Kmart Corp. v. Herzog Roofing, Inc.

2018 WI App 71, 922 N.W.2d 311, 384 Wis. 2d 632
CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedOctober 30, 2018
DocketAppeal No. 2017AP1041
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 2018 WI App 71 (Kmart Corp. v. Herzog Roofing, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kmart Corp. v. Herzog Roofing, Inc., 2018 WI App 71, 922 N.W.2d 311, 384 Wis. 2d 632 (Wis. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

SEIDL, J.

¶1 Kmart Corporation (Kmart) appeals a summary judgment granted in favor of Herzog Roofing, Inc. (Herzog), dismissing Kmart's negligence claims for property damage to one of its stores. Kmart contends the circuit court erred in determining that the economic loss doctrine barred its negligence claims against Herzog. It argues the doctrine's "other property" exception applies. We disagree and affirm.

BACKGROUND

¶2 The material facts are undisputed. Kmart operates retail stores throughout the United States, and Herzog is a commercial roofing contractor. In 2004, Kmart contracted with Herzog to install an EPDM1 rubber roofing system on its Eau Claire store, number 4051. The parties' contract specified that Herzog was to "secure any and all permits and/or inspections required by all applicable [laws]." Although Herzog was aware that a building permit was required for the Kmart roofing project, no inspection was ever conducted and no permit was ever obtained. The parties' contract also contained a damages clause that set forth Herzog's liability for property damage arising from any "action, omission, or operation under the Contract or in connection with the work."

¶3 In February 2014, ten years after Herzog completed the project, a portion of the Eau Claire store's roof collapsed. Kmart sued Herzog, asserting claims of negligence per se, common-law negligence, and breach of contract. Kmart alleged, in relevant part, that if Herzog had applied for the required building permit, the permitting process would have resulted in an inspection by a structural engineer who would "have uncovered deficiencies in the original construction of the building and the roof support beams" and, therefore, the collapse would not have occurred. Kmart did not allege that the EPDM roofing system itself caused or contributed to the collapse. Kmart sought money damages for building repairs, inventory and fixtures damage, lost employee time devoted to cleanup efforts, and lost business income during the time the store was closed for repairs.

¶4 Kmart moved for partial summary judgment, arguing that Herzog was negligent per se for failing to obtain the building permit in violation of both the Wisconsin uniform building code and the international building code. Herzog likewise moved for summary judgment, arguing, in part, that the economic loss doctrine barred Kmart's negligence claims and that the statute of limitations barred Kmart's breach of contract claim.

¶5 The circuit court decided that Herzog was negligent per se for failing to obtain a building permit, but that there was a material issue of fact as to whether Herzog's negligence caused Kmart's damages. However, the court also concluded that, regardless of any causal negligence on Herzog's part, the economic loss doctrine barred Kmart's negligence per se claim. Further, the court determined that because the Wisconsin building code did not impose a duty on a roofer to perform a structural analysis on an existing structure, Kmart's common-law negligence claim failed as a matter of law. The circuit court also concluded that the statute of limitations barred Kmart's breach of contract claim.2 The case was dismissed, and Kmart now appeals.

DISCUSSION

¶6 We review a grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same methodology as the circuit court. Burgraff v. Menard, Inc. , 2016 WI 11, ¶ 20, 367 Wis. 2d 50, 875 N.W.2d 596. Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Id. We also independently review whether the economic loss doctrine bars a claim under a given set of facts. Linden v. Cascade Stone Co. , 2005 WI 113, ¶ 5, 283 Wis. 2d 606, 699 N.W.2d 189.

¶7 The economic loss doctrine is a judicially created doctrine that preserves the distinction between contract law and tort law. Id. , ¶ 7. It does so by generally barring contracting parties from pursuing tort claims-and consequently limiting them to contract claims-for economic losses arising from the parties' contractual relationship. Kaloti Enters., Inc. v. Kellogg Sales Co. , 2005 WI 111, ¶ 27, 283 Wis. 2d 555, 699 N.W.2d 205. As pertinent here, two conditions must be met for the doctrine to apply: (1) the contract between the parties must be predominantly for the sale of a product; and (2) the purchaser must be seeking compensation solely for economic damages. Linden , 283 Wis. 2d 606, ¶¶ 6, 8. We employ the predominant purpose test to determine whether the first condition is met. Id. , ¶ 8. And in this case, we analyze whether Kmart's damages were to "other property" to determine if the second condition is met. See id. , ¶ 6.

I. The predominant purpose test

¶8 When a contract encompasses both products and services, we apply the predominant purpose test to determine whether the economic loss doctrine applies to the contract. Id. , ¶ 8. If the contract is predominantly for the sale of a product, then the economic loss doctrine applies. Id. Conversely, if the contract is predominantly for the provision of services, the doctrine does not apply. Id. We consider the totality of the circumstances, including both objective and subjective factors, to determine the predominant purpose of a contract. Id. , ¶ 22.

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2018 WI App 71, 922 N.W.2d 311, 384 Wis. 2d 632, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kmart-corp-v-herzog-roofing-inc-wisctapp-2018.