Olin-Mathieson Chemical Corp. v. Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co.

JOHN W. PECK, Circuit Judge.

This appeal presents the question of whether evidence of a malfunction of certain heavy electrical equipment was properly excluded by the trial judge, where the issue presented to the jury was concerned solely with liability resulting from a malfunction of similar equipment which occurred four months earlier.

Appellant Olin-Mathieson Chemical Corporation (hereinafter “Olin-Mathie-son”) operates a chemical fertilizer plant near Charleston, Tennessee. Prior to the time of the accident in question, the plant had been operating with five regulating transformers…