Cianciola v. City of Fairlawn

804 N.E.2d 72, 156 Ohio App. 3d 16, 2004 Ohio 327
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 28, 2004
DocketNo. 21565.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 804 N.E.2d 72 (Cianciola v. City of Fairlawn) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cianciola v. City of Fairlawn, 804 N.E.2d 72, 156 Ohio App. 3d 16, 2004 Ohio 327 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

Carr, Judge.

{¶ 1} Appellant, Dana Cianciola, appeals from the judgment of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, which granted summary judgment in favor of appellee, the city of Fairlawn (“Fairlawn”). This court affirms.

*17 I

{¶ 2} On August 6, 1996, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Lieutenant Hose and fireman Steve Heckman, employees of the Fairlawn Fire Department, transported a patient to St. Thomas Medical Center in Akron. After leaving the patient with the attending medical personnel, the firemen gathered supplies from the hospital in order to restock the ambulance. They placed the supplies on the gurney and returned to the ambulance. While Hose and Heckman were restocking the ambulance, the gurney rolled away from the parked ambulance and hit the curb of the sidewalk outside the emergency room. Appellant was allegedly struck by the gurney as it rolled away from the ambulance.

{¶ 3} In her initial complaint, appellant alleged that Fairlawn was liable for the negligent acts of Hose and Heckman under the doctrine of respondeat superior. In an amended complaint, appellant alleged wanton or reckless conduct by Hose and Heckman, rather than their negligence. The trial court granted Fairlawn’s motion for summary judgment, and appellant timely appealed to this Court. Ciandola v. Fairlawn, 9th Dist. No. 20785, 2002-Ohio-1499, 2002 WL 500219.

{¶ 4} This court reversed the judgment of the trial court and remanded the matter for further proceedings, stating that the trial court improperly awarded summary judgment in favor of Fairlawn upon grounds that Fairlawn did not argue in its motion for summary judgment. Id. at ¶ 10-11.

{¶ 5} Upon remand, Fairlawn requested and was granted leave to file a second motion for summary judgment. Appellant filed a motion opposing Fairlawn’s motion for summary judgment. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Fairlawn.

{¶ 6} Appellant again timely appealed to this court, asserting two assignments of error for review. Appellant’s two assignments of error have been combined in order to facilitate review.

II

FIRST ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR

“The trial court erred in granting summary judgment because, as a matter of law, the city of Fairlawn is liable for its paramedic employees’ negligence while on the premises of St. Thomas Medical Center.”

SECOND ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR

“The trial court erred in granting summary judgment when a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether the city of Fairlawn employees acted in a wanton or reckless manner.”

*18 {¶ 7} In appellant’s two assignments of error, she challenges the trial court’s award of summary judgment in favor of Fairlawn. Appellant argues that Fairlawn was not entitled to sovereign immunity because none of the exceptions to the defense was applicable in this case. Specifically, appellant argues that R.C. 2744.02(B) is applicable to this case, and that a genuine issue of material fact exists regarding whether Hose and Heckman acted in wanton or reckless disregard for her safety. This court disagrees.

{¶ 8} Pursuant to Civ.R. 56(C), summary judgment is appropriate when “(1) No genuine issue as to any material fact remains to be litigated; (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law; and (3) it appears from the evidence that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion, and viewing such evidence most strongly in favor of the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, that conclusion is adverse to that party.” Temple v. Wean United, Inc. (1977), 50 Ohio St.2d 317, 327, 4 O.O.3d 466, 364 N.E.2d 267.

{¶ 9} To succeed on a summary judgment motion, the movant “bears the initial burden of demonstrating that there are no genuine issues of material fact concerning an essential element of the opponent’s case.” (Emphasis sic.) Dresher v. Burt (1996), 75 Ohio St.3d 280, 292, 662 N.E.2d 264. “[T]he moving party must state specifically which areas of the opponent’s claim raise no genuine issue of material fact[.]” Vahila v. Hall (1997), 77 Ohio St.3d 421, 429, 674 N.E.2d 1164. If the movant satisfies this burden, the nonmoving party “must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Dresher, 75 Ohio St.3d at 293, 662 N.E.2d 264, quoting Civ.R. 56(E). An appellate court reviews a lower court’s entry of summary judgment applying the de novo standard, thereby employing the same standard used by the trial court. See Klingshirn v. Westview Concrete Corp. (1996), 113 Ohio App.3d 178, 180, 680 N.E.2d 691.

{¶ 10} In its motion for summary judgment, Fairlawn argued that it is entitled to immunity as set forth in R.C. 2744.02(A)(1) because (1) Hose and Heckman were working in the course and scope of their employment with Fairlawn when the incident in question occurred; (2) Hose and Heckman were performing a “governmental function”; and (3) none of the exceptions to political subdivision immunity set forth in R.C. 2744.02(B) was applicable in this matter. Alternatively, Fairlawn argued that, even if any of the exceptions named in R.C. 2744.02(B) were applicable, it was still entitled to immunity under R.C. 2744.03(A)(5).

{¶ 11} In appellant’s motion opposing Fairlawn’s motion for summary judgment, she argued that there existed a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Hose and Heckman’s actions were wanton or reckless. Specifically, appellant argued that this court held in Ciándola that pursuant to R.C. 2744.03(A)(6), Fairlawn was not entitled to the general grant of immunity provided by R.C. 2744.02(A)(1).

*19 {¶ 12} In Ciandola, this court did not conclude that the exception found in R.C. 2744.03(A)(6) was applicable in this case. This court merely held that the trial court erred in considering an argument not properly brought before it by a valid motion. Ciandola at ¶ 10-11.

{¶ 13} In determining whether a political subdivision is immune from liability pursuant to R.C. Chapter 2744, this court must engage in a three-tier analysis. In Greene Cty. Agricultural Soc., v. Liming (2000), 89 Ohio St.3d 551, 556-557, 733 N.E.2d 1141, the Supreme Court of Ohio described this analysis:

“First, R.C. 2744.02(A)(1) sets out a general rule that political subdivisions are not liable in damages. In setting out this rule, R.C. 2744.02(A)(1) classifies the functions of political subdivisions into governmental and proprietary functions and states that the general rule of immunity is not absolute, but is limited by the provisions of R.C.

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Bluebook (online)
804 N.E.2d 72, 156 Ohio App. 3d 16, 2004 Ohio 327, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cianciola-v-city-of-fairlawn-ohioctapp-2004.