Aubin v. Metzger, Unpublished Decision (9-29-2003)
Aubin v. Metzger, Unpublished Decision (9-29-2003)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
{¶ 1} Although originally placed on our accelerated calendar, we have elected, pursuant to Loc.R. 12(5), to issue a full opinion in lieu of a judgment entry.{¶ 2} Plaintiff-Appellant, Robert Aubin, appeals from a decision of the Court of Common Pleas of Allen County granting summary judgment to Intervenor-Appellee, Indiana Insurance Company ("Indiana"). Aubin claims that he has a right of action against Titus Snavely, d.b.a. the Crab Shack, under a business invitee liability theory. He further maintains that this right of action is outside of the scope of Indiana's liquor liability exclusion. Thus, Aubin argues, Indiana should be required to indemnify Snavely for losses occurring under the business invitee theory. Because Aubin must proceed under Ohio's dram shop statutes, and because Snavely's insurance policy does not provide coverage for acts based upon these statutes, we affirm the trial court's judgment.
{¶ 3} In March 2000, Aubin suffered severe injuries when he was attacked by Jason Metzger while playing pool at the Crab Shack and Tavern ("Crab Shack"). Subsequently, Aubin brought suit against both Metzger and the owner of the Crab Shack, Titus Snavely. At the time of the attack Snavely carried liability insurance through a policy underwritten by Indiana. The policy contained a liquor liability exclusion that stated:
{¶ 4} This insurance does not apply to:
* * *
a. Liquor Liability
"Bodily Injury" or "property damage" for which any insured may be held liable by reason of:
(1) Causing or contributing to the intoxication of any person;
(2) The furnishing of alcoholic beverages to a person under the legal drinking age or under the influence of alcohol; or
(3) Any statute, ordinance or regulation relating to the sale, gift, distribution or use of alcoholic beverages.
{¶ 5} After the commencement of this suit, Indiana moved for and was granted leave to intervene. Thereafter, Indiana filed a motion for summary judgment maintaining that they had no duty to indemnify or defend Snavely, because all of Aubin's claims against Snavely fell under the liquor liability exclusion of the insurance policy. Aubin did not file a response to Indiana's motion for summary judgment, and the trial court granted the motion, ruling that Indiana had no duty to either indemnify or defend Snavely.
{¶ 6} Aubin appeals from this judgment presenting the following single assignment of error for our review.
The trial court erred in granting the motion for summary judgment filed by Intervenor Indiana Insurance Company finding that no coverage exists as a matter of law as to the causes of action set forth in Plaintiffs/Appellants' complaint.
{¶ 7} Aubin asserts that summary judgment was not proper because Snavely's liability under a business invitee theory is not included within Indiana's liquor liability exclusion clause.
{¶ 9} The party moving for the summary judgment has the initial burden of producing some sort of evidence which affirmatively demonstrates the lack of a genuine issue of material fact.5 The nonmoving party must then rebut with specific facts showing the existence of a genuine triable issue; they may not rest on the mere allegations or denials of their pleadings.6
{¶ 11} In its motion for summary judgment, however, Indiana stated that, "plaintiff's complaint alleges that Snavely had a `duty to Plaintiff Robert L. Aubin, Jr., as a frequenter and invitee of the premises to insure his safety and to protect him from the actions of intoxicated patrons of the bar premises.'" By incorporating this paragraph, and citing case law requiring claims of negligence to be "distinct, separate and independent" of liquor liability claims, Indiana addressed the issue of business invitee liability. Thus, we will consider business invitee liability in our analysis, despite Aubin's failure to file a response to summary judgment.
R.C.
{¶ 12} Herein, Aubin argues that summary judgment was improper because business invitee liability is outside of the scope of Indiana's liquor liability exclusion. In Ohio, common law causes of action, including business invitee liability, which are brought against liquor-permit holders based upon the actions of intoxicated patrons, have been abrogated by R.C.
{¶ 13} R.C.
Notwithstanding division (A) of section
{¶ 14} R.C.
{¶ 15} Aubin cites Mason v. Roberts12 for the proposition that Ohio's dram shop laws do not provide the exclusive remedy for parties injured by intoxicated patrons of bars. However, Mason was decided before the enactment of R.C.
{¶ 16} Aubin also cites Prince v. Buckeye Union14 andAuto-Owners Ins. Co. v. JC KC, Inc.15 Both cases held that causes of action independent and separate from the sale or service of alcohol fell outside the scope of liquor liability exclusions. The court in JC KC was persuaded by the fact that a broad reading of R.C.
{¶ 17} A plain reading of the law demands that common law liability based upon the on premise actions of an intoxicated person be subsumed within R.C.
{¶ 18} Because Aubin's business invitee liability claim could only be brought under R.C.
{¶ 19} Accordingly, we find Indiana has no duty to indemnify or defend Snavely based upon business invitee liability, and we must therefore affirm the decision of the trial court.
{¶ 20} Having found no error prejudicial to the appellant herein, in the particulars assigned and argued, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Judgment affirmed.
BRYANT, P.J., and SHAW, J., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.