feature of current instructions regarding damages is the lack of guidance they provide. The consequence appears to be awards that have considerable variability and that are influenced by improper considerations. The authors also discuss research on the effectiveness of alternative forms of jury instructions and trial procedures in preventing or reducing these problems.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034558911&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034558911&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/1076-8971.6.3.712
DO - 10.1037/1076-8971.6.3.712
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0034558911
SN - 1076-8971
VL - 6
SP - 712
EP - 742
JO - Psychology, Public Policy, and Law
JF - Psychology, Public Policy, and Law
IS - 3
ER -