Bekins Van Lines v. Schaeffer

ANSTEAD, Judge.

The appellee, Denita Schaeffer, sued appellant, Bekins Van Lines, for allegedly losing her personal property in New York in the early 1980s. We reverse and remand for a new trial because of trial court errors in limiting and prematurely terminating Bekins’ case, and in erroneously admitting incompetent evidence on the issue of damages.

After much delay in the prosecution of this claim, Bekins moved the trial court to dismiss for lack of prosecution. The trial court denied the motion and set the cause for trial. At trial, the court allowed Schaeffer to testify at length and over…