Pertee v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

861 F. Supp. 523, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12208, 1994 WL 473778
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. West Virginia
DecidedJuly 21, 1994
DocketCiv. A. No. 6:93-0307
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 861 F. Supp. 523 (Pertee v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pertee v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 861 F. Supp. 523, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12208, 1994 WL 473778 (S.D.W. Va. 1994).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

HADEN, Chief Judge.

Pending are cross motions for summary judgment filed by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (“Goodyear”) and Dover Elevator Company (“Dover”). For reasons discussed below the Court GRANTS Goodyear’s motion and DENIES Dover’s motion.

[525]*525Under Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, summary judgment is proper only:

“[I]f the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law.”

A principal purpose of summary judgment is to isolate and dispose of meritless litigation. Celotex v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2553, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The moving party has the initial burden of showing the absence of a genuine issue concerning any material fact. Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 159, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 1609, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970). If the moving party meets its initial burden, the burden then shifts to the nonmoving party to “establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. at 312, 106 S.Ct. at 2545. To discharge this burden, the nonmoving party cannot rely on its pleadings, but instead must offer evidence showing that there is a genuine issue for trial. Id. at 324, 106 S.Ct. at 2553. Based on this standard the Court rules as follows.

This action arises from alleged injuries suffered by Plaintiff Willis Pertee during work at one of Goodyear’s West Virginia facilities. The Plaintiff claims he was injured while performing elevator maintenance services pursuant to a contractual relationship between Goodyear and Dover. Mr. Pertee was employed by Dover when the accident occurred.

The Plaintiffs thereafter filed this lawsuit against Goodyear, claiming the company negligently maintained an unsafe work environment. Goodyear responded by filing a third party action against Dover, asserting that Dover had a contractual duty to indemnify and defend Goodyear from all liability arising from the Plaintiff’s accident.

The alleged duty to indemnify arises from the following series of contractual events.

On February 23, 1989, Dover issued Goodyear a document entitled “Agreement for Dover Master Maintenance Service” (hereinafter “Master Maintenance Agreement”). That document provides in relevant part as follows:

“It is understood, in consideration of our performance of the service enumerated herein at the price stated, that nothing in this agreement shall be construed to mean that we assume any liability on account of accidents to persons or property except those directly due to negligent acts of Dover Elevator Company or its employees, and that your own responsibility for accidents to persons or properties while riding on or being about the aforesaid equipment referred to, is in no way affected by this agreement.”

On March 28,1989, Goodyear issued Dover a purchase order “to cover the cost of elevator maintenance per Dover elefyator] proposal dated 2-23-89.” The face of this order contains the following language under the heading “IMPORTANT NOTICE TO SELLER”:

“This purchase order is expressly made subject to, and your acceptance is strictly limited to, the terms and conditions stated herein, including the terms and conditions stated on the reverse side hereof.”

Paragraph thirteen of the order’s terms and conditions provides as follows:

“To the extent that this Purchase Order calls for work to be performed upon property owned or controlled by Purchaser, it is agreed that:
(d) Seller will indemnify, save harmless and defend Purchaser from all liability for loss, damage or injury to person or property in any manner arising out of or incident to the performance of this Purchase Order.
(f) To the extent that this Purchase Order provides that Seller will indemnify, save harmless and defend Purchaser from liability, claims, demands or suits, it is the intention of Seller that such indemnity shall apply, to the extent permitted by law, whether or not the liability, claims, de[526]*526mands or suits arise out of the negligence of purchaser____”

Following the March 28, 1989 purchase order, Goodyear issued Dover two additional purchase orders for elevator maintenance. All three of these purchase orders contained the terms and description of subject matter set forth above. Following each purchase order Dover provided the requested maintenance service.

Based on these facts Goodyear seeks indemnification from Dover for damages arising from Plaintiffs’ alleged injuries. Dover denies any duty to indemnify.

The first issue is whether a contract exists between the parties. “Before a contract can be formed, there must be an offer and an acceptance.” Cook v. Heck’s, Inc., 176 W.Va. 368, 373, 342 S.E.2d 453, 458 (1986). “The concept of a unilateral contract, where one party makes a promissory offer and the other accepts by performing an act rather than by making a return promise, has also been recognized: ‘That an acceptance’ may be effected by silence accompanied by an act of the offeree which constitutes a performance of that requested by the offeror is well established.” Id. (quoting First National Bank v. Marietta Manufacturing Co., 151 W.Va. 636, 641-642, 153 S.E.2d 172, 176 (1967)).

“[A]n acceptance of a contractual offer must be unequivocal and unconditional and may not introduce additional terms and conditions not found in the offer.” John D. Stump v. Cunningham Mem. Park, 187 W.Va. 438, 444, 419 S.E.2d 699, 705 (1992). The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has ruled as follows:

“ ‘A party to whom an offer of contract is made must either accept it wholly or reject it wholly. A proposition to accept on terms varying from those offered is a rejection of the offer, and a substitution in its place of the counter proposition. It puts an end to the negotiation so far as the original offer is concerned.’ ” Id. at 444, 419 S.E.2d at 705; Stark Elec. v. Huntington Housing Auth., 180 W.Va. 140, 142, 375 S.E.2d 772, 774 (1988) (citation omitted).

As set forth above, Goodyear’s purchase order contained an indemnity provision not contained in Dover’s Master Maintenance Agreement. Applying the Stump

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861 F. Supp. 523, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12208, 1994 WL 473778, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pertee-v-goodyear-tire-rubber-co-wvsd-1994.