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Self-Insurance Reserves
3 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2011
Self-Insurance Reserves [Abstract]  
Self-Insurance Reserves
(10) Self-Insurance Reserves:
As of July 31, 2011 and April 30, 2011, we had reserves for workers’ compensation, product liability, municipal liability, and medical/dental costs totaling $9.6 million and $9.5 million, respectively, of which $4.8 million and $4.6 million, respectively, have been classified as non-current and included in other non-current liabilities and $2.4 million and $2.3 million, respectively, have been included in accrued expenses, and $2.4 million and $2.6 million, respectively, have been included in accrued product/municipal liability on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. In addition, $221,000 of excess workers’ compensation receivable has been classified as other assets. While we believe these reserves to be adequate, it is possible that the ultimate liabilities will exceed such estimates. Amounts charged to expense were $4.1 million and $2.8 million for the three months ended July 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
It is our policy to provide an estimate for loss as a result of expected adverse findings or legal settlements on product liability, municipal liability, workers’ compensation, and other matters when such losses are probable and are reasonably estimable. It is also our policy to accrue for reasonably estimable legal costs associated with defending such litigation. While such estimates involve a range of possible costs, we determine, in consultation with litigation counsel, the most likely cost within such range on a case-by-case basis. We also record receivables from insurance carriers relating to these matters when their collection is probable. As of July 31, 2011 and 2010, we had accrued reserves for product and municipal litigation liabilities of $5.4 million and $5.5 million, respectively (of which $3.0 million and $2.9 million, respectively, were non-current), consisting entirely of expected legal defense costs. In addition, at each of July 31, 2011 and April 30, 2011, we had recorded receivables from insurance carriers related to these liabilities of $2.1 million, of which $2.0 million has been classified as other assets and the remaining $25,000 has been classified as other current assets.