Opinion ID: 1520564
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Philip and Rose Bagian

Text: Appellant in No. 972 PHL 84, Philip Bagian, was employed as a pipefitter at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from 1941 until 1943 and from 1947 until his retirement in 1978. In 1972, Bagian obtained a report of his annual examination from the shipyard dispensary. [2] Under the heading Significant findings, the report stated, 1. CHEST X-RAY: LOCALIZED PLEURAL THICKENING IN THE RIGHT HEMITHORAX. Bagian testified at his deposition that he did not pay much attention to this report and that he thought nothing was wrong. (Deposition of Philip Bagian, January 10, 1983 at 67). In December, 1974, Bagian completed a questionnaire entitled Health Inventory for Asbestos Workers and Handlers in which he stated that he experienced shortness of breath upon climbing two flights of steps. (Memorandum of Law in Support of Appellee, the Celotex Corporation's, Motion for Summary Judgment on behalf of all Appellees, exhibit D). The notation Routine Annual Surveillance and the dispensary physician's signature appear at the end of the questionnaire. The same notation is written twice more at the bottom of the questionnaire followed by the dates 2/12/76 and 1/14/77. ( Id. ) Beginning in 1971, Bagian became fairly knowledgeable about the health hazards of asbestos. At his deposition, he testified that about 1971 his supervisors began to tell the shipyard workers to be careful with asbestos and to require the use of respirators to prevent the inhalation of asbestos fibers. Bagian was aware that asbestos exposure could lead to asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other forms of cancer. He also testified that they had lost a few men, and that the men spoke of breathing that damn junk all these years. (Deposition of Philip Bagian at 46-50). In November, 1977, Bagian was examined by a private physician, Dr. Paisley, who informed him that he had asbestosis. In October, 1979, Bagian and his wife Rose filed this action against appellees asserting that his exposure to appellees' asbestos products caused him to contract certain diseases and injuries as set forth in his complaint and that his wife Rose has suffered from the loss of his society, services, and companionship. Appellees filed a motion for summary judgment contending that the Bagians' action was barred by the statute of limitations because they had discovered the injury and its cause more than two years before they commenced their lawsuit. On March 22, 1984, the lower court issued an order granting appellees' motion. The Bagians have appealed from that order. The Bagians contend that the lower court erred in granting summary judgment because there are genuine issues of material fact concerning whether Philip Bagian knew or should have known of his injury and its cause prior to September, 1977. They argue first that Bagian did not know he was injured until he was examined by Dr. Paisley in November, 1977. Bagian stated that he received the chest x-ray report in 1972, but that he did not pay much attention to it because it looked like nothing was wrong. (Deposition of Philip Bagian at 67). Furthermore, he argues that he had no reason to believe that pleural thickening was an injury because after he received the x-ray report nothing happened to illustrate the significance of that finding. He asserts that he continued to receive annual physical examinations and chest x-rays and was never informed of any medical problem. In addition, he points out that in 1976 and 1977, the dispensary physician noted Routine Annual Surveillance at the end of his health inventory questionnaire and did not bring any significant findings to his attention. The Bagians also argue that, although Philip Bagian knew that asbestos could cause asbestosis and cancer, he did not know that it could cause pleural thickening. Appellees argue that summary judgment was properly granted because Bagian knew or should have known of his injury and its cause prior to September, 1977, and thus their suit is barred by the statute of limitations. They assert that Bagian had actual knowledge of an injury, pleural thickening, when he read the chest x-ray report in 1972. They also argue that Bagian's knowledge of the hazards of breathing asbestos fibers, his knowledge of his own pleural thickening, his position at the shipyard, and his intelligence, establish that he possessed actual knowledge that his injury was asbestos-related. Appellees argue in the alternative that, even if this Court should conclude that there is a genuine issue concerning Bagian's actual knowledge of his injury and its cause, in the exercise of the requisite reasonable diligence, he should have known of his injury and its cause prior to November, 1977. Because Bagian was aware of the results of his chest x-ray and of the connection between asbestos and lung injuries, they argue, he was under a duty to become educated about pleural thickening. They further argue that Bagian should have visited a physician in 1974 when he began to suffer shortness of breath, knew of the hazards of asbestos, and knew of his own pleural thickening, the three factors that appellees claim led Bagian to see Dr. Paisley in 1977. A court in ruling on a summary judgment motion must not try disputed issues of fact, but rather, must determine whether such issues exist. Wheeler v. Johns-Manville Corp., 342 Pa. Superior Ct. 473, 479, 493 A.2d 120, 123 (1985). Viewing the above-stated evidence in a light most favorable to the non-moving party, the Bagians, and drawing all reasonable inferences in their favor, we conclude that summary judgment was improperly granted because there are genuine issues of material fact. First, we conclude that there is a genuine issue whether Bagian knew or should have known prior to October, 1977, that pleural thickening was an injury and, hence, whether he knew he was injured. After receiving his x-ray, Bagian testified that he did not think anything was wrong. We believe that this testimony places his actual knowledge of his injury at issue. Whether or not Bagian exercised due diligence and thus should have known that pleural thickening was an injury is also at issue here. We do not believe that the facts lead unerringly to the conclusion that the length of time it took the plaintiff to discover the injury or its cause was unreasonable as a matter of law. Anthony v. Koppers, supra 284 Pa. Superior Ct. at 110, 425 A.2d at 443 (1980). To the contrary, Bagian's failure to seek medical advice after he went to the trouble of obtaining his x-ray raises in our minds an inference that he did not know that pleural thickening was an injury and thus thought he had no reason to seek medical advice. We also conclude that there is an issue concerning whether Bagian knew or should have known that pleural thickening could be caused by exposure to asbestos even though it is clear that he knew that such exposure could lead to asbestosis. Accordingly, we reverse the lower court's order granting summary judgment in favor of appellees and remand for further proceedings.