Kirk v. Schaeffler Group USA, Inc.

This appeal stemmed from litigation establishing that FAG Bearings was solely responsible for the TCE contamination in Silver Creek and Saginaw. Schaeffler Group subsequently acquired the facility. In this case, plaintiffs filed suit against Schaeffler, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for their daughter's autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Plaintiffs alleged that Schaeffler's negligent release of TCE and failure to warn the community of TCE contamination caused their daughter to develop AIH. A jury found in favor of plaintiffs and the district court then denied Schaeffler's motions for judgments as a matter of law and a new trial. The Eighth Circuit reversed and remanded, holding that the district court abused its discretion in ruling that Schaeffler was judicially estopped to deny successor liability; because plaintiffs failed to prove successor liability, the district court erred in denying summary judgment dismissing Schaeffler as a separate defendant; the post-trial dismissal of Schaeffler because plaintiffs failed to prove successor liability did not affect the jury's finding that FAG Bearings was liable for negligently causing plaintiffs' AIH injury; remand for a partial new trial limited to the issue of FAG Bearings's punitive damages liability was appropriate; plaintiffs proved causation; and the evidence was sufficient to submit the failure to warn claim to the jury. View "Kirk v. Schaeffler Group USA, Inc." on Justia Law