Weber v. Obuch, Unpublished Decision (12-30-2005)

2005 Ohio 6993
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 30, 2005
DocketC.A. No. 05CA0048-M.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 2005 Ohio 6993 (Weber v. Obuch, Unpublished Decision (12-30-2005)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Weber v. Obuch, Unpublished Decision (12-30-2005), 2005 Ohio 6993 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

DECISION AND JOURNAL ENTRY
This cause was heard upon the record in the trial court. Each error assigned has been reviewed and the following disposition is made: {¶ 1} Appellants, Bryan Weber, at al., (Appellant) appeal the decision of the Medina County Court of Common Pleas adopting the findings of fact, conclusions of law and recommended damages as set forth by the Magistrate. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand.

{¶ 2} Appellant purchased an undeveloped lot in 1997 for $40,000. Appellee, Constance Obuch, inherited the property adjacent to Appellant's property from her husband in 1997. Appellee's property had been used as a gasoline service station and automotive repair garage. Appellant encountered a variety of problems with his neighbors which led to the commencement of the instant lawsuit. On May 6, 2003, Appellant filed a complaint alleging nuisance, trespass, environmental damage, petroleum release, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Appellant sought both monetary damages and injunctive relief.

{¶ 3} Appellees (Constance Obuch, individually and as Executrix of the estate of William Obuch, and her son, Robert Obuch) did not answer Appellant's complaint. The Magistrate found that, due to Appellees' failure to respond, various averments in Appellants' complaint were deemed to have been admitted under Civ.R. 8(D). We adopt the Magistrate's findings of fact as follows:

"[D]ecedent, William Obuch, caused contamination of Weber's property; that underground storage tanks on Obuch's property leaked pollutants into the soil of Weber's lot, resulting in a soil saturation level above acceptable limits; that [Appellees] have not taken any corrective action to remedy the problem; that the underground storage tanks pose a health risk and a risk to environmental safely; that both [Appellees] have participated jointly in contributing to the creation of a hazardous nuisance; that Constance Obuch and her son Robert Obuch dumped debris and junk on their property, creating a nuisance."

{¶ 4} On February 6, 2004, the Medina County Court of Common Pleas issued an order of default judgment against Appellees. The case proceeded to a bench trial on the issue of damages before Magistrate Barbara Porzio on January 24, 2005. The Magistrate recommended an award in favor of Appellant to be granted in the amount of $2,927.50 and denied Appellant's request for injunctive relief.

{¶ 5} Appellant filed an un-opposed objection to the Magistrate's decision on March 30, 2005. On May 11, 2005, Judge James L. Kimbler overruled all of Appellant's objections and adopted in full the Magistrate's decision, including the findings of fact and conclusions of law.

{¶ 6} Appellant now appeals the decision of the trial court, asserting ten assignments of error for our review. Initially, we note that no Appellee's brief was filed. Accordingly, we may "accept the appellant's statement of the facts and issues as correct and reverse the judgment if appellant's brief reasonably appears to sustain such action." App.R. 18(C).

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR I
"The trial court erred by refusing to correct a clerical error."

{¶ 7} In his first assignment of error, Appellant maintains that the Magistrate incorrectly added the four figures that she had used to calculate the damages, and the trial court thereafter erred in failing to correct the plain error.

{¶ 8} In its objections to the magistrate's decision, Appellant brought to the attention of the trial court a clerical mathematical error made by the Magistrate in calculating Appellant's damages. Appellant argues that the trial court erred in failing to correct the plain error. The Ohio Supreme Court has explained that a reversible plain error requires that: (1) there must be an error, i.e., a deviation from a legal rule; (2) the error must be plain, which means that it must be an obvious defect in the trial proceedings; and (3) the error must have affected substantial rights, which means that the trial court's error must have affected the outcome of the trial. State v.Noling, 98 Ohio St.3d 44, 2002-Ohio-7044, at ¶ 62, citing Statev. Barnes, 94 Ohio St.3d 21, 27.

{¶ 9} In the case at hand, the Magistrate added $565.00 for Excavating, $1510.00 for T.S. Snyder Corporation, $427.50 for Don Dobson, and $1785.00 for re-seeding and found that the sum of those four figures was total of Appellant's damages. Incorrectly, the total was recorded as $2927.50. When the four above figures are added, the correct total is $4287.50.

{¶ 10} As the error mentioned was a plain mathematical error which affected Appellant's recovery, we uphold Appellant's first assignment of error and remand for the lower court to correct the error.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR II
"The trial court erred by finding that the costs associated with chemical testing of [Appellant's] property were not recoverable."

{¶ 11} In his second assignment of error, Appellant maintains that the trial court erred in upholding the Magistrate's decision excluding an award for diagnostic testing. We reverse, in part, the decision of the lower court.

{¶ 12} We note that "[t]he measure of damages for tort harm to land is the same whether the theory of recovery is trespass, nuisance, negligence, or strict liability." Francis Corp. v. SunCo., Inc. (Dec. 23, 1999), 8th Dist. No. 74966, at 1. Thus, Appellant is entitled to recover "reasonable restoration costs, plus the reasonable value of the loss of use of the property between the time of the injury and the time of restoration."Bohaty v. Centerpointe Plaza Associates Ltd. Partnership (Feb. 20, 2002), 9th Dist. No. 3143-M at 6, citing Reeser v. WeaverBros., Inc. (1992), 78 Ohio App.3d 681, 691-692.

{¶ 13} Appellant submitted two invoices at trial, one for $242.70, and the other for $2090.30, representing the costs associated with diagnostic testing. The Magistrate found that the invoices, dated February 15, 2000, and October 31, 2000, were not recoverable because the costs were incurred in preparation of litigation. Costs incurred in preparation for litigation are generally not recoverable as damages in a tort action.

{¶ 14} Appellant argues that the Magistrate erred in finding that the costs for diagnostic testing, conducted three years before he filed the instant complaint, were costs incurred in preparation for litigation. Appellant testified he had planned on constructing a building on his property. When he contacted his bank for a loan, the bank told him that he needed to do "an EPA Phase I" environmental test. Appellant stated that he hired Leedar Environmental, an environmental engineering company, to conduct the test, per the bank's loan prerequisites. Mr. Sturgill, a former bank employee and an assessment expert, testified that in his experience, a Phase II environmental inspection would only be required when the Phase I inspection required by the bank shows signs of contamination on the property.

{¶ 15} It is a plaintiff's burden to prove causation between the damages claimed and the tort.

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Bluebook (online)
2005 Ohio 6993, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/weber-v-obuch-unpublished-decision-12-30-2005-ohioctapp-2005.