Opinion ID: 1593912
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether the trial court properly granted summary judgment in favor of KBH.

Text: ¶ 22. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of KBH, finding that KBH established a complete defense to Green's failure to warn and defective design claims brought pursuant to the M.P.L.A. In Clark v. Brass Eagle, Inc., 866 So.2d 456, 460 (Miss.2004), this Court stated: The Mississippi Legislature passed the Products Liability Act, Miss.Code Ann. § 11-1-63, codifying strict liability law. Smith v. Mack Trucks, Inc., 819 So.2d 1258, 1261 (Miss.2002). While the procedural provisions of the Act became effective for all cases pending on July 1, 1993, the substantive provisions were not effective until July 1, 1994. Id. The Act created a hodge podge mixture of the consumer expectations and risk utitlity tests, for a manufacturer or seller to pass in order to obtain protection if the product causes harm. Id. at 1266-67 (Smith, P.J., dissenting). Miss.Code Ann. § 11-1-63(a)(i-iii) provides that in order for a manufacturer or seller of a product to be liable, a claimant must prove by the preponderance of the evidence that at the time the product left the control of the manufacturer or seller: (i) 1. The product was defective because it deviated in a material way from the manufacturer's specifications or from otherwise identical units manufactured to the same manufacturing specifications, or 2. The product was defective because it failed to contain adequate warnings or instructions, or 3. The product was designed in a defective manner, or 4. The product breached an express warranty or failed to conform to other express factual representations upon which the claimant justifiably relied in electing to use the product; and (ii) The defective condition rendered the product unreasonably dangerous to the user or consumer; and (iii) The defective and unreasonably dangerous condition of the product proximately caused the damages for which recovery is sought. ¶ 23. However, according to Green's appellate brief, he appeals to this Court only the question of whether the trial court erred in finding that Green deliberately and voluntarily exposed himself to the known danger before he accidentally fell and injured his hand. Therefore, Green presents the issue of whether there exists a genuine issue of a material fact that he assumed the risk of his injuries. ¶ 24. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-1-63(d) (Rev.2002) precludes liability for defective design when the plaintiff assumes the risk of his injuries. Sub-section (d) provides: In any action alleging that a product is defective pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section, the manufacturer or seller shall not be liable if the claimant (i) had knowledge of a condition of the product that was inconsistent with his safety; (ii) appreciated the danger in the condition ; and (iii) deliberately and voluntarily chose to expose himself to the danger in such a manner to register assent on the continuance of the dangerous condition. (Emphasis added). ¶ 25. Assumption of the risk applies where a person freely and voluntarily chose to encounter a dangerous condition. Elias v. New Laurel Radio Station, 245 Miss. 170, 179, 146 So.2d 558, 561 (1962). Assumption of risk arises from a mental state of willingness, or a mental state approaching consent. Id. The Court defined the doctrine of assumed risk as follows: On the applicability of the doctrine of assumed risk, incurred risk, etc., 65 C.J.S., Negligence, Sec. 174, p. 849 states: Accordingly, it has been held to be the rule, generally referred to as the doctrine of assumption of risk, and sometimes referred to as the doctrine of `incurred risk', or `taking the risk or hazard', or `running the risk', that one who voluntarily exposed himself or his property to a known and appreciated danger due to the negligence of another may not recover for injuries sustained thereby, even though he was in the exercise of ordinary care or even of the utmost care. Corollaries of this rule are that to acquiesce in, or consent to, a course of negligent conduct is to assume the risks incident thereto, that one having a choice of reasonably convenient ways assumes the risk of a dangerous one, and that one who voluntarily attempts a rash, imprudent, and dangerous undertaking is to be presumed to have assumed the risk incidental thereto. The doctrine, accordingly, can apply only where a person may reasonably elect whether or not he shall expose himself to a particular danger; and it has no application where a continued exposure to risk is due to a lack of reasonable opportunity to escape after the danger is appreciated, or is the result of influence, circumstances, or surroundings which are a real inducement to continue. Thus, if plaintiff surrendered his better judgment on an assurance of safety or a promise of protection he did not assume the risk unless the danger was so obvious and so extreme that there could be no reasonable reliance on the assurance. No person can assume a risk that he does not know exists. Id. at 178-79, 146 So.2d 558 (emphasis added). ¶ 26. Often the question of whether the plaintiff appreciated and understood the risk is a question of fact for the jury, however, in certain circumstances the facts may show as a matter of law that the plaintiff understood and appreciated the danger. Herod v. Grant, 262 So.2d 781, 783 (Miss.1972). However, in the absence of evidence that the injured person knew of the danger, or that the danger was so obvious that he must be taken to have known of it, it cannot be held that he assumed the risk of injury therefrom. Id. The Court held: The elements that must be found in order to constitute a defense of assumption of risk are generally stated in some such terms as the following: (1)[k]nowledge on the part of the injured party of a condition inconsistent with his safety; (2) appreciation by the injured party of the danger in the condition; and (3) a deliberate and voluntary choice on the part of the injured party to expose his person to that danger in such a manner as to register assent on the continuance of the dangerous condition. Id. at 782. ¶ 27. In Clark, 866 So.2d at 461-62, this Court found that the trial court's grant of summary judgment was proper based on the deposition testimony that demonstrated that the plaintiff, Clark, was aware of and appreciated the danger associated with paintball guns, and knew that protective eyewear was readily available. Clark's deposition testimony also showed that he voluntarily chose to not wear protective eyewear when participating in shooting paintballs. This Court held: Based on the depositions of Clark and Rico, we find that the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment in favor of Brass Eagle. The facts do not support any other conclusion. Clark offered no proof that the paintball gun used in the incident failed to function as expected and offered no feasible design alternative which, to a reasonable probability, would have prevented what happened to him. In fact, Clark's testimony is detrimental to his claim. Clark testified that he was aware that there was protective eyewear available for purchase at Wal-Mart, but he chose not to do so. He was an active participant in shooting paintballs at other vehicles. The evening of the incident at issue here Clark and his friends in his car carried their paintball guns with them for that purpose. Clark testified that his parents were aware that he had purchased a paintball gun and engaged in shooting paintballs at other friends' cars. Clark appreciated that there was a danger in shooting at people evidenced by his statement that it was common sense not to shoot anyone in the face with a paintball gun. Clark said that he guessed it was common sense to not shoot anyone in the eye. No one playing the game wore protective masks or eyewear. Rico's testimony further supports the trial court's decision to grant summary judgment as to Brass Eagle. While Rico used a friend's paintball gun to shoot Clark, Rico's dad had bought a Brass Eagle Talon paintball gun for him the day of the incident. Rico chose not to read any of the warnings or instructions on the side of the gun, in the manual or on the package. Rico was familiar with the paintball gun, having used other identical paintball guns in the past. Rico stated that paint ball wars were played by several people by riding around shooting paintballs at each others parked or moving cars. Rico testified that he knew it was dangerous to shoot someone in the eye with a paintball gun. Rico acknowledged that he knew protective masks were available. Rico also did not use any protective eyewear. Rico stated that he knew the purpose of the protective mask was to protect the eyes and the face from paintballs. Id. ¶ 28. In contrast to Clark, where the Court found the grant of summary judgment in favor of the defendant to be proper, the Court in Pargo v. Electric Furnace Co., 498 So.2d 833 (Miss.1986), concluded the grant of summary judgment was improper because a jury question existed as whether the employee assumed the risk. Pargo, 498 So.2d at 835-36. In Pargo, unlike the case sub judice and Clark, the plaintiff stated in his sworn affidavit that he was unaware of the dangerous nature of the salt bath machine and the possible consequences of having physical contact with the machine. Id at 834. Further, other employees testified that the employer had contemplated installing precautionary measures, but the employer decided that safety devices were not necessary. Id. at 834-35. ¶ 29. The Court held that were genuine issues of material fact as to the extent of the danger involved, whether the danger was attributable to the alleged design defect of the salt machine, and whether the employee assumed the risk of his injuries. Id. at 835-36. See also Daves, 222 So.2d at 412-14 (The plaintiff, following his employer's instructions, drove the truck across the levee in wet conditions. When the truck became stuck, the plaintiff faced the choice of dumping his gravel load or attempt to turn around with heavy load. The truck turned over when the plaintiff attempted to dump the load in order to lighten the truck. The Court found that a jury question existed whether the plaintiff assumed the risk.). ¶ 30. In Harrist v. Spencer-Harris Tool Co., 244 Miss. 84, 89-90, 140 So.2d 558, 558-59 (1962), the Plaintiff fell from a ladder that he attempted to climb and sued the manufacturer of an oil drilling rig for negligence in constructing a ladder which had the lower rungs angled at a slant below and inside the upper rungs. The Court applied the open and obvious rule, stating: If we assume there were defects, we think they were apparent and obvious to a casual observer . . . No duty rests upon a manufacturer or seller to warn a purchaser of a dangerous design which is obvious. If this were not true, a manufacturer could not design and sell a pocket knife, axe, planer or gun. Id. at 562. ¶ 31. In Hedgepeth v. Fruehauf Corp., 634 F.Supp. 93, 98-99 (S.D.Miss.1986), the plaintiff sued his employer, Capitol Transport Company, and Fruehauf, the manufacturer of the tanker trailer from which the plaintiff slipped and fell. Applying Mississippi law, the District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, held: The court is Erie-bound, however, in the absence of any sign from the Mississippi Supreme Court that this defense is repudiated or limited in some fashion, to hold that a manufacturer is under no duty to warn or adopt alternative designs when the danger associated with the use of a product is open and obvious to the user. Plaintiff's testimony at trial unequivocally established that the danger of walking in oil-slick cowboy boots on a tilted, metal tanker surface covered with oil was open, obvious and apparent to him. . . . . Additionally, and as an alternative to the court's conclusion that judgment should be entered in favor of defendant on grounds that the danger was open and obvious to Steve Hedgepeth, the court concludes that Hedgepeth assumed the risk of his injury at the time he mounted the tanker top. Under Mississippi law, the defense is applicable when defendant can show the existence of three elements at the time of plaintiff's injury: (1) knowledge on the part of the injured party of a condition inconsistent with his safety; (2) appreciation by the injured party of the danger in the condition; and (3) a deliberate and voluntary choice on his part to expose his person to that danger in such a manner as to register assent to the continuance of the dangerous condition. Macleod v. Written [McLeod v. Whitten], 413 So.2d 1020, 1022 (Miss.1982). Whether such injured party assumed a particular risk of harm is measured by a subjective standard, what the injured party actually knew, rather than the reasonable man standard. Alexander v. Conveyors & Dumpers, Inc., 731 F.2d 1221, 1223-24 (5th Cir.1984); Herod v. Grant, 262 So.2d 781, 782 (Miss.1972). ¶ 32. Here, Green admitted in his deposition testimony that he had knowledge and appreciated the dangerous condition of the mule boy. Green testified that the chains could be seen moving when the mule boy was running. In fact, he stated that anybody could see the chains moving. The mule boy operated by a piece of metal running between four sets of chains. The tractor had to be turned on for the chains to move. Green testified that there was nothing wrong with the mule boy. In fact, he stated that the mule boy was new. Green testified that when using any piece of farm equipment, he used his common sense. Green testified that he was aware that farm equipment, especially a piece of equipment with a moving part, can be dangerous. Green testified that he was aware that the chains were moving and the tractor was running when he went to look at the mule boy. ¶ 33. Green takes issue with the trial court's finding that he voluntarily and deliberately approached the dangerous condition. Nothing was presented to the trial court that indicated that Green was instructed or encouraged to get near the mule boy's moving chains. When Green got off the tractor, he did not turn the mule boy off before approaching it. Green does not allege that the on/off switch was defective or failed to operate. He simply failed to turn off the machine before getting near it. Green clearly testified that the tractor was still on and the chains were still moving when he approached the mule boy. Green testified that he was not trying to repair the mule boy. ¶ 34. Green conceded that he was aware that the machine was dangerous. Green testified in his deposition that he knew if he got too close, he would be pulled into the moving chains. Yet, he ignored the danger and approached the running mule boy. Green testified that he lost his balance when he tried to squat down; he then slipped. When he tried to keep from falling, he put out his hand to catch himself. His hand was grabbed by the machine, and he was injured. ¶ 35. Here, the record reveals from Green's deposition that he understood and appreciated the danger. Further, the moving chains were open and obvious to Green. Green proceeded to approach the mule boy without first turning off the machine, even though he appreciated that it was a dangerous situation. The trial court was correct in granting summary judgment in favor of KBH.