Taylor v. International Business Machines Corp.

962 F. Supp. 722, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5846, 1997 WL 208355
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maryland
DecidedApril 25, 1997
DocketCivil Action No. CCB-96-1119
StatusPublished

This text of 962 F. Supp. 722 (Taylor v. International Business Machines Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taylor v. International Business Machines Corp., 962 F. Supp. 722, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5846, 1997 WL 208355 (D. Md. 1997).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

BLAKE, District Judge.

Now pending is the motion for summary judgment of the defendant, International Business Machines Corporation, (“IBM”), in this case involving claims of negligence, strict liability, and breach of warranty. The plaintiffs allege that they suffered repetitive stress injuries (“RSIs”) from using IBM’s equipment while working as grocery store cashiers. IBM argues that the plaintiffs’ claims are time barred. This matter has been briefed fully, and no hearing is necessary. See Local Rule 105.6.

In April 1993, the plaintiffs, Laurie Taylor, Shirley and James Grimes, Donna Hayes, Janet and Jacob Roth, Donna Mills, Milton Mosley, Elizabeth Proctor, Deborah and Harry Mason, Susan and Jon Brenner, Rose and Carl Ruff, Cheryl and Mario Blasie, Mary and John Cunningham, Jeannette Cameron, Deborah Jo and Stephen Green, and Bobbie and A1 Jenkins, filed suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Upon IBM’s motion, in April 1996 the case was transferred to this court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a).1 IBM now has filed a motion for summary judgment on the ground that the claims of Laurie Taylor, Shirley and James Grimes, Janet and Jacob Roth, Milton Mosley, Elizabeth Proctor, Deborah and Harry Mason, Susan and Jon Brenner, Mary and John Cunningham, and Bobbie and A1 Jenkins are time barred.2 [724]*724For the reasons set forth below, the motion for summary judgment will be granted as to the claims of plaintiffs Shirley and James Grimes, Milton Mosley, Susan and Jon Brenner, Deborah and Harry Mason, and Elizabeth Proctor, and denied as to the claims of plaintiffs Laurie Taylor, Janet and Jacob Roth, and Mary and John Cunningham.

Laurie Taylor has been employed as a cashier with Giant Food since June 1972 and began using IBM equipment at that time. (See Compl. ¶¶43, 44.) In May 1990 Ms. Taylor began “to experience discomfort in her upper extremities.” (Taylor Aff. ¶ 6, Pis.’ Opp’n Ex. 1.) In that same month Ms. Taylor’s doctor diagnosed her with carpal tunnel syndrome. (Id. ¶ 7.) Following this diagnosis, she continued to use IBM equipment. (See Compl. ¶ 44.)

Janet Roth has been employed as a cashier with Giant Food since May 1985 and began using IBM equipment at that time. (See id. ¶¶ 53, 54.) She first experienced symptoms of numbness, tingling, and pain in her upper extremities in the summer of 1990. (See id. ¶ 115.) In November 1991 she was diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, (see id. ¶ 116), but continued to use IBM equipment, (see id. ¶ 54).

Elizabeth Proctor has been employed as a cashier with Giant Food since 1973 and began using IBM equipment at that time. (See Proctor Aff. ¶¶ 3, 4, Pis.’ Opp’n Ex. 2.) She first experienced symptoms in her right arm and hand before February 1990. (See Compl. ¶ 123.) In February 1990 she was diagnosed with right carpal tunnel syndrome and underwent surgery in April 1990. (See Proctor Aff. ¶¶ 6, 7, Pis.’ Opp’n Ex. 2.) In August 1991 she experienced symptoms in her upper body and was diagnosed with impingement syndrome of the right shoulder in April 1992. (See id. ¶¶ 10, 12.) She continues to use IBM equipment in her job. (See Compl. ¶ 64.)

Deborah Mason has been employed as a cashier with Giant Food since July 1974, (see Mason Aff. ¶ 3, Pis.’ Opp’n Ex. 3), and in 1976 she began using IBM equipment, (see Compl. ¶ 66). In 1989 she experienced symptoms of numbness, tingling, and pain or motor sensory impairment in her upper extremities. (See id. ¶ 125.) In February 1989 she was diagnosed with tendinitis. (See Mason Aff. ¶ 5, Pis.’ Opp’n Ex. 3.) In March 1990 she was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. (See id.) In July 1991 she again experienced discomfort in her upper extremities. (See id. ¶ 8.) In May 1992 she was diagnosed with bursitis and tenosynovitis of the right shoulder and elbow. (See id. ¶ 9.) She continued to use IBM equipment. (See Compl. ¶ 66.)

Mary Cunningham has been employed as a cashier with Giant Food since December 1981 and began using IBM equipment at that time. (See id. ¶¶ 77-78.) She first experienced symptoms of numbness, tingling, and pain in her upper extremities in November 1992. (See id. ¶ 135.) In December 1992 she was diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. (See id. ¶ 136.) She continued to use IBM equipment. (See id. ¶ 78.)

Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that:

[Summary judgment] shall be rendered forthwith if 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 a judgment as a matter of law.

The Supreme Court has clarified that this does not mean any factual dispute will defeat the motion:

By its very terms, this standard provides that the mere existence of some alleged factual dispute between the parties will not defeat an otherwise properly supported motion for summary judgment; the requirement is that there be no genuine issue of material fact.

[725]*725Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247-48, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986) (emphasis in original).

Moreover, the Supreme Court has explained that the Rule 56(c) standard mirrors the standard for judgment as a matter of law under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50(a). The Court has stated that “there is no issue for trial unless there is sufficient evidence favoring the nonmoving party for a jury to return a verdict for that party.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 249, 106 S.Ct. at 2511; see also Shaw v. Stroud, 13 F.3d 791, 798 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 813, 814, 115 S.Ct. 67, 68, 130 L.Ed.2d 24 (1994); Catawba Indian Tribe v. South Carolina, 978 F.2d 1334, 1339 (4th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 507 U.S. 972, 113 S.Ct. 1415, 122 L.Ed.2d 785 (1993). “The party opposing a properly supported motion for summary judgment may not rest upon mere allegations or denials of [her] pleading, but must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Rivanna Trawlers Unlimited v. Thompson Trawlers, Inc., 840 F.2d 236, 240 (4th Cir.1988). The court must “view the facts and draw reasonable inferences in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party,” Shaw, 13 F.3d at 798, but it also must abide by its affirmative obligation to ensure that factually unsupported claims and defenses do not proceed to trial, see Felty v. Graves-Humphreys Co., 818 F.2d 1126, 1128 (4th Cir.1987) (citing Celotex Corp. v. Catrett,

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