Rowan County Board of Education v. United States Gypsum Co.

WHICHARD, Justice.

On 30 July 1985, the Rowan County Board of Education (“Rowan”) brought suit against United States Gypsum Company (“USG”) to recover costs associated with the removal of asbestos-containing ceiling plasters from certain of its schools. After a three-week jury trial in 1990, a jury awarded Rowan $812,984.21 in compensatory damages and $1,000,000.00 in punitive damages. The trial court entered judgment in those amounts and denied USG’s motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and for a new trial.

On appeal to this Court, USG raises three issues:

1) Whether the Court of…