Opinion ID: 1198876
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Summary Judgment in the Trial Court

Text: Turning to the specific facts in this case, because Eli Lilly does not claim Kathleen actually knew of her T-shaped uterus more than three years before she filed suit, the only question in this case is whether she should have known of its presence more than three years before the time she filed suit. [6] In order to sustain its burden as the moving party in the motion for summary judgment, Eli Lilly had to show there is no issue of material fact with regard to what Kathleen should have known. Hash v. Children's Orthopedic Hosp. & Med. Ctr., 110 Wash.2d 912, 915, 757 P.2d 507 (1988). Eli Lilly failed to carry its burden. Eli Lilly claims Ms. Green could have found out about her T-shaped uterus, and therefore should have found out about it, no later than 1986 (eight years before she initiated this action), when she had the abnormal pap smear and underwent the cryosurgery. Eli Lilly argues a reasonable investigation would have revealed no later than 1986 ... all elements of a DES plaintiff's claim. Br. of Resp'ts at 20 (listing numerous publications on DES). [7] In moving for summary judgment, Eli Lilly submitted no affidavits, declarations, or competent evidence of any kind to the trial court on the relationship of DES to T-shaped uterine problems or cervical malformations in DES daughters. It relied solely on its opening and reply briefs. [8] Missing from the record is a declaration from a health professional stating a T-shaped uterus is a well-known birth defect in DES daughters, and that medical knowledge would have allowed Kathleen to discover it in 1986. Eli Lilly says: [Kathleen Green's T-shaped uterus] was detectable at any time in her life by means of a simple x-ray test. Supplemental Br. of Pet'r at 4. If this is true, it would surely have been an easy matter for Eli Lilly to have submitted the declaration of a qualified health professional saying as much. Absent such a declaration, Eli Lilly left the trial court in an evidentiary void. See generally Hash v. Children's Orthopedic Hosp. & Med. Ctr., 110 Wash.2d 912, 757 P.2d 507 (1988). Eli Lilly offered only the argument of counsel. Argument of counsel does not constitute evidence. The Court of Appeals was correct in noting Eli Lilly did not introduce any evidence that Ms. Green should have discovered that condition earlier. Green, 86 Wash.App. at 67, 935 P.2d 652. The question of when a plaintiff should have discovered the elements of a cause of action so as to begin the running of the statute of limitation is ordinarily a question of fact. Adcox v. Children's Orthopedic Hosp. & Med. Ctr., 123 Wash.2d 15, 34-35, 864 P.2d 921 (1993); Honcoop v. State, 111 Wash.2d 182, 194, 759 P.2d 1188 (1988); Ohler, 92 Wash.2d at 510, 598 P.2d 1358. The defendants here bore the initial burden of showing the absence of an issue of material fact. Young v. Key Pharms., Inc., 112 Wash.2d 216, 225, 770 P.2d 182 (1989). They did not carry their burden when they failed to produce evidence upon which the trial court could have properly relied in concluding Kathleen should have known about her T-shaped uterus more than three years before she filed suit. We therefore reverse the summary judgment, and remand the case for further proceedings.