In The Matter Of: Linda Cameron, App v. Atlantic Richfield Co., Aka, Resp

442 P.3d 31
Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided May 13, 2019·No. 76663-5·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

LINDA CAMERON for Herself and as ) Personal Representative for the Estate ) No. 76663-5-I of GARY R. CAMERON, Deceased, )

) DIVISION ONE

Appellant,

v.

) PUBLISHED OPINION

ATLANTIC RICHFIELD COMPANY ) a/k/a ARCO; ASBESTOS CORP., ) LTD.; CBS CORPORATION, f/k/a ) Westinghouse Electric Corporation; ) CROWN CORK & SEAL COMPANY, ) INC.; FOSTER WHEELER ENERGY ) CORPORATION; GENERAL ) ELECTRIC COMPANY; LONE STAR ) INDUSTRIES, INC.; METROPOLITAN ) LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY; ) SABERHAGEN HOLDINGS, INC.; ) and TRANSALTA CENTRALIA GENERATION LLC, )

Defendants, )

)

PACIFICORP, dba Pacific ) Power & Light Company, )

) FILED: May 13, 2019

Respondent. )

_________________________________________________________________________________ )

No. 76663-5-I I 2

LEACH, J. — Gary Cameron died in 2012 of mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure. Gary’s wife, Linda Cameron,1 appeals a summary judgment dismissing her claims against PacifiCorp, one of the companies she claims exposed Gary to asbestos. She challenges the trial court’s conclusion that the six-year construction statute of repose,2 which applies to improvements on real property, barred her claims. Cameron asserts that the current statute of repose applies and does not bar her claims. But the date of substantial completion of construction provides the operative date for application of the statute. Here, substantial completion occurred in 1972, so the 1967 version of the statute applies and bars her claims arising from construction activities but not those arising from PacifiCorp’s status as a premises owner. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings.

FACTS

The parties do not dispute the following facts. Pacific Power & Light Company, PacifiCorp’s predecessor (together, “PacifiCorp”), and seven other utility companies sponsored construction of the Centralia Steam Plant (Plant) in the 1970s. PacifiCorp contracted with Bechtel Corporation for engineering and construction management and for construction of the Plant. In 1970, Bechtel hired Owens Corning Fiberglass to install thermal insulation materials at the

1For purposes of clarity, we use Gary Cameron’s first name and Linda Cameron’s surname.

2 RCW4.16.300, .310.

No. 76663-5-I / 3

PTant. Asbestos was installed as part of the insulation; From April 26, 1971, to December 3, 1971, Gary Cameron worked at the Plant as a boilermaker. Construction finished in 1972. PacifiCorp retained its ownership interest in the Plant until 2000.

Gary was exposed to asbestos over the course of his career. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in March 2012 and died in September 2012. Cameron sued PacifiCorp and others, claiming, in part, that a dangerous condition at PacifiCorp’s facilities injured Gary. PacifiCorp asked the trial court to dismiss Cameron’s claims against it on summary judgment. Cameron and PacifiCorp then agreed to address only the statute of repose issue and defer consideration of the remaining issues until the completion of additional discovery. The trial court granted PacifiCorp’s dismissal request, concluding that the construction statute of repose barred Cameron’s claims. Cameron appeals.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

This court reviews summary judgment orders de novo and performs the same inquiry as the trial court.3 Summary judgment is appropriate when the evidence, viewed in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party, shows no genuine issue of material fact remains and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.4

~ Life Designs Ranch, Inc. v. Sommer, 191 Wn. App. 320, 327, 364 P.3d 129 (2015).

~ Life Designs, 191 Wn. App. at 327; CR 56(c).

No. 76663-5-I /4

Statutory interpretation is a question of law that this court reviews de novo.5 When a statute is unambiguous, a reviewing court gives effect to the plain language of the statute.6 ANALYSIS

Cameron makes three related claims: that the current version of the construction statute of repose applies to this case, that genuine issues of material fact exist about whether the statute bars her claims, and that no version of the statute bars her claims arising out of PacifiCorp’s status as a premises owner. We disagree about the first two claims and agree on the third one.

“A statute of repose terminates the right to file a claim after a specified time even if the injury has not yet occurred.”7 Two statutes comprise the construction statute of repose. RCW 4.16.300 defines the scope of the statute and describes those entitled to claim its protection. RCW 4.16.310 defines when this statute of repose bars a claim. Together, they bar certain claims arising from construction of any improvement upon real property that have not accrued within six years after substantial completion of construction.

5Williamsv. Tilaye, 174 Wn.2d 57, 61, 272 P.3d 235 (2012).

6 Parkridge Assocs. v. Ledcor Indus., Inc., 113 Wn. App. 592, 602, 54 P.3d 225 (2002).

~ Wash. State Maior League Baseball Stadium Pub. Facilities Dist. v.

Huber, Hunt & Nichols-Kiewit Constr. Co., 176 Wn.2d 502, 511, 296 P.3d 821 (2013).

No. 76663-5-I I 5

The history of this statute of repose bears on the outcome of this case.

The legislature first enacted it in 1967.8 In 1986, the legislature amended RCW 4.16.300 to exclude manufacturers from the statute’s protections.9 In 2004, the legislature again amended this statute, this time removing the language about manufacturers and specifically identifying the persons protected by the statute.1° The 1967 version of RCW4.16.300 provided,

RCW 4.16.300 through 4.16.320 shall apply to all claims or causes of action of any kind against any person, arising from such person having constructed, altered or repaired any improvement upon real property, or having performed or furnished any design, planning, surveying, architectural or construction or engineering services, or supervision or observation of construction, or administration of construction contracts for any construction, alteration or repair of any improvement upon real propertyJ11i The 1986 version provided, RCW 4.16.300 through 4.16.320 shall apply to all claims or causes of action of any kind against any person, arising from such person having constructed, altered or repaired any improvement upon real property, or having performed or furnished any design, planning, surveying, architectural or construction or engineering services, or supervision or observation of construction, or administration of construction contracts for any construction, alteration or repair of any improvement upon real property. This section is intended to benefit only those persons referenced herein and shall not apply to claims or causes of action against manufacturers.[121

8 LAWS OF 1967, ch. 75, § 1, 2(formerRCW4.16.300, .310 (1967)).

~ LAWS OF 1986, ch. 305, § 703 (former RCW4.16.300 (1986)).

10 LAWS OF 2004, ch. 257, § 1 (RCW 4.16.300).

~ LAWS OF 1967, ch. 75, § 1 (former RCW4.16.300 (1967)).

12 LAWS of 1986, ch. 305, § 703 (former ROW 4.16.300 (1986)). The underlined portion represents the 1986 amendment.

No. 76663-5-I I 6

In 2004, the legislature amended both RCW 4.16.300 and Laws of 1986, chapter 305, section 703. This amendment changed the description of the persons protected by the statute: “This section is specifically intended to benefit persons having performed work for which the persons must be registered or licensed under RCW 18.08.310, 18.27.020, 18.43.040, 18.96.020, or 19.28.041, and shall not apply to claims or causes of action against persons not required to be so registered or licensed.”13 So the current version of the statute protects only persons registered or licensed as an architect, contractor, engineer or land surveyor, landscape architect, or electrician.14 The 1967 version of RCW4.16.310 provided,

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In The Matter Of: Linda Cameron, App v. Atlantic Richfield Co., Aka, Resp, 442 P.3d 31 (Wash. Ct. App. 2019).

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