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He sought pain and suffering damages for, among other things, his fear of developing lung cancer. Despite the objections of CSX, the trial court refused to provide a jury instruction as to the standard for awarding \u0022fear of cancer\u0022 damages. Subsequently, the jury awarded Mr. Hensley $5 million in damages. On appeal to the Tennessee Court of Appeals, CSX argued that the trial court misapplied the Supreme Court\u0027s decision in \u003Cem\u003ENorfolk \u0026amp; Western R. Co. v. Ayers\u003C\/em\u003E where the Court established a standard for finding \u0022fear of cancer\u0022 damages. The court of appeals rejected the argument and affirmed the trial court. In its petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court, CSX argued that the Tennessee Court of Appeals misapplied the Court\u0027s decision in \u003Cem\u003EAyers\u003C\/em\u003E and that the jury should have been instructed that Mr. Hensley needed to prove that his fear of cancer was \u0022genuine and serious\u0022 in order to collect damages.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","question":"\u003Cp\u003EDid the Tennessee Court of Appeals misread and misapply the Supreme Court\u0027s decision in \u003Cem\u003EAyers\u003C\/em\u003E such that a jury instruction should have been provided as to the standard for finding \u0022fear of cancer\u0022 damages when CSX requested it?\u003C\/p\u003E\n","conclusion":"\u003Cp\u003EYes. In a per curiam opinion the Court reversed the Tennessee Court of Appeals, holding that a court must provide the standard for finding \u0022fear of cancer\u0022 damages when requested by the defendant. The Court remanded Mr. Hensley\u0027s case to the Tennessee state courts for proceedings consistent with its opinion.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJustice John Paul Stevens dissented. He argued that based on his reading of \u003Cem\u003EAyers\u003C\/em\u003E, the Court improperly attempted to play the role of error corrector, when that decision explicated that the jury should be provided discretion when making damages calculations.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","advocates":null,"oral_argument_audio":null,"citation":{"volume":"556","page":null,"year":"2009","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_citation\/case_citation\/20829"},"decisions":[{"description":null,"votes":[{"member":{"ID":15086,"name":"John G. Roberts, Jr.","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/john_g_roberts_jr","view_count":0,"last_name":"Roberts","roles":[{"id":2730,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":1127970000,"date_end":0,"appointing_president":"George W. 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