Monica L. Ruff and Jack H. Ruff, Plaintiffs-Repondents v. David M. Weintraub, Defendant-Appellant, and Emanuel…

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that in personal‑injury actions the proper measure of lost future earnings is the plaintiff's net income after taxes, that evidence of the plaintiff's future tax liability is admissible, and that the jury must be instructed that personal‑injury damage awards are not taxable. The Court also affirmed the trial court's award of prejudgment interest on the entire judgment, including future‑loss damages, and reversed the lower court’s refusal to give the tax‑exemption instruction, remanding for a new trial on damages.