LePage v. E-One, Inc.
LePage v. E-One, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
I. Introduction
This is a diversity suit governed by the substantive law of Rhode Island. Plaintiff Dianne LePage raises claims sounding in tort and breach of warranty against Defendants E-One, Inc. (“E-One”) and Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, Inc. (“Greenwood”). Presently before this court are
II. Background
A. Facts
This action stems from an unfortunate accident involving the use of a fire truck with an aerial platform ladder on June 29, 2009, which ultimately resulted in the death of Plaintiffs husband, Allan LePage (“LePage”). The facts underlying this case are largely undisputed. There are, however, several disputes as to key facts.
1. Background on the Fire Truck Involved in the Accident
On or around December 21, 2000, the Kingston Fire District of Rhode Island purchased the subject fire truck from Greenwood.
The controls for the aerial platform are designed in such a way that there is an adjustable, built-in delay between an operator releasing the control mechanism and the aerial platform actually coming to a stop.
The accident giving rise to this action occurred on June 29, 2009 at the Kingston fire station in Kingston, Rhode Island. Because LePage was alone at the time of the accident, the exact details as to how the accident occurred and what LePage was trying to accomplish are uncertain. Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that prior to the accident, LePage was attempting to open a scuttle door in the ceiling of the fire station with a twelve-foot pike pole.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on June 29, a nearby surveillance camera recorded Le-Page entering the fire truck at the front of the fire station and driving it to the rear of the station.
The Parties dispute what caused the accident. Defendants rely on several post-accident investigations, which essentially attribute the accident to user error. One investigation, conducted by the Public Safety Training Associates (“PSTA”), concluded that the direct cause of LePage’s death was blunt force trauma to the head, with the indirect cause being human error.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (“NIOSH”) also investigated the accident. NIOSH prepared a report, which analyzed contributing factors that led to LePage’s death.
Plaintiff, on the other hand, maintains that the accident was caused by a design defect in the controls. Plaintiff has retained three expert witnesses who identify alleged defects which either caused or contributed to the accident.
3. Maintenance of the Fire Truck
At the time of the accident, LePage had been a volunteer with the Kingston Fire District for more than forty-two years,
4. LePage’s Experience and Training
As mentioned above, LePage had been a volunteer firefighter for forty-two years at the time of the accident. During his forty-two-year career, LePage held every position other than fire chief
All Parties agree that LePage also had extensive training and knowledge with regard to the specific fire truck and aerial platform involved in the accident. A fellow firefighter referred to the fire truck as LePage’s “baby,”
Cordeiro instructed LePage and the other attendees how to position and stabilize the apparatus, as well as how to position firefighters while using the apparatus.
After LePage became authorized to operate the aerial platform, he was tasked with training other members of the fire department how to use the apparatus. And from the time the fire department purchased the truck until his accident, Le-Page was also assigned the duty of determining whether or not an individual was authorized to operate the aerial platform safely.
5. Instructions and Warnings
As discussed above, the truck’s Operator’s Manual was incorporated into the four-day training provided by Cordeiro, and LePage would have been familiar with the manual in order to be authorized to operate the truck. The manual was also incorporated into the training of new users
In addition to the above warnings, the manual also contains several alerts in all capital letters regarding the dangers posed by power lines and other electrical currents. These warnings state that the platform is not insulated and users therefore need to account for such hazards and ensure adequate clearance.
The Operator’s Manual also states, however, that “the vehicle is designed for maximum stability and maneuverability under all operating conditions” and that it “is designed for easy operation.”
6. Other Firefighters’ Familiarity with the Truck
Several members of the fire department provided deposition testimony regarding their use of and experiences with the fire truck and aerial platform involved in Le-Page’s accident. At the time of the accident, William Foley had been a volunteer firefighter with several departments since 1975 and was then a member of the Kingston fire department.
Firefighter Taylor Kirsehener is currently a member of the New York Fire Department and has been a member of a ladder company in Brooklyn since 2008.
7. Fire Station Policies and Use of the Truck Inside the Station
The Parties dispute whether LePage’s use of the aerial platform in the confines of the fire station violated any fire department policies. Chief Barrington testified that there was no rational or logical reason that anyone would operate the platform in the manner LePage had during the accident and that it was a violation of standard safety practices.
Chief Barrington also stated, however, that he was not cleared or certified to operate the aerial platform
B. Procedural History
Plaintiff filed her Complaint [# 1] and initiated suit on February 25, 2012. Greenwood filed a Rule 12(b)(6) motion on April 4, 2012. Plaintiff filed her First Amended Complaint [# 11] on April 6, 2012. Greenwood then filed another 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss Plaintiffs first amended complaint on April 19, 2012. On April 25, 2012, E-One filed answers to both of Plaintiffs complaints. Following a hearing on June 6, 2012, this court denied Greenwood’s first motion to dismiss as moot in light of the first amended complaint. This court also denied Greenwood’s motion to dismiss the first amended complaint without prejudice in order to give Plaintiff an opportunity to state claims under Rhode Island law. This court further authorized the Parties to take certain depositions, which were to be completed by January 31, 2013.
On June 18, 2012, Plaintiff filed a motion to further amend her complaint, which this court allowed. E-One filed an answer to Plaintiffs second amended complaint on July 30, 2012. On July 31, 2012, Plaintiff filed an emergency motion to prevent the spoliation of evidence relevant to this case, which this court allowed. Certain repairs on the truck and platform involved in the incident were scheduled to take place before Plaintiffs expert would have an opportunity to inspect the apparatus. This court enjoined Greenwood and the Kingston Fire District from performing any repairs until Plaintiffs metallurgist examined the truck on August 1, 2012.
On August 6, 2012, Greenwood filed an answer to Plaintiffs second amended complaint and asserted cross claims against E-One. E-One filed its answer to Greenwood’s cross claims on August 17, 2012. On December 5, 2012, non-parties Kingston Fire District, PSTA, and Forster Associates filed an emergency motion to quash or modify subpoenas of non-party witnesses and sought a protective order to
Between March and July 2013, the Parties continued discovery and received several extensions of time to make expert disclosures. In late August, the Parties consented to participation in the court’s mediation program. E-One filed its motion for summary judgment on October 25, 2013, and Greenwood followed suit on October 29. Additional briefing followed and this court held a hearing on the motions for summary judgment on March 6, 2014. The motions are now ripe for disposition.
III. Discussion
Plaintiff brings this suit in both her individual capacity and her capacity as the executrix of LePage’s estate. Plaintiffs second amended complaint contains fourteen counts. She raises seven nearly identical claims against both Greenwood and E-One, including: (1) breach of express warranty; (2) breach of the implied warranty of merchantability; (3) breach of the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose; (4) negligence for failure to warn about the platform’s controls; (5) negligent design or maintenance of the platform controls; (6) violation of the Rhode Island wrongful death statute; and (7) loss of consortium.
E-One and Greenwood both argue that summary judgment is warranted in this case because LePage voluntarily assumed the risk of any danger Defendants may have created. Plaintiff argues that there are factual disputes precluding the entry of summary judgment on the basis of assumption of the risk. In the alternative, Greenwood also argues that it is entitled to summary judgment on all counts against it because Plaintiff is unable to prove essential elements of every claim raised.
A. Summary Judgment Standard
A court will “grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”
B. Whether Defendants Are Entitled to Summary Judgment on the Basis of Assumption of the Risk
Defendants’ primary ground for entry of summary judgment in. their favor is that LePage voluntarily assumed the risk of operating the aerial platform in the manner that he did. Assumption of the risk is an affirmative defense that, if proven, absolves the defendant of all liability for wrongdoing.
A plaintiff will be found to have assumed the risk of injury if he “knowingly accepts a dangerous situation.”
Because the assumption-of-the-risk determination is a subjective factual inqui
Considering the entire factual record and viewing it in the light most favorable to Plaintiff, this court concludes that there are disputes of material fact precluding the entry of summary judgment on the basis of assumption of the risk. In order for this court to grant summary judgment to Defendants on the basis of assumption of the risk, it must conclude that the only rational inference a jury could draw from the evidence is that LePage subjectively knew about the continued movement of the platform, appreciated the danger posed by operating the platform in the confines of the fire station, and voluntarily chose to expose himself to the risk.
Plaintiff points out that in this case, there is no direct testimony from LePage as to whether he knew about the delay in the controls. Defendants rightly argue, however, that direct testimony from the victim is unnecessary and that in at least one instance, a Rhode Island court has granted a directed verdict on assumption-of-the-risk grounds based on strong circumstantial evidence.
Here, Defendants argue that although there is no direct testimony from LePage regarding his knowledge of the delay, the record is rife with circumstantial evidence supporting the inference that he knew of the delay. Defendants rely on the following facts: (1) LePage had extensive experience using firefighting equipment in general and the truck involved in the accident in particular; (2) LePage attended a four-day training course at which the dangers of operating the platform in close proximity to building were covered; (3) LePage was familiar with the contents of the Operator’s Manual and the warnings contained therein; (4) LePage was the most experienced member of the department on the use of the truck involved in the accident and was responsible for determining whether other members were qualified to use it; and (5) LePage and another member of the department drafted safety procedures for the use of the truck. Defendants argue that it is simply not possible that someone who had used the aerial platform as much as LePage would not know about the delay built into the controls and the danger posed by operating the platform inside a building.
Plaintiff counters that despite all the warnings contained in the Operator’s Manual and on the truck itself, there is not a
Plaintiff also relies on the fact that there are serious questions about the extent to which the firefighters perceived there to be any danger associated with operating the platform inside the station. Although the fire chief stated that operating the platform inside the station was a safety violation, the other firefighters stated that it occurred on a regular basis as part of training and for maintenance. They further stated that they did not believe there to be any inherent risks in doing so. Ultimately, Plaintiff argues that there is no direct evidence of LePage’s knowledge, circumstantial evidence pointing in both directions, and that the issue is more appropriate for a jury.
This court agrees with Plaintiff. On the record before it, this court cannot conclude that a rational jury would reach only one conclusion on the issues relevant to the assumption-of-the-risk defense. This case can be distinguished from Drew. In Drew, the court did not rely solely on the decedent’s work history. Instead, the court also relied on evidence that the decedent had entered the pit and become dizzy before reentering the pit a second time and succumbing to asphyxiation. Here, there is no similar evidence that LePage had actually experienced the platform moving after releasing the controls on a prior occasion and appreciated the danger. Assumption of the risk is the only argument E-One raises in support of its motion for summary judgment. Accordingly, that motion is DENIED.
C. The Breach of Warranty Claims
Greenwood marshals other arguments in favor of its motion for summary judgment. Plaintiff relies on numerous theories of liability in her second amended complaint. Among those theories are three claims for breach of various warranties. Greenwood argues that it is entitled to summary judgment on each of these warranty claims because Plaintiff has not produced evidence necessary to prove essential elements of each claim. As a general matter, this court notes that there are relatively few facts in the record concerning the sale of the truck.
1. Express Warranty
Plaintiff claims that both Greenwood and E-One breached some sort of express warranty when they sold the fire department a truck with allegedly defective controls. Plaintiff argues that the Operator’s Manual expressly warranted that the aerial platform was “designed for maximum stability and maneuverability under all operating conditions and that the firefighting apparatus was comprised of easy to use component systems and is designed for easy operation.” She claims that the Defendants breached this warranty by manufacturing and selling an aerial platform that her experts opine is inherently unsafe.
Greenwood argues that Plaintiff fails to provide evidence necessary to succeed on a claim for breach of express warranty. In order to establish that there
Plaintiffs opposition states that the language contained in the Operator’s Manual was “inherently part of the sale” and that “Greenwood adopted the express warranties made within the manual when it provided the manual during the sale of the truck.”
2. Implied, Warranty of Fitness for a Particular Purpose
Plaintiff also asserts that both Defendants breached an implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. In order to prove that a seller created and breached an implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, a plaintiff must prove that (1) the seller knew or had reason to know of a particular purpose the buyer had in mind and (2) the buyer relied on the seller’s skill or judgment to select the appropriate product for the task.
Plaintiffs opposition does not point to any evidence that Greenwood had reason to know of a particular purpose to which the truck would be put at the time of sale or that anyone relied on Greenwood’s skill or judgment to select the appropriate product. First, Plaintiff points to statements in the Operator’s Manual as evi
As the foregoing discussion demonstrates, Plaintiff has failed to provide evidence necessary to establish essential elements of her claim for breach of the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. Accordingly, Greenwood is entitled to summary judgment on Count 10. Once again, because there is a complete failure of proof, this court will also grant summary judgment to E-One on Count 8.
3. Implied Warranty of Merchantability
Plaintiffs final warranty theory is that Defendants breached the implied warranty of merchantability. If a seller is a merchant of a particular type of good, the merchant’s sale of that type of good creates a warranty that the product sold is merchantable.
Plaintiff contends that her experts’ opinions that the platform’s controls were unreasonably dangerous create an issue of fact with respect to whether the platform was fit for its ordinary purposes. Plaintiffs second amended complaint asserts that the ordinary purposes of the aerial platform include raising and lowering the platform and firefighters within it in a safe manner. Without more developed argumentation on the part of Greenwood, summary judgment is improper. If Plaintiff is able to prove that the platform’s controls were unreasonably dangerous, there would appear to be a question as to whether the platform was fit for raising and lowering its occupants in any of the situations in which the platform is ordinarily used. Greenwood’s use of the phrase “when used in its intended manner” seems more relevant to whether LePage assumed the risk or was contributorily negligent than whether the platform was fit for its ordinary purposes. Accordingly, Greenwood is not entitled to summary judgment on Count 9.
D. The Negligence Claims
Plaintiff also asserts two brands of negligence against Greenwood. Count 11 claims that Greenwood negligently failed to warn LePage about the dangers posed by the delay in the controls. Count 12 asserts a common-law negligence claim, apparently premised on defective design or maintenance of the truck. Greenwood raises a
Before addressing each claim, this court pauses to note a peculiarity. Plaintiffs second amended complaint clearly labels Counts 11 and 12 as negligence claims.
At the hearing on the motions for summary judgment, this court specifically asked the Parties to address the theories of liability on which Plaintiff was relying. Greenwood argued that the second amended complaint plainly asserts negligence claims and that there are no separate counts seeking to impose liability on a theory of strict liability. Plaintiff did not contest this characterization. Moreover, Plaintiff referred to her “negligence claims” several times over the course of the hearing. Accordingly, this court construes Plaintiffs second amended complaint as containing only negligence claims and no strict liability claims.
1. Failure to Warn
Count 11 claims that Greenwood was negligent in failing to warn Plaintiff of the design defect in the aerial platform. “In negligence, the defendant only has a duty to warn if he had reason to know about the product’s dangerous propensities which caused plaintiffs injuries.”
Plaintiff responds that Greenwood was a licensed dealer of E-One products and it employed trained salesmen and mechanics who a jury could conclude knew or had reason to know that the aerial platform is likely to be dangerous due to the unreasonably dangerous controls. But Plaintiff points to no facts in the record that support the conclusion that Greenwood or its employees had any reason to know that the platform’s controls, which it did not design, posed a danger to users. There is simply no indication that anyone at Greenwood had any reason to believe that the aerial platform was not safe for use. Accordingly, summary judgment shall enter in favor of Greenwood on Count 11.
2. Common-Law Negligence
Count 12 asserts that Greenwood negligently failed to provide proper mainte
Greenwood further argues that Plaintiff has failed to provide necessary expert testimony. In Rhode Island, expert testimony is required to establish any matter that is not obvious to a lay person.
As noted above, Plaintiff does not respond to these arguments at all. She merely cites section 402A. But when directly asked at the hearing whether she was relying on a strict liability theory, Plaintiff did not contradict Greenwood’s statement that the only claims were for negligence.
Greenwood is entitled to summary judgment on Count 12. First, Greenwood did not design or manufacture the aerial platform and is not responsible for any alleged design defects. Second, there is no evidence in the record that Greenwood was negligent in conducting repairs or maintenance on the truck. And, finally, the standard of care for maintaining and repairing a complex piece of machinery like the apparatus at issue here is beyond common knowledge and Plaintiff fails to provide any expert evidence establishing the appropriate standard of care or how Greenwood allegedly breached it.
E. Wrongful Death Statute Claims
As a final matter, Greenwood argues that summary judgment should enter in its favor on Plaintiffs claims for violation of the Rhode Island wrongful death statute. Greenwood maintains that summary judgment must enter on these claims because they are wholly derivative and depend upon the success of Plaintiffs other claims. Although this court has granted Greenwood summary judgment on the majority of Plaintiffs claims, Plaintiff still maintains her claim for breach of the implied warranty of merchantability. If Plaintiff is successful on this claim, there will be a predicate wrongful act for purposes of the wrongful death statute. Summary judgment is therefore denied as to Counts 13 and 14.
IV. Conclusion
For the foregoing reasons, E-One’s Motion for Summary Judgment [# 111] is DENIED. Greenwood’s Motion for Summary Judgment [# 113] is ALLOWED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. It is allowed with respect to Counts 8, 10, 11, and 12. It is denied with respect to Counts 9, 13, and 14. Additionally, this court grants summary judgment in favor of E-One on Counts 1 and 3 because Plaintiff has failed
ORDER
For the reasons set forth in the accompanying memorandum, this court hereby orders that:
1. E-One’s Motion for Summary Judgment [# 111] is DENIED.
2. Greenwood’s Motion for Summary Judgment [# 113] is ALLOWED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. It is allowed with respect to Counts 8, 10, 11, and 12. It is denied with respect to Counts 9,13, and 14.
3. This court grants summary judgment in favor of E-One on Counts 1 and 3 because Plaintiff has failed to offer proof on essential elements of those claims.
4. The remaining claims in this case are Counts 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,13, and 14.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
. For reasons discussed below, this court also grants summary judgment in favor of E-One on Counts 1 and 3.
. Because this court is considering a motion for summary judgment, it sets forth the facts in the light most favorable to Plaintiff, as supported by the record. See de la Cruz v. El Conquistador Resort & Country Club, 218 F.3d 1, 5 (1st Cir. 2000) (citing Mulero-Rodriguez v. Ponte, Inc., 98 F.3d 670, 672 (1st Cir. 1996)).
. PL’s Additional Concise Statement Material Facts [hereinafter PL’s Facts] [#115-1] ¶ 1.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 1.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 1.
. Pl.'s Facts ¶ 2.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 2.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 3.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 4.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 5. Defendants do not contest that there was an inherent delay in the controls and E-One admits that it designed the controls with the delay. See Def.’s Reply Mem. [# 117], at 2 & n. 1. The Parties agree that there is a disputed issue of material fact with respect to whether the controls were defectively designed.
. E-One's Concise Statement Material Facts [hereinafter E-One's Facts] [#111-2] ¶ 3; Greenwood's Concise Statement Material Facts [hereinafter Greenwood's Facts] [# 114-1] ¶ 14; Pl.’s Opp’n E-One’s Mot. Summ. J. [# 115], at 3.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 16.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 17.
.Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 18.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 8.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 10.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 11.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 12.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 84.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 85.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 104.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 86.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶¶ 100-01.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 102.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 108.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 109.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 111.
. PL’s Opp’n E-One’s Mot. Summ. J. [# 115] Ex. J [hereinafter Holt Report].
. Pl.’s Opp'n E-One’s Mot. Summ. J. [# 115] Ex. K [hereinafter Howard Report].
. PL’s Facts ¶ 13; PL’s Opp’n E-One’s Mot. Summ. J. [# 115] Ex. I, at 11.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 8.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 28.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶¶ 28-29.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 31.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 32.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 33.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 34.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 10.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 36.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶¶ 38-39.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 64.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 44.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 40.
.Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 41.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 41.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 42.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 45.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 47.
. Dep. Robert C. Hutchinson [# 114-21], at 25-26.
. Dep. Nathan Barrington [# 114-5], at 121 (affirming a statement contained in the PSTA post-accident report).
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 69.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 51.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 51.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 52.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 53.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 54.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 55.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 56.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 58.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 59.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 60.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 57.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶¶ 65, 67-68.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 64.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 69.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶¶ 70-72.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 73.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 77.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 78.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 79.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 80.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 82.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 83.
. PL’s Opp’n E-One’s Mot. Summ. J. [# 115] Ex. F [hereinafter Operator’s Manual], at 00720.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 9.
. Operator’s Manual at 00703, 00760.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 17.
. Dep. William Foley, Sr. [# 114-23], at 33-34.
. Dep. William Foley, Sr. [# 114-23], at 34.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 26.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 27.
. PL's Facts ¶¶ 28-29.
. PL's Facts ¶ 30.
. Dep. Taylor Kirsehener [# 114-24], at 22-23.
. E-One’s Facts ¶ 110.
. E-One’s Facts ¶¶ 111-12.
. Greenwood’s Facts ¶ 93; Dep. Nathan Barrington [# 114 — 4], at 85-87.
. Greenwood's Facts ¶ 96.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 36.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 36.
. Dep. Nathan Barrington [# 114-5], at 188— 89.
. PL’s Facts V 18.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 21.
. PL’s Facts ¶¶ 22-23.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 24.
. PL’s Facts ¶ 25.
. PL's Facts ¶¶ 32-33.
. PL's Facts ¶ 34.
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a).
. Clifford v. Barnhart, 449 F.3d 276, 280 (1st Cir. 2006).
. DePoutot v. Raffaelly, 424 F.3d 112, 117 (1st Cir. 2005).
. Id.
. Triangle Trading Co. v. Robroy Indus., Inc., 200 F.3d 1, 2 (1st Cir. 1999).
. Smith v. Stratus Computer, Inc., 40 F.3d 11, 13 (1st Cir. 1994).
. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).
. Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372, 380, 127 S.Ct. 1769, 167 L.Ed.2d 686 (2007).
. Raimbeault v. Takeuchi Mfg. (U.S.) Ltd., 112 A.2d 1056, 1064 (R.I. 2001).
. Kennedy v. Providence Hockey Club, Inc., 119 R.I. 70, 376 A.2d 329, 332 (1977).
. See Fiske v. MacGregor, 464 A.2d 719, 729 (R.I. 1983) (strongly suggesting, though not stating outright, that assumption of the risk is a valid defense to product liability claims based in breach of warranty); see also Sheehan v. N. Am. Mktg. Corp., 610 F.3d 144 (1st Cir. 2010) (applying the assumption-of-the-risk doctrine to products liability claims grounded in breach of warranty).
. See Sheehan, 610 F.3d at 151 (affirming entry of summary judgment on assumption-of-the-risk grounds without deciding whether the plaintiff could prove proximate causation); Filosa v. Courtois Sand & Gravel Co., 590 A.2d 100, 103 (R.I. 1991).
. Kennedy, 376 A.2d at 333.
. Raimbeault, 772 A.2d at 1064.
. Martins v. Omega Elec. Co., 692 A.2d 1203, 1205 (R.I. 1997).
. D’Allesandro v. Tarro, 842 A.2d 1063, 1067 (R.I. 2004).
. Id.
. Id.; see also Raimbeault, 772 A.2d at 1064; Filosa, 590 A.2d at 104; Drew v. Wall, 495 A.2d 229, 232 (R.I. 1985); Rickey v. Boden, 421 A.2d 539, 544 (R.I. 1980).
. See Drew, 495 A.2d 229.
. Drew, 495 A.2d at 232.
. Thomas v. Amway Corp., 488 A.2d 716, 720 (R.I. 1985) (“The plaintiff who claims breach of express warranty has the burden of proving that the statements or representations made by the seller induced her to purchase that product and that she relied upon such statements or representations.”).
. Pl.'s Opp'n Def. Greenwood’s Mot. Summ. J. [# 116], at 7-8.
. A district court may enter summary judgment in favor of a party even though no party asked for it if two conditions are present. Sanchez v. Triple-S Mgmt., Corp., 492 F.3d 1, 7 (1st Cir. 2007). Those conditions are: (1) discovery has advanced far enough to give the parties an opportunity to learn the material facts and (2) the targeted party must be given notice and a chance to present evidence on the essential elements of its claim. Id. Here, this court is not acting entirely sua sponte since one Defendant did move for summary judgment on the express warranty claim. Discovery in this case has been completed and Plaintiff had ample notice and opportunity to present her evidence in response to Greenwood's motion.
. Mktg. Design Source, Inc. v. Pranda N.A., Inc., 799 A.2d 267, 272 (R.I. 2002).
. PL’s Opp’n Def. Greenwood’s Mot. Summ. J. [# 116], at 6.
. R.I. Gen. Laws § 6A-2-314(l).
. Id. § 6A-2-314(2)(c); Lariviere v. Dayton Safety Ladder Co., 525 A.2d 892, 896 (R.I. 1987).
. Mem. Supp. Def. Greenwood’s Mot. Summ. J. [# 114], at 19.
. Similarly, Counts 4 and 5, which assert essentially identical claims against E-one, are also labeled as negligence claims.
. See 2d Am. Compl. [# 64] ¶¶ 75-77.
. Raimbeault, 772 A.2d at 1063-64.
. Ritter v. Narragansett Elec. Co., 109 R.I. 176, 283 A.2d 255, 258 (1971).
. Mills v. State Sales, Inc., 824 A.2d 461, 468 (R.I. 2003).
. Id. (quoting Scittarelli v. Providence Gas Co., 415 A.2d 1040, 1043 (R.I. 1980)).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Dianne LePAGE v. E-ONE, INC., f/k/a Emergency-One, Inc. & Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, Inc.
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published