If there is more than one appellant in a trial by jury authorized under section 6131.32 of the Revised Code with separate claims on the question of compensation or damages or if there are issues as to different properties, the court may submit all the several claims and issues to the same jury, with appropriate verdicts as to each claim. The court also may direct separate trials for the separate claims and issues. The court shall instruct the jury that it shall not consider or deduct the value of any benefits that such land will receive from the construction of such improvement.