Opinion ID: 1295082
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: material proceedings in the trial court

Text: Twelve of the plaintiffs who sought damages for personal injuries were rescue squad workers who were injured while responding to the emergency call. Mentz and Ronald H. Flournoy, one of Mentz's business invitees who came upon the scene just after Kachur drew the sample, also sought damages for personal injuries. Environmental Equipment claimed property damage. Edward J. Sawyer, the general partner of a limited partnership known as Americamps Richmond-North (Americamps), the owner of a campground about 400 yards from where Kachur released the chemical, sought damages for the interruption of the partnership's business. The campground had to be closed for a day because of the dangers created by the release of the chemical. Each of the 16 plaintiffs sued Texaco, Philip Morris, A-Line and ELI for compensatory and punitive damages. ELI settled with the plaintiffs during trial, but remained a party to the litigation because of its potential liability for indemnification to Texaco and Philip Morris. By agreement of the parties, the trial was bifurcated as to the issues of liability and damages. The trial court held A-Line and Philip Morris liable as a matter of law, and the jury returned a verdict of liability against Texaco. During the damage phase of the trial, the jury returned verdicts for compensatory and punitive damages for all plaintiffs except Flournoy and Environmental Equipment, who recovered verdicts for compensatory damages only. By agreement of all parties, the trial court determined the amount of Sawyer's compensatory and punitive damages. The jury awarded $1,000,000 in punitive damages to Bonnie Jean Gore, one of the rescue squad members, $200,000 against A-Line and $400,000 apiece against Philip Morris and Texaco. On post-verdict motions by Philip Morris and Texaco, the trial court ordered a remittitur of $200,000 on each of the $400,000 punitive damage awards against Philip Morris and Texaco. The trial court denied claims for indemnity made by three of the defendants against the other defendants, and held that ELI's settlement precluded claims for indemnity against it by the other defendants.