Long-running business dispute results in verdict for plaintiff

A Jackson County jury has nearly put an end to a 5-year-old business dispute over a hospital construction project in Minot, North Dakota, awarding more than $3.8 million to an Idaho commercial and industrial contractor that had sought nearly $5.5 million for its work- but was also found responsible for a $1.6 counter-claim jury verdict.

RM Mechanical Inc. sued Kansas City-based U.S. Engineering Innovations in 2023 over the project to replace Trinity Health hospital. The Boise-based plaintiff was a subcontractor to the defendant from October 2020 through October 2021. The complaint was initially filed in North Dakota before moving to Missouri on a change of venue.

According to the complaint and lead plaintiff’s attorney Jeffrey Kennard, RM furnished roughly $19.6 million in labor, materials, equipment, and supplies to USEI starting in October 2020 before the company terminated its contract with USEI a year later and refused to pay RM Mechanical’s invoices for a remaining balance of $5.479 million in what the suit called “pretextual defaults.”

In its counterclaim, USEI alleged that RM Mechanical “failed to perform diligently and in a workmanlike manner,” said lead defense attorney Michael Abrams, and itself was owed an additional $2.56 million.

The jury entered two verdicts: $5.479 million on RM’s breach of contract claim, and $1.6 million on USEI’s beach of contract counter-claim, with prejudgment interest and recoverable attorney fees to be determined by the court at a later date.

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$5,479,475 jury verdict for plaintiff, $1.6 million counterclaim jury verdict for defendant

Business liability

Venue: Jackson County Circuit Court

Case Number/Date: 2316-CV02515/July 3, 2025

Caption: RM Mechanical, Inc. v. U.S. Engineering Innovations, LLC

Plaintiff’s attorneys: Jeffrey Kennard (lead) and Alex McKenna, Scharnhorst Ast Kennard Griffin, Kansas City

Defendant’s attorneys: Michael Abrams(lead) and Kate O’Hara Gaspar, Lathrop GPM, Kansas City

Insurance: Allianz (for defendant)

Judge: Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang