ÿWPC …# VUNa %¯ 0(µw@Ý4 1 UP@  0J˜ 0Tâ 0^6 0h” 0rü 0|n 0†ê 0p 1u 0du U>Ù U6B)MDCv AM¹ BU*# Mv~YvÓ× D3ª 0@Ý AOÆl 0D2 D/v B¥˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ ‰ Š ‹ DŒ D UŽ D  D‘ Ó€’ Úƒç"3|x” &@FÐZ ‹8CaslonOpnface BT Regular2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€&XÔÌÌò òJuly€22,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€&ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÑ P ÑÔ€!ÔÑ7€œÀXXdðdÈ7ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÙ€€ÙßR€$'#A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌÌÌTRABON€GENTRY,€as€the€Executor€€€)€C/A€NO.€03A01„9610„CV„00341Ìfor€the€Estate€of€DONNIE€R.à à€€€)ÌGENTRY,€Deceased,à àà àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àPlaintiff„Appellant,à à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)€APPEAL€AS€OF€RIGHT€FROM€THEÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)€HAMILTON€COUNTY€CIRCUIT€COURTÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)ÌNORFOLK€SOUTHERN€RAILWAY€COMPANY,)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)€HONORABLE€ROBERT€M.€SUMMITT,Ìà àDefendant„Appellee.à àà à€€€)€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌFor€Appellantà àà àà àà àà àFor€AppelleeÌÌœB.€STEWART€JENKINS›à àà àà àà àCLAYTON€M.€WHITTAKERÌœROBERT€D.€BRADSHAW›à àà àà àà àFoster,€Foster,€Allen€&ÌJenkins€&€Bradshaw,€P.C.à àà àà à€€DurrenceÌChattanooga,€Tennesseeà àà àà àChattanooga,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€ ÔÔ€  ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€ XÔÔ€!ÔÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àSusano,€J.ÌÓÓà àà àThis€is€a€suit€for€damages€brought€under€the€FederalÏEmployersðð€Liability€Act,€51€U.S.C.€ðð€51,€òòet€seq.€óó(FELA),€by€theÏExecutor€of€the€Estate€of€Donnie€R.€Gentry€(Gentry).€€The€ExecutorÏsued€Gentryððs€employer,€Norfolk€Southern€Railway€€Company€(NorfolkÏSouthern),€alleging€that€Norfolk€Southernððs€negligence€had€causedÏGentry€to€suffer€a€fatal€heart€attack€while€on€the€job.€€œAsÏexpressed€in€answers€to€interrogatories,€the›€jury€found€thatÏNorfolk€Southern€was€negligent;€however,€it€then€concluded€thatÏsuch€negligence€did€not€cause€Gentryððs€death.€€The€jury€thusÏreturned€a€verdict€in€favor€of€Norfolk€Southern.€€The€ExecutorÏappealed€the€trial€courtððs€judgment€entered€on€the€juryððs€verdict,Ïraising€various€issues€which€substantially€present€the€followingÏquestions€for€our€review:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 à1.€€Does€the€record€contain€material€evidenceÏto€support€the€juryððs€determination€thatÏNorfolk€Southernððs€negligence€did€not€cause,Ïin€whole€or€in€part,€Gentryððs€death?ÌÌà àà8 à2.€Did€defense€counsel€improperly€vouch€forÏthe€credibility€of€a€witness€and€makeÏprejudicial€remarks€based€upon€facts€outsideÏthe€record,€thereby€impermissibly€affectingÏthe€juryððs€verdict?ÌÌà àà8 à3.€€Did€the€trial€court€err€in€giving€the€juryÏan€instruction€regarding€purely€emotionalÏinjuries?ÌÌÓÓÌà@ àI.€€òòFactsóóÌÌà àà àAt€the€time€of€his€death,€Gentry€was€employed€as€aÏlieutenant€with€the€Norfolk€Southern€police€department.€€In€eachÏyear€since€1985,€Gentry€had€undergone€an€annual€physicalÏexamination,€as€required€by€the€railroad.€€Norfolk€Southern€hadÏdesigned€an€evaluation€form€and€procedure€to€be€followed€by€theÏphysicians€selected€to€perform€the€examinations.€€Neither€theÏprocedure€nor€the€form€provided€for€inquiry€into€the€employeeððsÏfamily€history€of€disease.€€The€results€of€the€yearly€examinationsÏwere€typically€reviewed€by€Dr.€J.P.€Salb,€Norfolk€SouthernððsÏDirector€of€Medical€Services.ÌÌà àà àIn€1987,€Gentry€was€informed€by€Dr.€Salb€that€hisÍcholesterol€level€was€69€points€over€the€recommended€maximum€levelÏof€200.€€Dr.€Salb€recommended€that€Gentry€observe€a€low„fat€diet.€ÏFollowing€Gentryððs€physical€in€1988,€Dr.€Salb€recommended€that€heÏlose€at€least€seven€pounds,€which€he€had€gained€since€the€lastÏexamination.€€In€1989,€Dr.€Salb€again€recommended€that€Gentry€loseÏweight.€€Dr.€Salb€subsequently€discontinued€his€practice€ofÏwriting€follow„up€letters€to€the€employees,€and€Gentry€received€noÏfurther€œcommunication›€from€Dr.€Salb€regarding€the€results€of€hisÏyearly€examinations.€€Gentry€continued,€however,€to€exhibitÏseveral€risk€factors€for€coronary€artery€disease,€including€highÏcholesterol€and€triglyceride€levels,€smoking€and€obesity.€ÌÌà àà àAt€his€examination€in€July,€1991,€Gentry€complained€ofÏhaving€suffered€chest€pain€for€three€or€four€months.€€Although€hisÏcholesterol€and€weight€had€dropped€temporarily€in€1990,€they€hadÏreturned€to€elevated€levels€by€the€time€of€his€1991€physical.€ÏHowever,€the€examining€physician,€Dr.€Nat€Swann,€noted€that€theÏresults€of€Gentryððs€electrocardiogram€were€normal€and€apparentlyÏconcluded€that€Gentryððs€chest€pain€was€likely€the€result€ofÏindigestion.€€Dr.€Swann€scheduled€œgall›€bladder€œand›Ïgastrointestinal€tests,€but€Gentry€did€not€return€to€undergo€thoseÏtests.€€Dr.€Swann€did€not€diagnose€Gentry€as€having€coronaryÍartery€disease,€nor€did€he€discover€that€Gentry€had€a€familyÏhistory€of€that€affliction.ÌÌà àà àIn€the€months€leading€up€to€his€death,€Gentry€continuedÏto€suffer€chest€pain.€€His€wife€expressed€her€concern€that€thereÏcould€be€a€problem€with€his€heart,€but€he€assured€her€that€it€wasÏmerely€indigestion.€€On€June€12,€1992,€Gentry€suffered€a€fatalÏheart€attack€while€investigating€a€train€derailment.€€The€medicalÏexaminer€determined€the€causes€of€death€to€be€an€acute€myocardialÏinfarction,€i.e.,€blockage€of€an€artery€to€the€heart,€and€coronaryÏatherosclerosis,€i.e.,€deposits€of€cholesterol€in€the€arteries.€ÏHe€also€viewed€Gentryððs€obesity€as€a€contributing€cause.ÌÌà àà àThe€Executor€brought€suit€on€behalf€of€Gentryððs€estate,Ïalleging€œthat›€Norfolk€Southern€was€negligent€in€failing€toÏdiagnose€Gentryððs€coronary€artery€œdisease€in›€failing€to€warn€himÏof€his€condition,€and€œin€continuing›€to€place€him€in€a€stressfulÏwork€environment.€€Following€a€œtrial,›€the€jury€found€that€althoughÏNorfolk€Southern€was€negligent,€its€negligence€did€not€œcause›ÏGentryððs€œdeath,€in€whole€or€in€part.›ÌÌà@ àII.€€òòThe€Federal€Employersðð€Liability€ActóóÌÌà àà àThe€FELA€provides,€in€pertinent€part,€thatÌÌÓÓà àà8 à[e]very€common€carrier€by€railroad€whileÏengaging€in€commerce€between€any€of€theÏseveral€States...€shall€be€liable€in€damagesÏto€any€person€suffering€injury€while€he€isÏemployed€by€such€carrier€in€such€commerce,€or,Ïin€case€of€the€death€of€such€employee,€to€hisÏor€her€personal€representative...€for€suchÏinjury€or€death€resulting€in€whole€or€in€partÏfrom€the€negligence€of€any€of€the€officers,Ïagents,€or€employees€of€such€carrier...ÌÌÓÓÌ45€U.S.C.€ðð€51.€€The€parties€stipulated€that€at€the€time€ofÏGentryððs€death:€1)€Gentry€was€an€employee€of€Norfolk€Southern;€2)Ïhe€was€performing€duties€in€the€course€of€his€employment;€and€3)€€ÏNorfolk€Southern€was€a€common€carrier€by€railroad,€engaged€inÏinterstate€commerce.€€Thus,€the€issues€left€for€the€jury€to€Ïdetermine€were€whether€Norfolk€Southern€was€negligent€and€whetherÏthat€negligence€caused,€in€whole€or€in€part,€Gentryððs€injuries€andÏdeath.€€As€noted€earlier,€the€jury€did€find€that€Norfolk€SouthernÏwas€negligent.€€Norfolk€Southern€concedes€in€its€brief€that€thereÏwas€evidence€œof€negligence„„on€the€part€of€its€physicians„„from›Ïwhich€the€jury€could€have€reached€such€a€conclusion.€€Therefore,Ïthe€central€issue€on€this€appeal€involves€the€question€ofÏcausation.€€We€must€determine€whether€the€record€contains€materialÍevidence€from€which€the€jury€could€have€concluded€that€NorfolkÏSouthernððs€negligence€did€not€cause€Gentryððs€death.ÌÌà àà àThe€United€States€Supreme€Court€has€stated€that€theÏprovisions€of€the€FELA,€including€those€relative€to€causation,€œareÏto€be›€liberally€construed€to€further€Congressðð€remedial€goal.€Ïò òòòConsolidated€Rail€Corp.€v.€Gottshallóóó ó,€512€U.S.€532,€114€S.Ct.Ï2396,€2404,€129€L.Ed.2d€427€(1994).€€In€ò òòòConsolidated€RailÏCorporationóóó ó,€the€Court€reaffirmed€an€earlier€holding€regardingÏcausation€under€the€FELA:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 à.€.€.we€held€in€òòò òRogers€v.€Missouri€PacificÏR.€Co.ó óóó,€352€U.S.€500,€77€S.Ct.€443,€1€L.Ed.2dÏ493€(1957),€€that€a€relaxed€standard€ofÏcausation€applies€under€FELA.€€We€stated€thatÏð ð[u]nder€this€statute€the€test€of€a€jury€caseÏis€simply€whether€the€proofs€justify€withÏreason€the€conclusion€that€employer€negligenceÏplayed€any€part,€even€the€slightest,€inÏproducing€the€injury€or€death€for€whichÏdamages€are€sought.ðð€€ò òòòId.,óóó ó€at€506,€77€S.Ct.,Ïat€448.ÌÌÓÓÌò òòòConsolidated€Rail€Corp.,ó óóó€114€S.Ct.€at€2404.ÌÌà@ àIII.€€òòStandard€of€ReviewóóÌÌà àà àThe€United€States€Supreme€Court€has€held€that€a€juryððsÏdetermination€in€a€œFELA›€case€is€entitled€to€great€weight€onÏappeal:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àOnly€when€there€is€a€complete€absence€ofÏprobative€facts€to€support€the€conclusionÏreached€[by€the€jury]€does€a€reversible€errorÏappear.ÌÌÓÓÌò òòòDennis€v.€Denver€&€Rio€Grande€Western€R.R.€Co.óóó ó,€375€U.S.Ï208,€84€S.Ct.€291,€293,€11€L.Ed.2d€256€(1963)(quoting€ò òòòLavender€v.ÏKurnóóó ó,€327€U.S.€645,€66€S.Ct.€740,€744,€œ90›€L.Ed.€916€(1946)).€€InÏò òòòLavenderó óóó,€the€Court€stated€that€in€an€FELA€case,€where€theÏcircumstances€evidence€a€reasonable€basis€for€the€juryððs€verdict,Ïan€appellate€court€may€not€weigh€the€evidence€or€assess€theÏcredibility€of€witnesses€and€arrive€at€a€contrary€conclusion.€Ïò òòòLavenderóóó ó,€66€S.Ct.€at€744.€€The€Court€further€noted€thatÌÌÓÓà àà8 àthe€appellate€courtððs€function€is€exhaustedÏwhen€that€evidentiary€basis€becomes€apparent,Ïit€being€immaterial€that€the€court€might€drawÏa€contrary€inference€or€feel€that€anotherÏconclusion€is€more€reasonable.ÌÌÓÓœÌò òòòId.óóó ó›€ÌÌà@ àIV.€€òòJuryððs€Finding€of€No€CausationóóÌÌà àà àWe€have€determined€that€the€record€does€contain€materialÏevidence€from€which€the€jury€could€have€concluded€that€NorfolkÏSouthernððs€negligence€did€not€play€any€part,€ð ðeven€the€slightest,ððÏin€Gentryððs€death.€€For€example,€there€was€evidence€that€GentryÏsmoked€up€to€a€pack€and€a€half€of€cigarettes€each€day;€that€GentryÏwas€overweight€and€did€not€follow€Dr.€Salbððs€suggestion€that€heÏlose€weight;€and€that€he€continued€to€register€a€high€cholesterolÏlevel,€despite€having€been€advised€to€take€steps€to€lower€it.€ÏRobert€Waggoner€of€Norfolk€Southern€testified€that€Gentry€had€toldÏhim€that€he€had€a€problem€with€his€EKG,€as€well€as€highÏcholesterol,€but€that€he€was€going€to€have€to€postpone€someÏnecessary€tests.€€€In€addition,€the€record€indicates€that€GentryÏfailed€to€return€to€Dr.€Swannððs€office,€or€to€see€anotherÏphysician,€for€the€gastrointestinal€testing€that€Dr.€Swann€hadÏordered€in€response€to€Gentryððs€complaints€of€chest€pain.€€Mrs.ÏGentry€testified€that€she€had€expressed€to€Gentry€her€concern€thatÏhis€chest€pain€could€have€been€the€result€of€a€heart€problem.€ÏGentry,€however,€assured€her€it€was€not€related€to€his€heart,€andÏhe€took€no€further€steps€to€have€the€problem€œdiagnosed.›ÌÌà àà àGiven€the€foregoing,€we€find€the€juryððs€conclusion€„„Ïthat€Gentryððs€death€was€caused€by€factors€other€than€NorfolkÏSouthernððs€negligence€„„€to€be€œsupported›€by€the€evidence.€€WhereÏthe€record€contains€an€evidentiary€basis€to€support€its€verdict,Ïthe€jury€is€at€liberty€to€discard€any€facts€that€are€inconsistentÏwith€its€determination.€€ò òòòDennisóóó ó,€84€S.Ct.€at€293;€ò òòòLavenderóóó ó,€66ÏS.Ct.€at€744.€€Therefore,€any€countervailing€evidence€isÏessentially€of€no€consequence€on€this€appeal.€€Our€role€isÏconfined€to€determining€whether€the€record€reflects€evidence€fromÏwhich€the€jury€could€have€reached€the€conclusion€that€it€did.€ÏOnce€such€evidence€ð ðbecomes€apparentðð,€as€it€has€upon€our€reviewÏof€the€record,€our€inquiry€into€this€issue€is€concluded.€€ò òòòId.ó óóóÌÌà@ àV.€€òòThe€Executorððs€Other€IssuesóóÌÌà àà àWe€will€now€address€the€remaining€issues€raised€by€theÏExecutor.€€The€Executor€argues€that€the€trial€court€should€haveÏgranted€his€motion€for€a€new€trial,€based€upon€alleged€misconductÏduring€closing€argument€by€Norfolk€Southernððs€counsel.€ÏSpecifically,€the€Executor€insists€that€defense€counsel€improperlyÏvouched€for€the€credibility€of€a€witness€and€made€prejudicialÏremarks€to€the€jury€that€were€based€upon€facts€outside€the€record,Íand€that€such€statements€unduly€influenced€the€juryððs€verdict.ÌÌà àà àThe€Executor€contends€that€defense€counselððs€statementÏthat€the€witness€Robert€Waggoner€ð ðis€a€very€honest€and€forthrightÏpersonðð€œviolated›€Disciplinary€Rule€7„106(C)(4)€of€the€Code€ofÏProfessional€Responsibility€and€was€hence€improper.€€That€sectionÏprovides,€in€pertinent€part,€as€follows:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àIn€appearing€in€a€professional€capacity€beforeÏa€tribunal,€a€lawyer€shall€not:€ÌÌà@ à*€€€€*€€€€*ÌÌà àà8 à[œa]ssert›€the€lawyerððs€personal€opinion...€asÏto€the€credibility€of€a€witness....ÌÌÓÓÌRule€8,€Tenn.€S.€Ct.€R.,€œDR›€7„106(C)(4).€€It€appears€that€NorfolkÏSouthern€offered€Waggonerððs€testimony€primarily€to€show€thatÏGentry€had€been€aware€of€his€heart€problem,€and€that€he€hadÏpostponed€the€scheduled€gall€bladder€and€gastrointestinal€tests.€ÏThe€Executor€also€points€out€that€defense€counsel€argued€that€ifÏthe€jury€believed€Waggonerððs€testimony,€then€the€jury€would€beÏobligated€to€return€a€verdict€for€Norfolk€Southern.€€He€contendsÏthat€by€vouching€for€Waggonerððs€honesty,€defense€counselÏimproperly€reinforced€and€accredited€his€testimony,€thusÍinfluencing€the€juryððs€verdict.ÌÌà àà àFollowing€the€Executorððs€objection€to€defense€counselððsÏcomments,€the€trial€court€offered€this€cautionary€instruction€toÏthe€jury:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àwhether€a€witness€was€telling€the€truth€isÏstrictly€for€you,€the€jury,€to€decide.€€YouÏmust€ignore€references€to€witnesses€as€honestÏand€telling€the€truth.€€I€will€instruct€you€onÏhow€to€judge€credibility€in€my€instructionsÏlater.ÓÓÌÌDuring€its€jury€charge,€the€trial€court€offered€additionalÏinstructions€regarding€the€proper€assessment€of€the€credibility€ofÏthe€witnesses.ÌÌà àà àWe€believe€that€any€error€that€may€have€occurred€in€thisÏregard€was€corrected€by€the€courtððs€subsequent€instructions€to€theÏjury.€€Furthermore,€when€the€record€is€considered€as€a€whole,€œitÏis€unlikely€that€defense€counselððs€statements€regarding€WaggonerÏaffected€the€juryððs€verdict.›€€Accordingly,€we€hold€that€the€trialÏcourt€did€not€abuse€its€discretion€in€refusing€to€grant€a€newÏtrial€on€this€ground.ÌÌà àà àThe€Executor€next€contends€that€defense€counsel€madeÏhighly€prejudicial€comments€to€the€jury,€based€upon€facts€outsideÏthe€record,€regarding€Gentryððs€relationship€with€his€severelyÏretarded€son.€€At€the€time€of€his€death,€Gentry€was€paying€$400Ïper€month€to€his€ex„wife€as€child€support€for€the€benefit€of€hisÏson€Jeff,€who€œsuffered›€from€cerebral€palsy€and€mental€retardation.€ÏDuring€his€argument€on€the€issue€of€damages€recoverable€for€JeffÏGentryððs€loss€of€his€fatherððs€financial€support,€defense€counselÏstated€that€ð ðfrom€the€time€of€the€divorce,€Mr.€Gentry€never€wentÏback€to€see€his€son,€never€did.€€He€never€added€anything€at€all.ðð€ÏThe€Executor€contends€that€these€remarks€had€the€prejudicialÏeffect€of€creating€an€unfavorable€impression€of€Gentry€in€theÏminds€of€the€jurors.€€Norfolk€Southern,€on€the€other€hand,Ïcontends€that€the€statements€were€based€upon€a€reasonableÏinference€to€be€drawn€from€the€testimony€of€Gentryððs€ex„wife,€whoÏstated€that€she€had€only€seen€Gentry€ð ðin€passingðð€since€theirÏdivorce.ÌÌà àà àThese€statements€of€defense€counsel€were€made€in€theÏcontext€of€Norfolk€Southernððs€argument€that,€with€regard€to€theÏissue€of€damages,€Gentryððs€estate€was€entitled€to€recover€no€moreÏthan€$400€a€month€for€the€benefit€of€Jeff€Gentry.€€They€were€notÍrelevant€to€the€question€of€causation,€an€element€which€the€juryÏconcluded€the€Executor€had€failed€to€prove.€€We€do€not€believeÏthat€the€juryððs€determination€regarding€causation€was€affected€byÏdefense€counselððs€comments€about€Gentryððs€relationship€with€hisÏson.€€Furthermore,€the€record€indicates€that€œGentryððs€son›€œlived›Ïœwith›€œhis›€ex„wife€and€œwas›€completely€dependent€upon€her€for€hisÏœcare.€€It€is€a€reasonable€inference€from€these€living€arrangementsÏthat›€Gentry€would€œhave€frequently€seen€his€ex„wife€if€and€when€he›Ïvisited€his€son.€€Defense€counselððs€remarks,€therefore,€œwere›Ïreasonably€based€upon€the€ex„wifeððs€testimony€that€she€had€onlyÏseen€Gentry€œð ðin›€œpassingðð›€since€their€divorce.€€In€any€event,€œasÏpreviously€noted,€we›€do€not€believe€œthat€these€comments,€even€ifÏunsupported€by€the€evidence,€affected€the€juryððs€verdict.›€ÏœTherefore,›€the€trial€court€did€not€abuse€its€discretion€inÏœrefusing›€to€award€a€new€trial€on€that€basis.ÌÌà àà àFinally,€the€Executor€contends€that€the€trial€courtÏerred€by€instructing€the€jury€regarding€emotional€injuries,€theÏzone€of€danger,€and€workplace€stress€under€the€FELA.€€The€ExecutorÏargues€that€the€instruction€was€confusing,€irrelevant,€and€givenÏout€of€order,€and€that€it€therefore€improperly€affected€the€juryððsÏverdict.€€We€disagree.€€The€instruction€contains€an€accurateÍstatement€of€the€law.€€It€œwas›€warranted€under€the€circumstances€ofÏthis€case.€€The€Executorððs€theory€of€the€œcase,›€œas€composed€by€hisÏcounsel,€was€read›€to€the€jury€by€the€trial€œjudge.€€It›€included€theÏargument€that€the€physical€and€mental€stress€placed€upon€GentryÏhad€created€an€unsafe€place€to€work,€œthereby€contributing€to›ÏGentryððs€heart€attack€and€death.€€Furthermore,€during€his€closingÏargument,€counsel€for€the€Executor€told€the€jury€that€the€stressÏplaced€upon€Gentry€represented€ð ðan€important€partðð€of€his€case.€ÏNevertheless,€the€United€States€Supreme€Court€has€refused€to€readÏthe€FELA€to€allow€recovery€solely€for€stress€in€the€ordinaryÏcourse€of€employment.€òò€See€ò òConsolidated€Rail€Corp.€v.ÏGottshallóóó ó,€512€U.S.€532,€114€S.Ct.€2396,€2412,€129€L.Ed.2d€427Ï(1994).€€Norfolk€Southern€was€thus€entitled€to€such€anÏinstruction,€œwhich€was€both›€œrelevant›€to€a€portion€of€theÏExecutorððs€theory€of€the€case€œand€necessary›€to€ensure€that€theÏjury€would€not€erroneously€award€damages€for€œworkplace€stressÏcausing€emotional›€œinjuries,€even€if€related€to€Gentryððs€heartÏattack.›ÌÌà àà àWe€find€that€the€trial€court€did€not€err€in€giving€theÏrequested€instruction€on€emotional€injuries.ÌÌà@ àVI.€€òòConclusionóóÌÌà àà àGiven€the€foregoing,€we€hold€that€the€record€doesÏcontain€material€evidence€to€support€the€juryððs€conclusion€thatÏNorfolk€Southern€did€not€cause,€ð ðeven€[in]€the€slightest,ðð€theÏdeath€of€Donnie€R.€Gentry.€€The€Executorððs€issues€pertaining€toÏdefense€counselððs€alleged€misconduct€and€the€trial€courtððsÏinstructions€to€the€jury€are€found€to€be€without€merit.ÌÌà àà àAccordingly,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€isÏaffirmed.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€assessed€against€the€Appellant€andÏhis€surety.€€This€case€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€theÏcollection€of€costs€assessed€there,€pursuant€to€applicable€law.ÌÓÓÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à__________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€P.J.ÌÌÌ_________________________ÌHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.