James Boswell v. Steel Haulers

Appellants received a jury verdict for $143,500.00 against respondent in a contract suit. The trial court sustained respondent's motion for a new trial and plaintiffs below have appealed. Appellants are the owners of trucks and trailers used to transport freight on the highways. Respondent is an interstate trucking company holding state and federal certificates as a public freight carrier and is primarily engaged in the transport of steel products. For a number of years before and subsequent to the year 1975, respondent contracted with appellants to lease trucks, trailers and drivers which were used by respondent to carry freight for respondent's customers. Written leases, terminable at will by either party, covered each item of equipment used under the arrangement.