What is the duty of the appellate court to independently review a jury's verdict in a personal injury case?

⁹ Indeed, appellate courts have repeatedly emphasized the discretion afforded trial courts in this respect as well as the courts' duty to independently review the evidence. "It is the trial court's function to determine independently whether it is satisfied that there is sufficient credible evidence to sustain the verdict. If the record contains any substantial evidence which supports a judgment contrary to that of the jury, the trial court's ruling must be upheld, even if there is also legally sufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict ." (People v. Dickens , supra , 130 Cal.App.4th at p. 1254, 30 Cal.Rptr.3d 845.)