Reinco, Inc. v. Thompson

STEELE, Chief Justice.

On May 18, 1999, Gary Thompson, the plaintiff below and the appellee here, operated a twenty-eight year old Reinco, Inc. manufactured hydroseeder. An upright pipe on the hydroseeder broke during the operation causing a “slurry” of water, mulch, and seed to exit the pipe rapidly. The break caused Thompson to fall to the ground eleven feet below and suffer serious injury. Thompson brought suit alleging that Reinco negligently designed and manufactured the hydroseeder. The case went to a trial before a jury. In response to a question on a special verdict form, the jury…