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Road Injury Prevention & Litigation Journal |
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January, 2000 TranSafety, Inc. (360) 683-6276 Fax: (360) 683-6719 E-mail us |
| (Reproduced here is a decision made in the Court of Appeals of Indiana on November 21, 1996. The case was cited as Indiana Limestone Company v. John Staggs, Administrator of the Estate of Shelley D. Staggs, deceased and came to appeal from the Lawrence Circuit Court. The words are those of the appellate court.) |
OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION
RILEY, Judge
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Indiana Limestone Company ("Indiana Limestone") brings an interlocutory appeal from
the trial court's denial of its motion for summary judgment in a wrongful death action
brought by John Staggs ("Staggs"), as administrator of the estate of Shelly D. Staggs
("decedent"). The sole issue is whether the trial court properly denied Indiana
Limestone's motion for summary judgment.
We reverse in part and affirm in part.
ISSUES
The parties raise two issues, which we restate as:
| 1. | Whether the owner of a water-filled limestone quarry located 25 feet from a sharply curving two lane road owes a duty of care to a driver who drowns after her car leaves the road and enters the quarry. | |
| 2. | Whether a quarry so located is a public nuisance due to the risk of harm it poses to travelers on the adjacent road. |
FACTS
The facts most favorable to Staggs, the nonmoving party, are as follows. On the
morning of February 23, 1992, the decedent drove her car south on Rockport Road.
The road is on a downhill grade and it curves sharply to the left around the University
Quarry, which is owned by Indiana Limestone. On that date, there were icy spots in
both lanes of Rockport Road near the quarry. At this point, the decedent lost control of
her car and veered towards the inside of the curve. Her car crossed the center line of
the road and traveled forty-two feet on the opposing lane. The decedent's car then left
the roadway and traveled another 156 feet across brush and other foliage before
striking an embankment at the corner of the quarry. Thereafter, her car fell thirty feet
into the quarry and submerged twenty-five feet under water. The decedent's car was
wedged between rocks at the bottom of the quarry rendering a rescue attempt
impossible.
Prior to February 23, 1993, there were no accidents involving University Quarry, and
the last accident involving any quarry in this area was over fifteen years ago. The
northbound lane of South Rockport Road is twenty-four feet and three inches away
from the ledge where the decedent's car fell into the quarry.
On March 1, 1993, Staggs filed a complaint for wrongful death against Indiana
Limestone. Staggs alleged Indiana Limestone was liable for decedent's death because
Indiana Limestone was negligent in maintaining its property. Staggs also alleged that
University Quarry was a nuisance. In its answer, Indiana Limestone denied both of
Staggs's claims.
On August 3, 1993, Indiana Limestone filed a motion for summary judgment. Indiana
Limestone argued it was not negligent in maintaining its property because it did not
owe the decedent a legal duty. Further, Indiana Limestone argued that Staggs could
not recover under a nuisance theory. On May 5, 1994, the trial court denied summary
judgment.
DISCUSSION
STANDARD OF REVIEW
When we review a trial court's entry of summary judgment, we are bound by the same
standard as the trial court. Ayres v. Indian Heights Volunteer Fire Depart., Inc.,
493 N.E.2d 1229, 1234 (Ind. 1986). We may consider only those portions of the
pleadings, depositions, answers of interrogatories, admissions, matters of judicial
notice, and any other matters designated to the trial court by the moving party for
purposes of the motion for summary judgment. Rosi v. Business Furniture Corp.,
615 N.E.2d 431, 434 (Ind. 1993); Ind. Trial Rule 56(C), (H). Any doubt as to the
existence of an issue of material fact, or an inference to be drawn from the facts, must
be resolved in favor of the nonmoving party. Cowe v. Forum Group, Inc., 575
N.E.2d 630, 633 (Ind. 1991). "A genuine issue of material fact exists where facts
concerning an issue which would dispose of the litigation are in dispute or where the
undisputed facts are capable of supporting conflicting inferences on such an issue."
Scott v. Bodor, Inc., 571 N.E.2d 313, 318 (Ind. Ct. App. 1991).
Indiana Limestone contends that the trial court's denial of summary judgment was
improper because there are no genuine issues of material fact. In his complaint,
Staggs set forth his claims against Indiana Limestone as follows:
| 4. | That the defendant, Indiana Limestone Company, was negligent with regard to its maintenance of its property and such negligence was a proximate cause of the accident and the death of Shelly D. Staggs and the resultant damages. | |
| 5. | That the defendant Indiana Limestone Company's unprotected water-filled abandoned quarry hole located immediately next to a winding road constitutes a nuisance and was a proximate cause of the accident and the death of Shelly D. Staggs and the resultant damages. (R. 5). |
Indiana Limestone argues it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law on both of
Staggs's claims.
DUTY
First, Indiana Limestone argues that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law on
Staggs's negligence claim because Indiana Limestone did not owe the decedent a
legal duty. We disagree.
At the outset, we recognize that summary judgment is generally inappropriate for
negligence cases. Barz v. Max Shapiro, Inc., 600 N.E.2d 151, 152 (Ind. Ct. App.
1992). Issues of negligence, contributory negligence, causation, and reasonable care
are more appropriately left for the determination by a trier of fact. Houin v.
Burger, 590 N.E.2d 593, 596 (Ind. Ct. App. 1992). Whether a duty of care exists,
however, is a question of law to be decided by the trial court. Id.
For Indiana Limestone to prevail on appeal, it must demonstrate that no factual dispute
exists with respect to at least one element of negligence and that it is entitled to
judgment as a matter of law. See T.R. 56(C). The elements of negligence are: (1) a
duty on the part of the defendant to conform his conduct to a standard of care arising
from his relationship with the plaintiff; (2) a failure of the defendant to conform his
conduct to that standard; and (3) an injury proximately caused by the breach of duty.
Mullin v. Municipal City of South Bend, 639 N.E.2d 278, 283 (Ind. 1994). Absent
a duty owed to a plaintiff by the defendant, there can be no actionable negligence.
Lewis v. City of Indianapolis, 554 N.E.2d 13, 16 (Ind. Ct. App. 1990), trans.
denied.
To succeed in his negligence claim, Staggs must demonstrate that Indiana Limestone
owed the decedent a legal duty. Staggs does not contend that a statutory duty was
owed, but asserts that a common law duty existed.
Indiana Limestone contends it did not owe the decedent a common law duty under the
facts of this case. The Indiana Supreme Court has set forth three factors that must be
analyzed and balanced when determining whether to impose a common law duty: (1)
the relationship between the parties, (2) the reasonable foreseeability of harm to the
person injured, and (3) public policy concerns. Webb v. Jarvis, 575 N.E.2d 992,
995 (Ind. 1991), reh'g denied. We examine each of these factors in turn.
A. Relationship Between the Parties
While the determination of whether a relationship gives rise to a duty is generally a
matter for the court to decide, "factual questions may be interwoven with the
determination of the existence of a relation, rendering the existence of a duty a mixed
question of law and fact, ultimately to be resolved by the fact-finder." Harper v.
Guarantee Auto Stores, 533 N.E.2d 1258, 1261-62 (Ind. Ct. App. 1989), trans.
denied.
The public right of passage in a road carries with it the obligation upon occupiers of
adjacent land to use reasonable care not to endanger such passage by excavations or
other hazards so close to the road as to make it unsafe to persons using the road with
ordinary care. DeArk v. Nashville Stone Setting Corp., 279 S.W.2d 518, 521
(Tenn. Ct. App. 1955), cert. denied. Our supreme court has long recognized a
relationship between owners or occupiers of land adjacent to a highway and persons
rightfully using the highway. See e.g., City of Indianapolis v. Emmelman, 108
Ind. 530, 534, 9 N.E. 155, 157 (1886). There, the court stated:
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See also Tibbs v. Huber, Hunt & Nichols Co., 668 N.E.2d 248, (Ind.
1996), where our supreme court noted that "risk imports relation; it is risk to another or
to others within the range of apprehension", quoting Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R.
Co., 162 N.E. 99, 100 (N.Y. 1928). There, the court discussed its precedent case
law recognizing the duty owed by one in possession of a premises to passersby to
keep adjoining areas reasonably clear of risks. Id. at 250.
The Emmelman rule is in accord with the Restatement (Second) of Torts
Section(s) 368 (1965), which states:
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And see generally G.L. Clark, Annotation, Injury to One Deviating From Highway, 159
A.L.R. 136 (1945), and 39 Am. Jur.2d Highways, Streets and Bridges Section(s)
530 (1968), stating the "general rule" that:
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So, under the Emmelman and Restatement rules, the risk posed by an
excavation on property adjacent to a public way might, in some situations, create a
relation sufficient to give rise to a tort duty to guard against foreseeable injuries to
persons exercising due care. Indiana Limestone had a common law relationship with
the decedent if she was traveling with reasonable care, if she had a right to be on the
road, and if users of the road were within the "range of apprehension" of the risk posed
by the quarry (that is to say, if the decedent's deviation from the highway was
"reasonably foreseeable.")
Indiana Limestone contends that it had no relationship with the decedent, relying on
Northern Indiana Public Service Co. v. Sell, 597 N.E.2d 329 (Ind. Ct. App.
1992), trans. denied. In Sell, a motorist fell asleep and lost control of his car.
The car crossed the center line and the opposing lane of traffic, then went down a
steep embankment and crashed into a utility pole located thirteen feet from the road. Id.
at 330-31. The plaintiff, a passenger in the car, sued the utility company for injuries
resulting from the accident. Id. at 330.
The Sell reasoning is not helpful to our analysis. In determining that the
Northern Indiana Public Service Co. (NIPSCO) had no relationship with the plaintiff, the
Sell court relied on the right of utility companies, under the statute in effect at
the time of the accident, to place its poles along state roads so long as the placement
of the poles does not "incommode" the public in the use of the roads, Ind. Code
8-20-1-28 (1982). The Sell court determined that the "statutory relationship"
between utility companies and users of public highways was limited to members of the
public "using the state highways as they were intended to be used," id. at 332. Once
the car in which [plaintiff] was a passenger crossed the center line and opposing lane
of traffic, the use was no longer legitimate, see Ind. Code 9-21-8-2 (1993) (vehicles
required to be driven on the right half of the roadway), so the court found no
relationship between NIPSCO and Sell. Id. Because the Sell decision did not
address the common law relationship between users of a public way and adjacent
landowners recognized in Emmelman and the Restatement, it does not control.
Because there remain genuine issues of material fact regarding, for example, whether
the decedent was exercising the required degree of care in her use of the road at the
time of the accident, summary judgment is inappropriate on the threshold question of
whether the parties had a relationship that could give rise to a tort duty.
B. Foreseeability
In analyzing the foreseeability factor of duty, we focus on whether the person actually
harmed was a foreseeable victim and whether the type of harm actually inflicted was
reasonably foreseeable. Webb, 575 N.E.2d at 997. Such foreseeability does not
mean that the precise hazard or exact consequences should have been foreseen, but
neither does it encompass anything which might occur. Crull v. Platt, 471 N.E.2d
1211, 1215 (Ind. Ct. App. 1984), reh'g denied, trans. denied.
Indiana Limestone argues it was unforeseeable that the decedent would lose control of
her car and crash into its quarry. Indiana Limestone again relies on Sell as
authority. The Sell court stated:
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The court also noted that there were no prior accidents at that location. Id. at 333. The
court distinguished decisions which found collisions with utility poles to be foreseeable
when the poles or guy wires encroached on a street or sidewalk, were located in a
median just a few feet away from the pavement, or were immediately adjacent to the
street on a sharp curve. It noted that the pole where Sell was injured was in alignment
with other poles located along the same stretch of road, was located 30 feet from the
center line of the highway, and that the road in the vicinity of the accident had no
difficult curves to be negotiated by a motorist, and concluded:
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Staggs has presented ample facts to support the inference that it was foreseeable that
the decedent's car might leave the road and enter the quarry. Sell is
distinguishable on its facts and does not support summary judgment for Indiana
Limestone. We first note that in the cases involving collisions with utility poles, courts
typically emphasize the distance of the plaintiff's deviation from the highway and the
proximity of the pole to the road. But in cases involving hazards other than utility poles,
the foreseeability of the deviation itself, rather than distance, is stressed. See Weiss
v. Holman, 207 N.W.2d 660, 669 (Wis. 1973). See also Hayes v. Malkan,
258 N.E.2d 695, 696-697 (N.Y. 1970) (distinguishing excavations, which are
analogized to hidden "traps" on private land, from utility poles and other "visible,
sizeable, above-the-surface structure[s]). While the distance of a quarry from the road
is an element a fact-finder must consider, the duty of an owner or occupant of land
upon which a quarry is located depends on the danger inherent in the hazard, and not
upon its precise location. Thorbjohnson v. Rockland-Rockport Lime Co., 309
A.2d 240, 253 (Me. 1973). See also Louisville & Nashville R.R. Co. v.
Anderson, 39 F.2d 403, 405 (5th Cir. 1930) (recognizing that the degree of danger,
rather than arbitrary distance, is the test of duty, and noting that a landowner might
reasonably anticipate danger to drivers of automobiles that could not have been
anticipated to pedestrians or horse-drawn vehicles involved in earlier cases.)
The foreseeability of a deviation from the roadway depends not upon whether the
deviation is intentional or inadvertent, but whether the deviation is a normal incident of
travel -- that is, whether the condition of the roadway is such that a vehicle is likely to
deviate from it in the ordinary course of travel and come in contact with the excavation.
Kavanaugh v. Midwest Club, Inc., 517 N.E.2d 656, 660 (Ill. Ct. App. 1987);
Restatement (Second) of Torts Section(s) 368 comment g (1965). In
Kavanaugh, the court found a deviation was not foreseeable when a driver had
an epileptic seizure and ran off the road into a pond, because there was no allegation
of any "condition peculiar to the roadway." Id. More specifically, the court noted that
"[t]here are no allegations, for example, that the pond was located near a sharp curve
in the roadway . . . which might make it more likely that the vehicle would deviate from
the roadway in the ordinary course of travel and come into contact with the pond." Id.
See also Thorbjohnson, 309 A.2d at 246, where the court determined a
deviation off the roadway and into a quarry was foreseeable, even though "the highway
itself presented little danger of causing deviations from the highway as it would if it
contained sharp curves or if it were not level." The Thorbjohnson court also
noted case law holding that one who skidded off a road due to ice and snow was
considered in reasonably foreseeable use of the highway.
The decedent was southbound on Rockport Road when her car ran off the road and
plunged into the quarry. On that day, there were icy spots in both lanes of the road.
The road is on a downhill incline in the southbound lane, and the quarry is located to
the left of a sharp curve to the left. The quarry's edge is 25 feet from the road. Staggs
presented evidence that 30 feet is the minimum distance traffic experts consider
necessary for recovery of control when a car leaves the road for any reason. The
condition of the roadway at the site of the decedent's accident -- a sharp curve, a
downhill incline, and patches of ice -- supports a finding that the decedent's deviation
from the roadway was not, as a matter of law, unforeseeable.
There are numerous other examples of instances where deviation from a road is a
"normal incident of travel," and thus foreseeable, even when the road is straight and
level. See Thorbjohnson, 309 A.2d at 246 (noting reasonably foreseeable
deviations resulting from mechanical problems, ice, intentional deviations to avoid an
obstruction or collision, or the driver's sudden physical disability.) In
Thorbjohnson, the court overturned a directed verdict for the defendant, finding
a driver's deviation from the roadway was not unforeseeable as a matter of law when a
car traveling down a straight and level road left the paved portion of the road,
proceeded about 53 feet along the edge of the road, hit a mailbox four feet off the road,
continued for 23 more feet, hit a utility pole, returned to the paved portion of the road,
skidded along and across the road for 32 feet, left the road on the other side, knocked
down six guardrail posts, skidded 130 feet along the grassy area behind the guardrails,
then plunged into a water-filled quarry whose edge was eight feet eight inches off the
paved part of the road.
Given the circumstances at the decedent's accident site, we cannot say that as a
matter of law it was unforeseeable that one in lawful use of the highway would come
within the zone of danger posed by the quarry.
C. Public Policy
Public policy concerns also weigh in favor of finding a duty.
Indiana Limestone again refers us to the Sell case and its analysis of the third
prong of the common law duty factors as outlined in Webb. Once again, we do
not find that the Sell reasoning is helpful to our analysis of public policy
concerns. The court in Sell stated that public policy concerns were paramount
because there were thousands of poles similarly installed in this state and that the
utility company had no reasonable alternative for their placement. However, Indiana
Limestone did have other alternatives that they could have used to protect travelers
along Rockport Road.
There is neither practical need, nor social or economic justification, for unguarded
holes. Thus, the owner ought, in any event, impose on himself requirements to avoid
hazard to users of the public way, whether pedestrian or motor traffic. Hayes,
258 N.E.2d at 696-697.
The undisputed facts demonstrate there are genuine issues of material fact regarding
the existence of a relationship between the parties giving rise to a duty and whether the
decedent's accident was reasonably foreseeable as a matter of law. Finally, public
policy weighs in favor of imposing a duty upon owners of property containing hazards
similar to the University Quarry when such hazards are located near places on public
ways where users of the road might foreseeably deviate from it. Finding such issues of
material fact, we conclude that the trial court properly denied summary judgment to
Indiana Limestone with regard to Staggs's negligence claim.
NUISANCE
Indiana Limestone also argues that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law on
Staggs's nuisance claim. Staggs contends University Quarry, owned by Indiana
Limestone, is a public nuisance and relies on 368 of the Restatement (Second) of Torts
which states:
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A public nuisance is caused by an unreasonable interference with a common right.
Blair v. Anderson, 570 N.E.2d 1337, 1339 (Ind. Ct. App. 1991). Generally, a
private party has no right of action under a public nuisance. Id. However, a party may
bring a successful private action to abate or enjoin a public nuisance if the party
demonstrates special and peculiar injury apart from the injury suffered by the general
public. Id. at 1339-40. Furthermore, the injury must be a different kind and not merely a
different degree. Id. at 1340.
Staggs contends that University Quarry is a public nuisance because other quarries
have had problems with law enforcement such as littering and illegal parking.
However, he admits "[t]here is no evidence that this particular quarry was a problem for
law enforcement." Appellee's Brief at 22. Despite this admission, Staggs asserts that
University Quarry could be dangerous to hunters and hikers who enter Indiana
Limestone's property.
Since Staggs does not offer any evidence that University Quarry caused an
unreasonable interference with a common right, no material facts are in dispute. In
essence, Staggs asks us to hold that University Quarry is a public nuisance by its very
nature. Appellee's Brief at 22. However, Staggs fails to support its contention with any
citations to authorities or statutes. Thus, pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 8.3(A)(7),
Staggs has waived this issue because he has failed to provide a cogent argument with
adequate citation of authority. See Keller v. State, 549 N.E.2d 372, 373 (Ind.
1990). Therefore, we hold that Indiana Limestone is entitled to summary judgment as a
matter of law with regard to Staggs's nuisance claim.
CONCLUSION
For the forgoing reasons, we affirm the trial court's denial of Indiana Limestone's
motion for summary judgment with regard to the negligence issue and reverse with
regard to the public nuisance issue.
Reversed in part and affirmed in part.
KIRSCH, J., concurs.
SHARPNACK, C.J., dissents with separate opinion.
DISSENTING OPINION
SHARPNACK, C. J.
I respectfully dissent with regard to the duty issue. I disagree with the majority's
conclusion that under the facts of this case, Indiana Limestone owes the decedent a
common law duty.
As stated in majority opinion, we must examine three factors when determining whether
there is a common law duty: the relationship between the parties, the reasonable
foreseeability of harm, and public policy concerns. Webb v. Jarvis, 575 N.E.2d
992, 995 (Ind. 1991), reh'g denied. Contrary to the majority's conclusion, the
undisputed facts of this case do not demonstrate that there was a relationship between
the parties or that the accident was reasonably foreseeable. In addition, public policy
weighs against imposing a duty. A careful review of each of these factors reveals that
Indiana Limestone does not owe the decedent a common law duty.
A. Relationship Between the Parties
The majority looks to City of Indianapolis v. Emmelman, 108 Ind. 530, 9 N.E. 155
(1886), reh'g denied, to support the assertion that "Our supreme court has long
recognized a relationship between owners or occupiers of land adjacent to a highway
and persons rightfully using the highway." Slip opinion, p. 5. The majority elevates to
the status of a "rule" dicta from Emmelman, which did not involve any excavation
near the traveled portion of the highway. That case involved a steep pit that was dug
in the bed of a stream where the stream was crossed by a city street. Construction was
being done to prepare for building a bridge across the stream. The pit was filled with
water from the stream and was surrounded by the otherwise shallow water in the
stream. The area was frequented by children who were known to play in the stream in
the area where the work was being done. The work was left unguarded when the
workers finished for the day. The plaintiff's decedent was a five year old who drowned
when he fell into the pit. The case has nothing to do with the liability of persons
owning land adjacent to a highway to users of the highway, as is clear from the
following passages from the decision:
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The majority also points to Tibbs v. Huber, Hunt & Nichols, Inc., 668 N.E.2d 248
(Ind. 1996), in further support for the recognition of a relationship between the user of a
highway and the owner or occupier of land adjacent to the highway. That case
involved the liability of the operator of a pipe cutting station on a construction site to a
pedestrian in a stairwell near the cutting station. The pipe cutter operator, Grunau, had
no possessory or control interest with regard to the stairwell. The pedestrian was
injured when he slipped on a pipe which had fallen on the stairwell. The supreme court
concluded:
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In Fort Wayne Cooperage, the operator of a manufacturing plant was found to
be liable to the user of an adjacent highway where steam escaping from the plant
startled the highway user's horse which then became unmanageable causing an injury.
Fort Wayne Cooperage Co. v. State, 170 Ind. 585, 588, 84 N.E. 145, 148.
What Emmelman, Fort Wayne Cooperage, and Tibbs tell us is that
the person in control of land adjacent to a highway has a duty to exercise care not to
injure those using the highway while they are on the highway. The cases do not
address the relationship or duty as to users of the highway who leave the highway and
come onto the property adjacent to the highway.
The Indiana case most helpful to resolve the issue presented is Northern Indiana
Public Service Co. v. Sell, 597 N.E.2d 329 (Ind. Ct. App. 1992), trans denied. In
that case, a motorist lost control of his car, crossed the center line, went down an
embankment, and crashed into a utility pole. Id. at 330-331. Thereafter, the plaintiff, a
passenger in the car, filed an action against the utility company to recover damages for
his injuries. Id. at 330. On appeal, we determined that the utility company did not owe
the plaintiff either a statutory or common law duty in the placement of the utility pole. Id.
at 334. Although the utility company did not own the land adjacent to the highway, it
did have the authority under Ind. Code Section(s) 8-20-1-28 to use the area adjacent to
the highway to place poles along the highway. Id. at 332.
The facts of the present case are analogous to the accident in Sell. The
decedent here apparently also lost control of her car which then crossed the center line
and opposing lane of traffic. The decedent's car continued off the highway and
crashed into Indiana Limestone's quarry. Under the authority of Sell, there is no
relationship between Indiana Limestone and the decedent which would give rise to a
duty in this case.
Nevertheless, the majority finds that the "Sell reasoning is not helpful to our
analysis." Slip opinion, p. 7. The majority asserts that Sell is distinguishable
because it did not address the common law relationship between the parties, but
rather, just the statutory relationship. However, a plain reading of Sell reveals
that it is subject to one interpretation, that there was no relationship between the utility
company and the motorist. Specifically, we stated:
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Because we held that there was no relationship between the parties, I find the
majority's distinction of Sell unpersuasive.
Lastly, the majority asserts that the "Emmelman rule" is in accord with the
Restatement (Second) of Torts Section(s) 368 (1965), which has never been adopted
in Indiana. See Department of Natural Resources v. Morgan, 432 N.E.2d 59, 66
n 2 (Ind. Ct. App. 1982) (citing Restatement Section(s) 368, but not applying it). While
Restatement Section(s) 368 may provide some guidance on the issue of common law
duty, it is inapplicable to the present case because Sell is controlling.
As previously stated, Sell holds that once a motorist leaves the highway, there is
no relationship between the motorist and those using adjacent land. Sell, 597
N.E.2d at 333-334. Therefore, under the authority of Sell, there is no
relationship between Indiana Limestone and the decedent which would give rise to a
duty in this dispute.
B. Foreseeability
The majority concludes it was foreseeable that the decedent would lose control of her
car and crash into the quarry. Slip opinion, p. 10. In arriving at this conclusion, the
majority distinguishes Sell and turns to authority from other states. Id. at 9. The
majority makes much of the fact that in Sell the driver crashed into a utility pole,
but in the present case the decedent crashed into a quarry. Such a distinction does not
render Sell inapplicable.
The majority fails to note the fact that the trial court relied upon Sell in
determining the decedent's accident was foreseeable and, consequently, denied
summary judgment. In its order, the trial court stated:
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As indicated in its order, the trial court denied summary judgment on the basis that the
plaintiff, Staggs, would later be able to produce evidence showing that the accident
was foreseeable. However, such a ruling contravenes Ind. Trial Rule 56. This rule
provides in part:
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In addition, the rule also provides: "No judgment rendered on the motion shall be
reversed on the ground that there is a genuine issue of material fact unless the material
fact and evidence relevant thereto shall have been specifically designated to the trial
court." T.R. 56(H). Pursuant to T.R. 56, the trial court erred in basing its denial of
summary judgment on the speculation that Staggs would later provide sufficient
evidence, rather than on the designated evidence. See Jackson v. Blanchard,
601 N.E.2d 411, 415 (Ind. Ct. App. 1992).
However, the mere fact that the trial court erroneously speculated on Staggs' ability to
produce evidence does not require a reversal of the judgment. Because an appellate
court reviews the trial court's decision on summary judgment according to the same
standard as the trial court, the denial of summary judgment will be affirmed if it is
sustainable on any theory or basis found in the evidentiary matter designated to the
trial court. Beradi v. Hardware Wholesalers, Inc., 625 N.E.2d 1259, 1261 (Ind.
Ct. App. 1993), reh'g denied, trans. denied.
A review of the designated evidence reveals that there is no genuine issue of material
fact concerning whether the accident was reasonably foreseeable. In its motion for
summary judgment, Indiana Limestone designated the affidavit of Deputy James Inman
of the Monroe County Sheriff's Department. In his affidavit, Inman stated:
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In his response to the motion for summary judgment, Staggs designated the affidavit of
Paul Box, an expert witness. In his affidavit, Box stated:
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Similar to the circumstances in Sells, I find that the evidence in the present case
is not susceptible to the inference that the decedent's accident was reasonably
foreseeable. See Sell, 597 N.E.2d at 334. The designated evidence indicates
that there were no prior accidents at this site. In addition, because the decedent went
off the road to the inside of the curve and traveled about two hundred feet before hitting
the quarry, the fact that the quarry is less than twenty-five feet from a curve does not
lead to an inference of foreseeability.
While I might agree with the trial court's speculation that Staggs conceivably could later
produce evidence that the accident was foreseeable, I find that based upon the
designated evidence, it was not reasonably foreseeable that motorists would leave the
traveled portion of a road and crash into the quarry. Such foreseeability "does not
mean that the precise hazard or exact consequence should have been foreseen, but
neither does it encompass anything which might occur." Crull v. Platt, 471
N.E.2d 1211, 1215 (Ind. Ct. App. 1984), reh'g denied, trans. denied. Therefore, the
foreseeability factor weighs against imposing a duty on Indiana Limestone.
C. Public Policy
The majority finds that public policy weighs in favor of imposing a duty, but does not
give any explanation for such a finding. Instead, the majority merely asserts that
Indiana Limestone had "other alternatives that they could have used to protect
travelers," and cites to Hayes v. Malkan, 258 N.E.2d 695 (N.Y. 1970). Slip
opinion, p. 11. In Hayes, the court did not focus on public policy concerns about
excavations near public roads, but rather held that there was no liability against a
landowner for injuries to a motorist arising out of a collision with a pole. Hayes,
258 N.E.2d at 697.
Contrary to the majority's conclusion, the facts of this case show that public policy
weighs against finding a duty. If we impose a duty on Indiana Limestone, then we are
effectively imposing liability on a landowner every time a motorist leaves the roadway
and falls into an excavation. Whenever a motorist loses control of his car and leaves
the roadway, there is the risk of serious injury. Accordingly, there is no public policy
goal which will be promoted by imposing liability on Indiana Limestone because its
quarry is not a hazard to motorists who are properly using South Rockport Road.
In conclusion, the undisputed facts in this case do not demonstrate the existence of a
relationship between the parties giving rise to a duty. Moreover, the accident in this
case was not reasonably foreseeable as a matter of law. Finally, public policy weighs
against imposing a duty in this case. Finding no issues of material fact in this case, I
would hold that Indiana Limestone was entitled to summary judgment with regard to
Staggs' negligence claim.
I respectfully dissent from the majority's holding on the duty issue and would reverse
the trial court's judgment in all respects.
OPINION FOOTNOTES
1 Over the years, Emmelman has been cited in cases involving attractive nuisances. See, e.g., Pace v. American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corp., 346 F.2d 321, 324 (1965) ("Other Indiana cases have reaffirmed the duty expressed in Emmelman to exercise special precautions where children are involved."); Wozniczka v. McKean, 144 Ind.App. 471, 488, 247 N.E.2d 215, 224 (1969). In addition, reviewing courts have relied upon Emmelman for the proposition that cities may be held liable for damages caused by negligence in the maintenance of streets and bridges. See, e.g., Klepinger v. Board of Comm'rs, 143 Ind.App. 155, 162, 239 N.E.2d 160, 165 (1968).
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