Roberta Rae ADAMS, Appellee, v. FUQUA INDUSTRIES, INC., Appellant; Roberta Rae ADAMS, Appellant, v. FUQUA INDUSTRIES, INC., Appellee

MAGILL, Circuit Judge.

Fuqua Industries, Inc., (“Fuqua”) appeals from the district court’s entry of judgment upon a jury verdict of $1,575,000 in favor of Roberta Rae Adams (“Adams”) for injuries she sustained while riding a Fuqua lawnmower. Fuqua contends on appeal that the district court erred in excluding Fuqua’s rebuttal evidence. We conclude that the district court’s exclusion materially prejudiced Fuqua’s ability to present a defense, and we reverse and remand for a new trial.

I. BACKGROUND.

In 1971 Adams bought a Snapper 307X rear engine riding lawnmower, 1 which she used for ten years…