Mary Katherine Walden, Etc. v. United States Steel Corporation, a Corporation, United States Steel Corporation, a Corporation

United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel) appeals from an adverse jury verdict in a suit by Mary Katherine Walden for the wrongful death of her husband Harold. At the time of his death, Harold Walden was employed by Cowin & Co. (Cowin), an independent contractor hired by U.S. Steel to do construction and excavation work at U.S. Steel’s Oak Grove coal mine. The district court submitted the case to the jury on three separate negligence theories and they returned a general verdict in Mrs. Walden’s favor. U.S. Steel filed a motion for judgment n.o.v. asserting that it was entitled to a…