Opinion ID: 1241589
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Violation of Permit as Evidence of Negligence

Text: Finally, appellants argue that, in lieu of a strict liability theory, they should be entitled to recover under a negligence theory, based upon violations of the mining permit. That is, appellants claim that any alleged violation of the mining permit, which may or may not have been pursued by the DEP, may also serve as prima facie evidence of the mining company's negligence. Dodge counters that it matters not whether it committed any negligence, because the waiver of subjacent support entitles Dodge to mine, allow subsidence, and damage certain property or structures upon the surface. Dodge claims to have a right to be negligent if it chooses, i.e. the waiver of support makes any argument about negligence superfluous because it can cause subsidence if it so chooses. Dodge may or may not have had such rights before the permit. However, to ignore the permit and accept Dodge's argument at face value would be to eviscerate the entire permitting process. Permits are elaborately crafted documents, that in many cases display the art of the compromise. A mining company may agree in a permit to limit mining in some way or make other concessions that are not required by the letter of the law. A mining company may choose, for whatever reason, to promise certain activity that the law does not absolutely require. But even if not required by the law, once the state accepts and approves those promises, they become terms and conditions of the permit, and the mining company must honor them. Although a mining company may have a variety of rights by virtue of deed reservation or contractual arrangement, a company remains free to waive or limit those rights during the permitting process. We hold that the terms and conditions of a mining permit issued pursuant to the West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act, W. Va.Code § 22-3-1, et seq., may limit rights that a mining company otherwise would have enjoyed. Mining activity may not exceed the limitations contained in the permit, or any other statutory limitation. One must have a permit in order to mine, and when one violates the terms of a permit, the state may assess a penalty. Any person engaged in surface-mining operations who violates any permit condition or who violates any other provision of this article or rules promulgated pursuant thereto may also be assessed a civil penalty.... W. Va.Code § 22-3-17(c) (1997). Technically it is the permit, and not a specific statutory provision, that requires a company to do or not do certain things. However, if the company does otherwise and violates its permit, it clearly is also violating a statute, namely the Act. Thus we hold that, because a mining company must have a valid permit to mine, a violation of the terms or conditions of a permit issued pursuant to the West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act, W. Va.Code § 22-3-1, et seq., is a violation of the Act, and therefore a violation of statute. We have long held that any violation of statute is considered prima facie evidence of negligence, and have explained how such evidence should be used by a court: Violation of a statute is prima facie evidence of negligence. In order to be actionable, such violation must be the proximate cause of the plaintiff's injury . Syl. pt. 1, Anderson v. Moulder, 183 W.Va. 77, 394 S.E.2d 61 (1990). Once the violation of statute is established, a court should allow a jury to consider the case: A prima facie case of actionable negligence is that state of facts which will support a jury finding that the defendant was guilty of negligence which was the proximate cause of plaintiff's injuries, that is, it is a case that has proceeded upon sufficient proof to the stage where it must be submitted to a jury and not decided against the plaintiff as a matter of law. Syl. pt. 6, Morris v. City of Wheeling, 140 W.Va. 78, 82 S.E.2d 536 (1954). In this case, the Antulovs have alleged that Dodge violated the specific terms and conditions of its permit in several ways, most notably by undermining their quarry and causing subsidence that damaged their equipment. It is the language of the permit, and not the waiver, that controls this dispute. The Antulovs should be able to present evidence that Dodge's actions caused their damages. This inquiry concerns disputed issues of material fact; thus, we conclude that the lower court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Dodge.