Bond v. Baker Roofing Co.

81 Va. Cir. 439, 2010 Va. Cir. LEXIS 269
CourtNorfolk County Circuit Court
DecidedDecember 28, 2010
DocketCase No. CL 09-4116; Case No. CL 09-4117; Case No. CL 09-4208; Case No. CL 09-4209; Case No. CL 09-3735; Case No. CL 10-4075
StatusPublished

This text of 81 Va. Cir. 439 (Bond v. Baker Roofing Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Norfolk County Circuit Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bond v. Baker Roofing Co., 81 Va. Cir. 439, 2010 Va. Cir. LEXIS 269 (Va. Super. Ct. 2010).

Opinion

By Judge Louis A. Sherman

This matter came before the Court on December 2, 2010, upon Plaintiff’s Motion to Consolidate. Plaintiffs argue that the allegations in each Complaint arise from the same facts and involve common questions of law and that consolidating the claims will promote the ends of justice, lead to just and efficient disposition of the actions, and enhance judicial economy. Defendants argue that Plaintiffs make the same generic allegations but that deposition testimony and medical reports reveal differences in the severity of symptoms experienced, parts of the body affected, and nature of pre-existing conditions present in each of the Plaintiffs’ medical histories. Defendants assert that consolidating the cases will result in juror confusion and prejudice to Defendants. On October 25, 2010, Plaintiffs filed a Motion to Consolidate the six pending cases. Upon review of the parties’ submissions, oral arguments, and relevant statutory and case law, the Court finds that the cases shall be consolidated on the issue of liability and not consolidated on the issue of damages.

Background

These cases arise out of alleged injuries that Cheryl Bond, Lilibeth Taylor, Denise Black, Joan Sidwell, Monique Thomas, and Lori Provost (together, “Plaintiffs”) received while employed with Christian Broadcasting Network (“CBN”). (Compls. ¶ 1.) Each individual plaintiff has filed a separate cause of action against the defendants; however, each of the plaintiffs’ complaints, motions, and memoranda are substantially similar if not identical. For purposes of this memorandum, Plaintiffs and their respective complaints and memoranda are treated as if only one plaintiff filed a cause of action. Plaintiffs allege that they were injured between May 2007 and September 2007 due to their exposure to chemicals used by defendant Baker Roofing Company (“Baker”) during roofing [441]*441repairs that took place on the building where all of the Plaintiffs worked. (Thomas Compl. ¶ 17; Bond, Black, Provost, Sidwell, & Taylor Compls. ¶ 19.) Defendant Hentz Engineering, Inc. (“Hentz”) is a consulting company that had been retained as a project consultant by CBN. (Compls. ¶ 3.) Plaintiffs allege that Hentz was involved in the hiring of Baker and the monitoring of the roof replacement project on the building that housed the Prayer Counseling Center of CBN, the building in which Plaintiffs worked. (Compls. ¶¶ 1, 3.)

Plaintiffs originally named multiple defendants, but, on May 7, 2010, plaintiffs moved for voluntary nonsuits against all defendants but Baker and Hentz. (Mots, for Nonsuit 1-2). This Court granted the Motions for Nonsuit on May 10, 2010 (Nonsuit Order), leaving Baker and Hentz (together, “Defendants”) as the remaining defendants. Plaintiffs’ suits allege general negligence, although Plaintiffs are also seeking punitive damages against Defendants. On October 25, 2010, Plaintiff Cheryl Bond filed a Motion to Consolidate the six pending cases. Plaintiff Cheryl Bond has filed the motion; however, the pleading indicates that all Plaintiffs, each being represented by the same attorney, join in the motion. (Pis.’ Mot. to Consolidate ¶ 2.) On October 28, 2010, Defendant Baker filed a Brief in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Consolidation. On November 24, 2010, Defendant Hentz filed a Joinder in Defendant Baker’s Objection and Brief in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Consolidation. Thus, the Court will consider the objections stated in Baker’s brief as representative of both Baker’s and Hentz’s positions with respect to Plaintiff’s Motion to Consolidate.

Analysis

This issue comes before the Court on Plaintiffs’ Motion to Consolidate. Plaintiffs argue that the allegations in each Complaint arise from the same facts and involve common questions of law because each Complaint contains essentially the same allegation of negligence against Defendants Baker and Hentz and each Plaintiff worked on the third floor of the same building and was exposed to the same chemicals. (Pl.’s Mot. to Consolidate ¶ 4.) Further, Plaintiffs maintain that “consolidating these claims would ‘promote the ends of justice,’ would lead to just and efficient conduct and disposition of these actions, and . . . would enhance judicial economy and avoid duplication of effort.” (Pl.’s Mot. to Consolidate. ¶ 5.) Defendants maintain that “Plaintiffs make essentially the same generic allegations in their respective Complaints,” but that deposition testimony and medical reports reveal significant differences in the severity of symptoms experienced by the individual Plaintiffs, the parts of the body affected, and the nature of several Plaintiffs’ pre-existing conditions. Defendants assert that consolidating the cases will result in juror confusion and prejudice [442]*442to Defendants. (Baker’s Br. in Opp’n to PL’s Mot. for Consolidation 3 [hereinafter Baker’s Br. in Opp’n].)

The Virginia Code provides that the Court may, upon the motion of any party, enter an order consolidating civil actions if the Court determines that the following factors exist: (1) six or more plaintiffs have brought separate actions that involve common questions of law or fact and arise out of the same series of transactions; (2) the common questions of law or fact are significant to the actions; and (3) consolidating the cases “will promote the ends of justice and the just and efficient conduct and disposition of the actions, and [will be] consistent with each party’s right to due process of law, and [will] not prejudice each individual party’s right to a fair and impartial resolution of each action.” Va. Code § 8.01-267.1. The statute instructs the Court to consider the following factors, among others, when determining whether separate civil actions should be consolidated:

(i) the nature of the common questions of law or fact; (ii) the convenience of the parties, witnesses, and counsel; (iii) the relative stages of the actions and the work of counsel; (iv) the efficient utilization of judicial facilities and personnel; (v) the calendar of the courts; (vi) the likelihood and disadvantages of duplicative and inconsistent rulings, orders, or judgments; (vii) the likelihood of prompt settlement of the actions without the entry of the order; and (viii) as to joint trials by jury, the likelihood of prejudice or confusion. Id.

“Trial courts have the inherent authority to consolidate claims for trial” and may exercise broad discretion in doing so. Allstate Ins. Co. v. Wade, 265 Va. 383, 392, 579 S.E.2d 180, 185 (2003); see also Lamberton v. Lamberton, No. 1714-03-4, 2004 Va. App. Lexis 440, at *12 (Va. App. Sept. 14, 2004) (“Whether actions should be consolidated is a matter that lies within the sound discretion of the trial court.”). In determining whether consolidation of several claims for a single trial is warranted, the trial court must “insure that separating or consolidating claims for trial does not prejudice the substantial rights of any party,” and the court “must also consider any resulting unnecessary delay, expense, or use of judicial resources that would flow from separate trials of the claims at issu e.” Allstate Ins. Co., 265 Va. at 392, 579 S.E.2d at 185.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
81 Va. Cir. 439, 2010 Va. Cir. LEXIS 269, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bond-v-baker-roofing-co-vaccnorfolk-2010.