Merten v. Pedersen

Plaintiffs, Herman J. and Rose M. Merten, commenced this action in the District Court for Douglas County for damage to a house owned by plaintiffs. The damage was allegedly caused by piling dirt against a wall of the house. The defendants were the adjoining landowners, James D. and Janice E. Skipton, and Clyde S. Pedersen, an independent contractor employed by the Skiptons to excavate a basement under their house. At the conclusion of plaintiffs’ evidence, the District Court granted a motion to dismiss as to the Skiptons. At the conclusion of all the evidence, the jury returned a verdict for…