NCR Corp. v. United States Mineral Products Co.

We are presented with the issue of when a cause of action accrues for asbestos-removal litigation.2 The court of appeals essentially held that a cause of action accrues when the property owner knows (1) that asbestos is present within the building and (2) that asbestos, in general, is hazardous. For the following reasons, we disagree with the appellate court’s view that the “mere presence” of asbestos triggers the running of the statute of limitations, and therefore reverse its judgment.

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In arguments to this court, USM and NCR agree on some crucial preliminary issues. Each advocates that the…