Opinion ID: 447554
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether the Asbestos Cement Flatsheet was Sold by National Gypsum

Text: 14 National Gypsum argues that even if asbestos cement flatsheet was used in the reconstruction projects, the flatsheet could not have been sold by National Gypsum. National Gypsum contends that it could not have possibly sold the asbestos cement flatsheet because the amount of wallboard that would have been required for the reconstruction projects far surpassed the amount of asbestos cement flatsheet sold by National Gypsum between 1948 and 1952 (the years that Gifford worked on the reconstruction projects). National Gypsum's testimony also indicated that it had shipped only a small amount of asbestos cement flatsheet into the Kentucky and Ohio area in the years 1949-1951. 15 The trial court refused to find this testimony by National Gypsum conclusive. Once again, in doing so, it cannot be said that the trial court clearly erred. The figures used by National Gypsum to calculate the amount of asbestos cement flatsheet sold in the years 1948-1952 were compiled by an employee who was not employed by National Gypsum at the time and who had no personal knowledge of National Gypsum's record keeping during the relevant period. As National Gypsum's testimony indicated, some of its best customers were lumber companies, and National Gypsum could not determine the end use of the product. The flatsheet used in reconstructing the barracks could have been sold by National Gypsum in adjoining states, in earlier years, or in other areas of the country. 4 16 National Gypsum also argues that Gifford's testimony identifying the Gold Bond label of National Gypsum as the label on the flatsheet is not worthy of belief. Gifford identified the flatsheet as Gold Bond since he thought he remembered the Gold Bond label either on or with each sheet of asbestos cement flatsheet. National Gypsum countered Gifford's statement by testimony and documentary evidence that National Gypsum did not label the asbestos cement flatsheet that it sold. Given Gifford's emphatic identification of the product, however, the trial court chose Gifford's testimony and suggested that Gifford's identification of the material as being Gold Bond came from the instruction sheets, which indeed bore that name and which were packed with the flatsheets. Given this conflicting evidence, the trial court did not err in choosing Gifford's identification of the asbestos cement flatsheet as being sold by the Gold Bond division of National Gypsum.