Kirkman v. Kirkman

552 N.E.2d 282, 195 Ill. App. 3d 393, 141 Ill. Dec. 914, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 282
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 8, 1990
Docket4—89—0745, 4—89—0746 cons.
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 552 N.E.2d 282 (Kirkman v. Kirkman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kirkman v. Kirkman, 552 N.E.2d 282, 195 Ill. App. 3d 393, 141 Ill. Dec. 914, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 282 (Ill. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

JUSTICE STEIGMANN

delivered the opinion of the court:

Bushnell Tank Company (Bushnell) appeals from an order of the Douglas County circuit court granting summary judgment for third-party defendant Steven Jones in each of the cases consolidated here on appeal.

We affirm.

Jones purchased a new 1986 Chevrolet pickup truck for use in his insulation hauling business. He purchased a 110-gallon auxiliary gas tank, manufactured by Bushnell, from Mattoon Rural King Supply, Inc. (Rural King), on November 1, 1987. The tank was installed in the bed of the truck next to the cab.

Don Kirkman began driving the truck for Jones in February 1987. In March, Don noticed a “pinhole” leak on a welded seam of the auxiliary tank and patched it himself. Jones learned of the leak when he saw Don fixing it. Don continued driving the truck for Jones until Don purchased it on July 1, 1987. After Don patched the tank in March 1987, it did not leak again until July 4,1987.

On July 4, 1987, Don drove the truck to Tuscola, Illinois, to purchase gasoline for the truck and auxiliary tank. He was accompanied by his two-year-old daughter, Rebecca, Don’s brother, Larry Kirkman, and Larry’s son, Tony. Don noticed the auxiliary tank was leaking again, so he drove to a nearby store and purchased a gas tank repair kit. Don then drove to a car wash in Tuscola to repair the tank. Tracey Walker owns the car wash.

Don and Larry decided to repair the truck at the car wash so the leaking gasoline could run into a drain. They attempted to repair the tank while the children remained in the backseat of the truck’s cab. The gasoline dripping into the car wash’s drain ignited, resulting in a fireball and fire which destroyed the truck and car wash and severely injured Rebecca and Larry.

Rebecca, through her mother, filed suit against her father, Walker, and Bushnell. Larry sued Walker, Rural King, and Bushnell. Rebecca alleged Bushnell sold the tank to Rural King, which in turn sold it to Jones. The tank left the manufacturer allegedly in an unreasonably dangerous condition because the seams were improperly welded, resulting in the leak. The leak and accompanying fumes from the leaking gasoline allegedly caused the fire, which injured Rebecca.

Bushnell filed a third-party complaint against Jones, alleging Rebecca’s injuries were proximately caused by Jones’ negligence. Jones’ alleged acts of negligence included failing to notify Bushnell of the prior leak, failing to request repair or replacement under Bushnell’s warranty, failing to have the tank inspected and repaired by a qualified person after the first leak, and allowing Don to attach a patch on the leak. Bushnell sought contribution from Jones.

Larry’s complaint against Bushnell contained allegations similar to those in Rebecca’s complaint against Bushnell. Bushnell filed another third-party complaint against Jones repeating the allegations made against Jones in the third-party complaint filed in Rebecca’s case.

Jones moved for summary judgment against Bushnell, alleging there were no genuine issues of material fact. Title to and possession of the truck had passed to Don four days before the accident. Don had driven the truck for four months before purchasing it from Jones and had noticed and repaired the first leak. The tank did not leak after Don repaired it in March until July 4. Jones argued a finding by the circuit court that he owed Rebecca or Larry a duty would violate Illinois public policy. Finally, even if he did owe a duty, Jones argued the intervening acts of Don proximately caused the injuries.

The circuit court granted Jones’ motion for summary judgment, finding that Jones did not have title to or possession of the truck and tank on the date of the accident and owed no duty to Rebecca or Larry.

Summary judgment is appropriate where the pleadings, depositions, and affidavits show (1) there is no genuine issue of material fact, and (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. (Vuletich v. United States Steel Corp. (1987), 117 Ill. 2d 417, 421, 512 N.E.2d 1223, 1224; see also Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 110, par. 2—1005.) “On appeal from an order granting summary judgment, the reviewing court must consider all grounds and facts urged below to determine if a genuine issue of material fact exists and whether the moving party was entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law.” Newell v. Field Enterprises, Inc. (1980), 91 Ill. App. 3d 735, 741, 415 N.E.2d 434, 440.

Bushnell asserts Jones is subject to liability in tort under the provisions of section 388 of the Restatement (Second) of Torts. That section states,

“One who supplies directly *** a chattel for another to use is subject to liability to those whom the supplier should expect to use the chattel with the consent of the other or to be endangered by its probable use, for physical harm caused by the use of the chattel in the matter for which and by a person for whose use it is supplied, if the supplier
(a) knows or has reason to know that the chattel is or is likely to be dangerous for the use for which it is supplied, and
(b) has no reason to believe that those for whose use the chattel is supplied will realize its dangerous condition, and
(c) fails to exercise reasonable care to inform them of its dangerous condition or of the facts which make it likely to be dangerous.” (Emphasis added.) Restatement (Second) of Torts §388, at 300-01 (1965).

The scope note preceding this section indicates it applies to all persons who supply chattel for the use of others. Comment k makes clear that one supplying a chattel for another must warn of dangerous conditions, “if, but only if, he has no reason to expect that those for whose use the chattel is supplied will discover its condition and realize the danger involved.” Restatement (Second) of Torts §388, comment k, at 306 (1965).

In Trust Co. v. Lewis Auto Sales, Inc. (1940), 306 Ill. App. 132, 28 N.E.2d 300, the appellate court affirmed a trial court ruling directing a verdict for defendant, seller of a used car. Defendant sold the used car to Ozeran. Ozeran’s friend Glickman usually drove the car; Ozeran drove it only on the date of the accident. Glickman testified the brakes on the car never functioned properly. The car was taken to the defendant several times for repair, but the problem was never remedied. The brakes failed while Ozeran was driving, and he struck and killed Aranoff.

The court wrote,

“In the Restatement of the Law on Torts, §388, it is said to be the secondhand dealer’s duty to inform the buyer of the defective condition of the automobile. In the instant case the testimony on behalf of plaintiff shows beyond doubt that Ozeran, the vendee, knew of the defective condition of the brakes.

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Bluebook (online)
552 N.E.2d 282, 195 Ill. App. 3d 393, 141 Ill. Dec. 914, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 282, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kirkman-v-kirkman-illappct-1990.