Wood v. Winnebago Industries, Inc.

District Court, D. Nevada·Decided November 3, 2021·No. 2:18-cv-01710·Unknown

Opinion

GEORGE O. WEST III [SBN 7951] Law Offices of George O. West III Consumer Attorneys Against Auto Fraud 10161 Park Run Drive, Suite 150 Las Vegas, NV 89145 gowesq@cox.net www.americasautofraudattorney.com www.nevadasautofraudattorney.com (702)664-1168 (702)664-0459 [fax] RONALD BURDGE, ESQ (Pro Hac Vice) Ohio SNB 0015609 Burdge Law Office Co LPA 8250 Washington Village Drive Dayton, Ohio 45458-1850 Ron@burdgelaw.com www.ohiolemonlaw.com (937)432-9500 (937)432-9503 [fax] Attorneys for Plaintiff UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEVADA GORDON WOOD, an Individual Case No: 2:18-cv-01710-JCM-BNW Plaintiff -VS. - JOINT PRE-TRIAL ORDER WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC., Defendant __________________________/ After pretrial proceedings in this case, IT IS ORDERED: 1 1. Nature of action and the parties’ contention: This is an action for: breach of implied warranty of merchantability under Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. 104.2314 and involves the purchase of a new Winnebago Grand Tour recreational vehicle (the RV).1 The parties agree that by operation of law Defendant provided an implied warranty of merchantability on the RV involved in this case. The parties agree that to prevail on a breach of implied warranty of merchantability Plaintiff must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that when the RV was tendered to Plaintiff it was not merchantable and Plaintiff suffered damages as a result. Plaintiff contends that the RV was not merchantable and Defendant contends that it was merchantable. Plaintiff contends that he has suffered damages and seeks recovery of his damages. Defendant contends that Plaintiff has not suffered damages and that even if Plaintiff did suffer damages Plaintiff’s recovery of damages is limited by the terms of Defendant’s written warranty which contains a contractual modification or limitation of remedy, under Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. 104.2719, to “money damages in an amount equal to the reasonable cost for material and labor necessary to correct the defect or defects upon which the finding of breach of implied warranty is based.” Plaintiff contends that the implied warranty of merchantability failed its essential purpose, thereby triggering nullification of the contractual modification or limitation of remedy by operation of Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. 104.2719(2).2 Defendant contends that the implied warranty did not fail its essential purpose and therefore the statutory nullification is not operative here. Defendant also contends that the Court ruled on this question in its

1 As originally filed the Complaint also included claims for breach of express warranty, violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act but those claims were dismissed by the Court via Winnebago’s motions for summary judgment. 2 “Where circumstances cause an exclusive or limited remedy to fail of its essential purpose, remedy may be had as provided in this chapter.” 2

March 23, 2020 Order at pages 10-11, ECF Doc 41. Plaintiff contends those pages of ECF Doc 41 were with regard to the Defendant’s express written warranty and are not applicable to the remedy for a statutory implied warranty breach. The parties agree that for the RV to be merchantable under Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. 104.2314, it must be at least such as: (a)Pass without objection in the trade under the contract description, and (b)Is fit for the ordinary purposes for which such goods are used. 2. Statement of jurisdiction: Plaintiff is a resident and citizen of Nevada and Defendant is a resident of Iowa and has its principal place of business in Iowa. The parties agree this Court has jurisdiction over this action based on diversity of citizenship pursuant to U.S.C. 1332(a)(1). 3. Uncontested material facts: 1. The following facts are admitted by the parties and require no proof: 2. This Court has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action. 3. Venue is proper in the United States District Court, District of Nevada. 4. Plaintiff purchased the RV from a “merchant” as defined in Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. 104.2104(1). 5. The sale of the RV to Plaintiff came with an implied warranty of merchantability from Winnebago as defined in Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. 104.2104(1). 3 6. Defendant is a “merchant” as defined in Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. 104.2104(1).3 7. Plaintiff did bring the RV to one of Winnebago’s authorized service centers, Camping World, for warranty repairs within the time frame when the implied warranty of merchantability was in force and active. 8. Some of the alleged issues and problems with the RV that are the subject of this Action which were reported to Camping World by Plaintiff fell within the purview of Winnebago’s implied warranty of merchantability. Plaintiff requested the RV be repaired at an authorized Winnebago dealership, Camping World, for defects in the subject RV in October 2017. 9. Plaintiff sent a written response to an opinion survey to Winnebago in December 2017. Plaintiff sent an email to Winnebago on February 13, 2018. Plaintiff, through an attorney, sent a letter to Winnebago on March 31, 2018. These communications occurred while the RV was still at Camping World. 10. Plaintiff received possession of the RV on July 10, 2018. 11. Plaintiff sent no written communication to Winnebago after July 10, 2018. 12. This case was filed in Court on July 31, 2018. The following facts, though not admitted, will not be contested at trial by evidence to the contrary:

3 Under NV law, a buyer of a good under Nevada's UCC is not required to have privity of contract with the seller to enable the buyer to sue the manufacturer of the good for breach of implied warranty. While Winnebago was not the "seller" of the RV, Plaintiff, under Nevada law, can maintain a claim for breach of implied warranty against Winnebago as privity is not a requirement in Nevada See Vacation Vill., Inc. v. Hitachi Am., Ltd., 110 Nev. 481, 485–86, 874 P.2d 744, 747 (1994); Hiles Co. v. Johnston Pump Co. of Pasadena, Cal., 93 Nev. 73, 78–79, 560 P.2d 154, 157–58 (1977); In re Wirsbo Non-F1807 YBFs, No. 08- CV-1223-F, 2013 WL 12315106, at *5–6 (D. Nev. Nov. 27, 2013); Reed v. Arthrex, Inc., No. 317CV00337LRHWGC, 2017 WL 4560140, at *4 (D. Nev. Oct. 11, 2017); Herz v. Dynamax Corp., No. 307CV00289BESRAM, 2009 WL 10696283, at *3 (D. Nev. Feb. 12, 2009); Matanky v. Gen. Motors LLC, 370 F. Supp. 3d 772, 787–88 (E.D. Mich. 2019) [interpreting Nevada law]. 4

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Wood v. Winnebago Industries, Inc., (D. Nev. 2021).

Wood v. Winnebago Industries, Inc. (Wood v. Winnebago Industries, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Vacation Village, Inc. v. Hitachi America, Ltd.
874 P.2d 744 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1994)
Hiles Co. v. Johnston Pump Co. of Pasadena
560 P.2d 154 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1977)
Matanky v. Gen. Motors LLC
370 F. Supp. 3d 772 (E.D. Michigan, 2019)