Case Title: Owens-Illinois, Inc. v. John W. Wells

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1070213

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2010-04-23T00:00:00Z

Document:
Rel 04/23/10 
Notice: 
T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of Decisions, 
Alabama 
A p p e l l a t e 
C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, 
Montgomery, 
Alabama 
36104-3741 
((334) 
2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made 
b e f o r e t h e 
o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1070213 
O w e n s - I l l i n o i s , Inc. 
v. 
John W. Wells 
1070214 
O w e n s - I l l i n o i s , Inc. 
v. 
H a r o l d M i t c h e l l , as p e r s o n a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f the e s t a t e o f 
Reba Mae M i t c h e l l , 
deceased 
1070215 
O w e n s - I l l i n o i s , Inc. 
v. 
James Newman 
1070216 
O w e n s - I l l i n o i s , Inc. 
v. 
F l o y d P a t t e r s o n 
1070217 
O w e n s - I l l i n o i s , Inc. 
v. 
Roger Hugh Young and Dinah Young Tate, as coexecutors o f the 
e s t a t e of P a u l i n e Young, deceased 
1070218 
O w e n s - I l l i n o i s , Inc. 
v. 
2 
Rosalyn Diane Davis and M a r i l y n Joanne Woods, as p e r s o n a l 
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f the e s t a t e o f Ruby W i l l i a m s , deceased 
Appeals from C o l b e r t C i r c u i t 
Court 
(CV-06-319.80; CV-06-282.80; CV-06-298; CV-06-299; CV-06-
281; 
CV-05-321) 
PER 
CURIAM. 
I n s i x s e p a r a t e 
a p p e a l s t h a t have b e e n c o n s o l i d a t e d f o r 
t h e p u r p o s e o f w r i t i n g one o p i n i o n , 
t h i s C o u r t g r a n t e d Owens-
I l l i n o i s , I n c . ( " O - I " ) , a d e f e n d a n t i n 
t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g 
a c t i o n s 
i n v o l v i n g 
a s b e s t o s e x p o s u r e , p e r m i s s i o n 
t o a p p e a l t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d e n i a l o f i t s m o t i o n s f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t on 
t h e 
c l a i m s 
o f 
J o h n 
W. 
W e l l s ; 
H a r o l d 
M i t c h e l l , 
p e r s o n a l 
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e e s t a t e o f Reba Mae M i t c h e l l , 
d e c e a s e d ; 
James Newman; F l o y d 
P a t t e r s o n ; R o g e r Hugh Y o u n g a n d D i n a h 
Y o u n g 
T a t e , 
c o e x e c u t o r s 
o f t h e e s t a t e 
o f P a u l i n e 
Y o u n g , 
d e c e a s e d ; a n d R o s a l y n D i a n e D a v i s a n d M a r i l y n J o a n n e Woods, 
p e r s o n a l 
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s 
o f t h e e s t a t e 
o f Ruby 
W i l l i a m s , 
d e c e a s e d . 
( h e r e i n a f t e r 
r e f e r r e d 
t o 
c o l l e c t i v e l y 
as " t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s " ) . See R u l e 5, A l a . R. App. P. 
We 
a f f i r m . 
F a c t s a n d P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
B e t w e e n 
A u g u s t 
5, 
2005, 
a n d J u l y 24, 2006, 
i n 
s i x 
s e p a r a t e 
a c t i o n s , t h e p l a i n t i f f s 
s u e d O-I a n d v a r i o u s 
o t h e r 
d e f e n d a n t s . 
The p l a i n t i f f s 
a l l e g e d t h a t O-I p r o d u c e d a n d / o r 
3 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 1070218 
i n s t a l l e d p r o d u c t s c o n t a i n i n g a s b e s t o s and t h a t O-I was 
l i a b l e 
f o r 
c e r t a i n 
i n j u r i e s o r d e a t h s t h a t were a l l e g e d l y c a u s e d b y 
e x p o s u r e t o t h o s e 
p r o d u c t s . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
a l l e g e d 
t h a t O-I p r o d u c e d a n d / o r 
i n s t a l l e d 
b l o c k 
i n s u l a t i o n 
and p i p e c o v e r i n g u n d e r t h e t r a d e name " K a y l o " t h a t 
c o n t a i n e d 
a s b e s t o s . 
I t i s u n d i s p u t e d 
t h a t O-I 
s o l d i t s 
e n t i r e 
K a y l o 
t h e r m a l - i n s u l a t i o n - p r o d u c t s 
b u s i n e s s 
t o 
O w e n s - C o r n i n g 
F i b e r g l a s C o r p o r a t i o n i n 1958 and t h a t O-I d i d 
n o t p r o d u c e o r 
i n s t a l l 
K a y l o 
a s b e s t o s - c o n t a i n i n g p r o d u c t s 
a f t e r 
A p r i l 
30, 
1958. 
I t i s a l s o u n d i s p u t e d 
t h a t O-I, w h i c h 
a s s e r t s as a 
d e f e n s e A l a b a m a ' s 2 0 - y e a r common-law r u l e o f r e p o s e , h a s n o t 
p r e s e n t e d 
e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
t h e m a n i f e s t , 
p r e s e n t 
i n j u r y a l l e g e d l y s u f f e r e d b y t h e p l a i n t i f f s o c c u r r e d more t h a n 
20 y e a r s b e f o r e t h e f i l i n g o f t h e amended c o m p l a i n t n a m i n g O-I 
as a 
d e f e n d a n t .
1 
I n A p r i l 2007, O-I moved f o r a summary j u d g m e n t i n e a c h 
o f t h e s i x c a s e s , 
a r g u i n g 
t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f s ' 
c l a i m s a r e 
b a r r e d b y A l a b a m a ' s 2 0 - y e a r common-law r u l e o f r e p o s e . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t d e n i e d O-I's m o t i o n f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t i n e a c h 
1See 
G r i f f i n v . U n o c a l 
C o r p . , 990 So. 2d 2 9 1 , 293 
( A l a . 
2008) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
i n t o x i c - s u b s t a n c e - e x p o s u r e 
c a s e s , 
"a 
c a u s e 
o f 
a c t i o n 
a c c r u e s 
o n l y 
when 
t h e r e 
h a s 
o c c u r r e d 
a 
m a n i f e s t , p r e s e n t 
i n j u r y " ) . 
4 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 1070218 
o f 
t h e s i x c a s e s . 
However, t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 
5, A l a . R. App. 
P., 
c e r t i f i e d 
t h a t t h e 
i n t e r l o c u t o r y 
o r d e r s 
d e n y i n g 
t h e s u m m a r y - j u d g m e n t m o t i o n s 
i n v o l v e 
a 
c o n t r o l l i n g 
q u e s t i o n o f l a w as t o w h i c h 
t h e r e i s s u b s t a n t i a l g r o u n d 
f o r 
d i f f e r e n c e 
o f 
o p i n i o n , 
t h a t 
an 
i m m e d i a t e 
a p p e a l 
f r o m i t s 
o r d e r s w o u l d 
m a t e r i a l l y a d v a n c e t h e u l t i m a t e 
t e r m i n a t i o n o f 
t h e l i t i g a t i o n , and t h a t t h e a p p e a l w o u l d a v o i d p r o t r a c t e d 
and 
e x p e n s i v e l i t i g a t i o n . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t ' s c e r t i f i c a t i o n i n e a c h 
c a s e 
s t a t e d , i n p a r t : 
" S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
t h e C o u r t h e l d as f o l l o w s 
b a s e d 
upon c o n t r o l l i n g 
l a w : 
"As 
t h e r e 
i s 
c u r r e n t l y 
no 
a f f i r m a t i v e 
e v i d e n c e 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
C o u r t 
t h a t 
t h e 
P l a i n t i f f 
s u f f e r e d 
a 
m a n i f e s t , 
p r e s e n t 
i n j u r y 
s u c h 
t h a t 
a l l o f 
t h e 
e s s e n t i a l 
e l e m e n t s 
o f h i s c l a i m c o - e x i s t e d more t h a n 
t w e n t y 
y e a r s 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f 
t h e 
Amended 
C o m p l a i n t 
n a m i n g 
O-I 
as 
a 
p a r t y 
d e f e n d a n t , 
O-I's 
M o t i o n 
f o r 
Summary 
J u d g m e n t 
on 
t h e 
G r o u n d s 
o f 
t h e 
R u l e 
o f 
R e p o s e i s DENIED. 
"See 
S e p t e m b e r 20, 2007 O r d e r . 
T h i s C o u r t 
r e a c h e d 
t h i s 
c o n c l u s i o n b a s e d 
upon 
i t s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n 
o f 
A l a b a m a 
l a w ; 
h o w e v e r , 
t h e r e 
a p p e a r s 
t o 
be 
a 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
g r o u n d 
f o r 
d i f f e r e n c e 
o f 
o p i n i o n 
c o n c e r n i n g t h e 
a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e t w e n t y 
(20) 
y e a r 
common l a w R u l e o f R e p o s e g i v e n p r i o r c a s e s s u c h 
as 
Ex p a r t e L i b e r t y N a t ' l L i f e I n s . Co., 
825 So. 2d 
758 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 2 ) , 
and 
A m e r i c a n 
G e n e r a l 
L i f e 
& A c c i d e n t  
I n s u r a n c e 
Co 
v. 
U n d e r w o o d , 
8 
8 
6 
So. 
2d 
807 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 3 ) , 
and 
i n 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
o p i n i o n 
i t w o u l d 
be 
b e n e f i c i a l f o r an i n t e r l o c u t o r y a p p e a l t o be g r a n t e d 
5 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 
1070218 
and t h e r e be a r e v i e w o f t h i s 
i s s u e b y t h e A l a b a m a 
Supreme C o u r t . " 
We g r a n t e d O-I's p e t i t i o n f o r 
p e r m i s s i o n t o a p p e a l i n a l l 
s i x 
c a s e s , and we now a f f i r m t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s o r d e r s d e n y i n g 
t h e m o t i o n s f o r a summary j u d g m e n t i n a l l 
s i x c a s e s . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
" B e c a u s e 
t h i s 
c a s e 
i n v o l v e s 
o n l y i s s u e s o f l a w and no 
m a t e r i a l 
d i s p u t e d 
f a c t s , 
o u r r e v i e w i s de n o v o . " 
A f f i n i t y 
 
Hosp., L.L.C. v . W i l l i f o r d , 
21 So. 3d 712, 714 ( A l a . 
2009) 
( c i t i n g P a d g e t t v . C o n e c u h C o u n t y Comm'n, 901 So. 2d 678, 685 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 4 ) ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
On a p p e a l , t h e o n l y i s s u e b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t i s w h e t h e r 
t h e 2 0 - y e a r common-law r u l e o f r e p o s e b e g i n s t o r u n on a c l a i m 
a t 
t h e t i m e o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
a c t i o n s 
g i v i n g 
r i s e 
t o t h e 
c l a i m 
o r when 
a l l 
t h e e s s e n t i a l 
e l e m e n t s 
o f 
t h a t 
c l a i m , 
i n c l u d i n g i n j u r y , c o e x i s t so t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f c o u l d v a l i d l y 
f i l e an a c t i o n . 
A f t e r t h e a p p e a l s i n t h e s e c a s e s were t a k e n , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
a d d r e s s e d 
t h a t 
v e r y 
i s s u e i n C o l l i n s v . 
S c e n i c  
Homes, I n c . , 
[Ms. 1 0 7 0 8 7 5 , J u n e 30, 2009] 
So. 3d 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 9 ) . 
6 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 1070218 
I n 
C o l l i n s , 
r e s i d e n t s 
o f 
an 
a p a r t m e n t 
b u i l d i n g 
c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e 1980s s u e d t h e d e s i g n e r o f t h e b u i l d i n g and 
t h e 
a p p a r e n t owner o f t h e b u i l d i n g , a l l e g i n g 
n e g l i g e n c e 
and 
w a n t o n n e s s . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , t h e r e s i d e n t s a l l e g e d t h a t 
i n j u r i e s 
t h e y r e c e i v e d when t h e b u i l d i n g was s e t 
on f i r e b y an a r s o n i s t 
i n 2004 were p r o x i m a t e l y 
c a u s e d b y t h e d e s i g n e r ' s 
f a i l u r e t o 
c o n s t r u c t , and t h e o w n e r ' s f a i l u r e t o m a i n t a i n , a 
r e a s o n a b l y 
s a f e 
a p a r t m e n t 
b u i l d i n g 
w i t h 
a d e q u a t e 
f i r e - s u p p r e s s i o n 
s a f e g u a r d s and a d e q u a t e e s c a p e r o u t e s . 
The d e s i g n e r moved 
f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t , 
a r g u i n g , 
among 
o t h e r 
t h i n g s , 
t h a t t h e 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t i t 
were b a r r e d b y t h e 2 0 - y e a r common-law r u l e 
o f 
r e p o s e . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a g r e e d 
w i t h 
t h e d e s i g n e r 
and 
e n t e r e d a summary j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r o f i t . On a p p e a l , 
t h i s 
C o u r t r e v e r s e d t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t . 
We 
f u l l y 
e x a m i n e d 
t h e common-law r u l e o f r e p o s e and h e l d as f o l l o w s : 
" I n Ex p a r t e 
L i b e r t y N a t i o n a l 
L i f e 
I n s u r a n c e 
 
Co., 
825 
So. 
2d 
758 
( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
d i s c u s s e d t h e r u l e o f r e p o s e , 
s t a t i n g : 
" ' S i n c e 
1858, 
c a u s e s 
o f 
a c t i o n 
a s s e r t e d 
i n A l a b a m a 
c o u r t s more 
t h a n 
20  
y e a r s 
a f t e r 
t h e y 
c o u l d h a v e b e e n 
a s s e r t e d 
h a v e 
b e e n 
c o n s i d e r e d 
t o 
h a v e 
b e e n 
e x t i n g u i s h e d 
by t h e r u l e o f r e p o s e . 
See 
R e c t o r v . B e t t e r H o u s e s , I n c . , 
820 So. 2d 
75, 77 n.2 
( A l a . 2001) ( " S i n c e 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
d e c i d e d M c A r t h u r v. C a r r i e ' s A d m i n i s t r a t o r , 
32 A l a . 
75 
( 1 8 5 8 ) , A l a b a m a h a s f o l l o w e d a 
7 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1 0 7 0 2 1 4 ; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1 0 7 0 2 1 6 ; 1 0 7 0 2 1 7 ; 1070218 
r u l e o f r e p o s e , o r r u l e o f p r e s c r i p t i o n , o f 
20 
y e a r s . " ) . 
The 
w e l l - e s t a b l i s h e d 
r u l e 
r e c o g n i z e s 
t h e r e a l i t i e s 
t h a t s u r r o u n d t h e 
i n v e r s e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e 
p a s s a g e o f 
t i m e and t h e a b i l i t y t o f a i r l y and 
j u s t l y 
r e s o l v e 
d i s p u t e s : 
"'"As 
a 
m a t t e r 
o f 
p u b l i c 
p o l i c y , 
and f o r t h e r e p o s e o f 
s o c i e t y , 
i t h a s 
l o n g 
b e e n t h e 
s e t t l e d p o l i c y o f t h i s 
s t a t e , as 
o f 
o t h e r s , 
t h a t 
a n t i q u a t e d 
demands w i l l n o t be c o n s i d e r e d b y 
t h e 
c o u r t s , 
and 
t h a t , 
w i t h o u t 
r e g a r d 
t o 
any 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s , t h e r e must be a t i m e 
b e y o n d 
w h i c h human 
t r a n s a c t i o n s 
w i l l n o t be i n q u i r e d i n t o 
I t 
i s 
n e c e s s a r y 
f o r t h e p e a c e and 
s e c u r i t y 
o f 
s o c i e t y 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
s h o u l d 
be an e n d o f 
l i t i g a t i o n , 
and 
i t i s i n e q u i t a b l e 
t o 
a l l o w  
t h o s e who h a v e 
s l e p t upon 
t h e i r 
 
r i g h t s f o r 
a p e r i o d o f 20 
y e a r s , 
a f t e r t h e y m i g h t h a v e [ b r o u g h t an 
a c t i o n ] , 
and 
a f t e r , 
as 
i s 
g e n e r a l l y t h e c a s e , t h e 
memory o f 
t r a n s a c t i o n s 
h a s 
f a d e d 
and 
p a r t i e s 
and 
w i t n e s s e s 
p a s s e d 
away, t o [ b r i n g an a c t i o n ] . The 
c o n s e n s u s 
o f 
o p i n i o n 
i n t h e 
p r e s e n t 
d a y 
i s 
t h a t 
s u c h 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
i s c o n c l u s i v e , 
and 
t h e 
p e r i o d o f 20 y e a r s , 
w i t h o u t 
some d i s t i n c t a c t i n r e c o g n i t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
[ c l a i m a n t ' s 
r i g h t ] , 
a 
c o m p l e t e b a r ; 
a n d , as s a i d i n an 
e a r l y 
c a s e , 
' t h e 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
r e s t s 
n o t o n l y 
on t h e want o f 
d i l i g e n c e 
i n a s s e r t i n g 
r i g h t s , 
b u t on t h e h i g h e r 
g r o u n d t h a t i t 
i s n e c e s s a r y t o s u p p r e s s 
f r a u d s , 
t o 
a v o i d 
l o n g 
d o r m a n t 
c l a i m s , 
8 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1 0 7 0 2 1 4 ; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1 0 7 0 2 1 6 ; 1 0 7 0 2 1 7 ; 1070218 
w h i c h , 
i t 
has 
b e e n 
s a i d , 
h a v e 
o f t e n 
more 
o f 
c r u e l t y 
t h a n 
o f 
j u s t i c e i n them, t h a t i t c o n d u c e s 
t o 
p e a c e 
o f 
s o c i e t y 
and 
t h e 
h a p p i n e s s 
o f 
f a m i l i e s , 
"and 
r e l i e v e s 
c o u r t s 
f r o m 
t h e 
n e c e s s i t y 
o f 
a d j u d i c a t i n g 
r i g h t s 
so 
o b s c u r e 
by 
t h e 
l a p s e 
o f 
t i m e 
and 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t s 
o f 
l i f e 
t h a t 
t h e 
a t t a i n m e n t 
o f 
t r u t h 
and 
j u s t i c e i s n e x t t o 
i m p o s s i b l e . " ' " 
" ' S n o d g r a s s 
v. 
S n o d g r a s s , 
176 
A l a . 
276, 
2 8 0 - 8 1 , 58 So. 
201, 201-02 (1 9 1 2 ) ; 
see 
a l s o 
O x f o r d v. E s t e s , 
229 A l a . 606, 
611, 
158 
So. 
534, 
538 
(1934) 
( " F a i l u r e 
o f memory, 
l o s s 
o f 
e v i d e n c e , 
d e a t h 
o f 
p a r t i e s , 
t h e 
p r o b a b i l i t y t h a t t h e w h o l e t r u t h c a n n o t 
be 
a s c e r t a i n e d 
and 
j u s t i c e 
done, 
e n t e r 
i n t o 
t h e 
e q u a t i o n 
as 
a r e a s o n f o r t h e 
r u l e 
[ o f 
r e p o s e ] . " ) . 
[T]he 
" r u l e i s c o u c h e d i n t e r m s  
o f 
t h e 
' r u n n i n g 
o f 
t h e 
p e r i o d 
a g a i n s t 
 
c l a i m s , ' 
' a b s o l u t e 
b a r 
t o 
u n a s s e r t e d 
 
c l a i m s , ' 
' l a c k 
o f 
d i l i g e n c e 
i n 
a s s e r t i n g  
r i g h t s , ' 
' s l e e p i n g 
upon 
t h e i r 
r i g h t s , ' 
 
e t c . " 
and 
i s a c c o r d i n g l y 
b a s e d upon 
" t h e 
 
p r e - e x i s t i n g 
r i g h t 
t o 
a s s e r t 
a 
c l a i m . " 
B o s h e l l 
[v. K e i t h ] , 418 
So. 
2d 
[89,] 
a t 
92 
[ ( A l a . 
1 9 8 2 ) ] . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e 
2 0 - y e a r 
 
p e r i o d 
b e g i n s 
t o 
r u n 
a g a i n s t 
c l a i m s 
t h e 
 
f i r s t 
t i m e 
t h o s e 
c l a i m s 
c o u l d 
h a v e 
b e e n  
a s s e r t e d , 
r e g a r d l e s s 
o f 
t h e 
c l a i m a n t ' s 
 
n o t i c e 
o f 
a c l a i m . 
See 
Moore 
[v. 
L i b e r t y  
N a t ' l I n s . C o . ] , 
108 
F. Supp. 2d 
[1266] 
a t 
1275 
[(N.D. 
A l a . 
2 0 0 0 ) ] 
( " A p p l i c a t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
r u l e o f r e p o s e has 
o n l y one 
e l e m e n t 
-¬
t h e p a s s a g e o f t w e n t y y e a r s t i m e f r o m 
t h e 
moment t h a t t h e 
a c t i o n s g i v i n g r i s e t o 
t h e 
9 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 1070218 
c l a i m 
o c c u r r e d 
-- 
and, 
i f t h a t t i m e 
has 
e l a p s e d , no c l a i m c a n be 
p u r s u e d . " ) . ' 
"825 
So. 2d a t 763-64 (some e m p h a s i s o r i g i n a l ; some 
e m p h a s i s 
added) 
( f o o t n o t e s o m i t t e d ) . Thus, 
as 
we 
s t a t e d i n T i e r c e v. 
E l l i s , 
624 So. 2d 553, 554 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 3 ) , 
t h e 
r u l e 
o f r e p o s e 
' b a r s 
a c t i o n s t h a t h a v e 
n o t b e e n commenced 
w i t h i n 
20 
y e a r s 
f r o m 
t h e 
t i m e 
t h e y 
c o u l d 
have 
b e e n 
commenced.' 
A l t e r n a t i v e l y , 
' [ t ] h e 
r u l e o f r e p o s e 
b e g i n s 
r u n n i n g on a c l a i m 
as 
s o o n as a l l o f t h e e s s e n t i a l e l e m e n t s 
o f t h a t 
c l a i m 
c o e x i s t 
so 
t h a t 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
c o u l d 
v a l i d l y 
f i l e 
s u i t . ' 
A m e r i c a n 
Gen. 
L i f e 
& A c c i d e n t I n s . Co., 
886 
So. 2d 807, 
812 
( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) . 
"The 
r e s i d e n t s 
c o n t e n d 
t h a t 
t h e 
2 0 - y e a r 
common-law r u l e o f r e p o s e does n o t b a r 
t h e i r 
a c t i o n 
a g a i n s t 
[ t h e d e s i g n e r ] b e c a u s e , 
t h e y s a y , t h e y d i d 
n o t 
have 
t h e 
r i g h t 
t o 
sue 
u n t i l 
a f t e r 
t h e 
f i r e 
o c c u r r e d . We 
a g r e e . 
"'A 
p a r t y has a c a u s e o f a c t i o n 
... 
on 
t h e 
d a t e t h e 
f i r s t 
l e g a l i n j u r y o c c u r s , b u t n o t 
n e c e s s a r i l y 
f r o m 
t h e 
d a t e 
o f 
t h e 
a c t 
c a u s i n g t h e 
i n j u r y 
T h a t i s , where 
t h e 
a c t 
c o m p l a i n e d 
o f 
does 
n o t 
i t s e l f 
c o n s t i t u t e a l e g a l 
i n j u r y a t t h e t i m e , 
b u t 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f ' s 
i n j u r y 
comes 
o n l y 
as 
a 
r e s u l t 
o f , 
and 
i n 
f u r t h e r a n c e 
and 
s u b s e q u e n t 
d e v e l o p m e n t o f , t h e a c t o f 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t , 
t h e c a u s e 
o f a c t i o n 
" a c c r u e s , " 
... "'when, and o n l y when, t h e damages a r e 
s u s t a i n e d . ' " ' 
" S m i t h v. M e d t r o n i c , I n c . , 607 So. 2d 156, 
159 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 2 ) . 
See 
S p a i n 
v. 
Brown 
& 
W i l l i a m s o n 
T o b a c c o 
 
C o r p . , 
872 
So. 
2d 101, 
117 
( A l a . 2003) 
( J o h n s t o n e , 
J . , 
c o n c u r r i n g 
i n 
p a r t , 
c o n c u r r i n g 
s p e c i a l l y 
i n 
p a r t , and d i s s e n t i n g i n p a r t ) ; c f . G r i f f i n v. 
U n o c a l  
C o r p . , 
990 
So. 
2d 291 
( A l a . 2008) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t a 
w r o n g f u l - d e a t h 
a c t i o n 
a c c r u e s 
o n l y when t h e r e i s a 
m a n i f e s t , p r e s e n t 
i n j u r y ) . 
10 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 1070218 
" I n 
t h i s 
c a s e , t h e r e s i d e n t s 
d i d n o t have a 
v i a b l e and c o g n i z a b l e c l a i m 
a g a i n s t 
[ t h e d e s i g n e r ] 
u n t i l t h e f i r e 
o c c u r r e d and t h e r e s i d e n t s 
s u f f e r e d 
i n j u r i e s as a r e s u l t o f t h e f i r e . 
O n l y t h e n d i d 
t h e 
r e s i d e n t s 
h a v e a r i g h t t o s u e . T h u s , b e c a u s e t h e 
2 0 - y e a r common-law r u l e o f r e p o s e i s p r e m i s e d upon 
a p r e e x i s t i n g r i g h t t o a s s e r t a c l a i m and 
b e c a u s e 
t h e 
r e s i d e n t s d i d n o t h a v e s u c h a r i g h t 
u n t i l t h e 
f i r e 
o c c u r r e d and 
t h e y 
s u s t a i n e d 
i n j u r i e s 
as a 
r e s u l t 
o f 
an 
a l l e g e d 
b r e a c h 
o f 
d u t y 
b y [ t h e 
d e s i g n e r ] and b e c a u s e 
t h e r e s i d e n t s 
s u e d w i t h i n 20 
y e a r s 
o f 
t h e i r 
i n j u r i e s , 
t h e r u l e 
o f r e p o s e i s 
i n a p p l i c a b l e 
t o 
t h i s 
c a s e . 
T h e r e f o r e , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n e n t e r i n g a summary j u d g m e n t f o r 
[ t h e 
d e s i g n e r ] b a s e d on t h e r u l e o f r e p o s e . " 
C o l l i n s , 
So. 3d a t 
. 
I n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , O-I a r g u e s 
t h a t 
" t h e t w e n t y (20) 
y e a r 
R u l e 
o f R e p o s e 
r u n s 
f r o m 
t h e p o i n t 
i n t i m e 
o f t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s a c t i o n s g i v i n g r i s e t o t h e c l a i m . " O-I's b r i e f , a t 
16. 
However, 
t h i s C o u r t 
d i r e c t l y 
r e j e c t e d t h a t a r g u m e n t i n 
C o l l i n s . 
A l a b a m a ' s 2 0 - y e a r common-law r u l e o f r e p o s e does n o t 
b e g i n t o r u n on a c l a i m 
u n t i l 
a l l 
t h e e s s e n t i a l e l e m e n t s o f 
t h a t c l a i m , i n c l u d i n g an i n j u r y , c o e x i s t so t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f 
c o u l d 
v a l i d l y 
f i l e an a c t i o n . 
The r u l e o f r e p o s e d o e s n o t 
d e p e n d 
s o l e l y on t h e a c t i o n s 
o f t h e d e f e n d a n t . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c o r r e c t l y h e l d 
t h a t i n o r d e r f o r a summary j u d g m e n t t o 
be e n t e r e d i n O-I's f a v o r b a s e d on t h e r u l e o f r e p o s e 
u n d e r 
t h e s e f a c t s , O-I was r e q u i r e d t o p r e s e n t e v i d e n c e s h o w i n g 
t h a t 
t h e p l a i n t i f f s u f f e r e d a m a n i f e s t , p r e s e n t i n j u r y more t h a n 20 
11 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 
1070218 
y e a r s 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f t h e c o m p l a i n t 
n a m i n g O-I as a 
d e f e n d a n t so t h a t 
a l l 
t h e e s s e n t i a l 
e l e m e n t s o f t h e 
c l a i m 
c o e x i s t e d a t t h a t t i m e . 
T h i s i t 
h a s n o t done. 
T h e r e f o r e , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
p r o p e r l y 
d e n i e d 
O-I's m o t i o n s 
f o r a 
summary 
j u d g m e n t . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
B a s e d on t h e f o r e g o i n g , t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s d e n i a l o f O-I's 
summary-judgment 
m o t i o n s i n a l l s i x a c t i o n s i s a f f i r m e d . 
1070213 -- AFFIRMED. 
1070214 -- AFFIRMED. 
1070215 -- AFFIRMED. 
1070216 -- AFFIRMED. 
1070217 -- AFFIRMED. 
1070218 -- AFFIRMED. 
Cobb, C . J . , and L y o n s , W o o d a l l , S m i t h , B o l i n , and P a r k e r , 
J J . , 
c o n c u r . 
S t u a r t , J . , c o n c u r s i n t h e r e s u l t . 
M u r d o c k and Shaw, J J . , d i s s e n t . 
12 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 
1070218 
MURDOCK, J u s t i c e 
( d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
F o r 
t h e 
r e a s o n s 
e x p r e s s e d 
i n my 
s p e c i a l 
w r i t i n g 
i n 
C o l l i n s v. S c e n i c Homes, I n c . , [Ms. 1 0 7 0 8 7 5 , J u n e 30, 2009] 
So. 
3d 
, 
( A l a . 
2009) 
( M u r d o c k , J . , c o n c u r r i n g i n 
p a r t and d i s s e n t i n g 
i n p a r t ) , I r e s p e c t f u l l y 
d i s s e n t . 
13 
1 0 7 0 2 1 3 ; 1070214; 1 0 7 0 2 1 5 ; 1070216; 1070217; 
1070218 
SHAW, J u s t i c e 
( d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
I 
r e s p e c t f u l l y 
d i s s e n t . 
See 
my 
s p e c i a l 
w r i t i n g 
i n 
C o l l i n s 
v. 
S c e n i c Homes, I n c . , [Ms. 1070875, November 
25, 
200 9] 
So. 3d 
, 
( A l a . 
2009) (Shaw, J . , d i s s e n t i n g ) 
(on a p p l i c a t i o n f o r r e h e a r i n g ) . 
14