Opinion ID: 1341854
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Medcom's Defense

Text: First, we consider whether the trial court erred in striking Medcom's evidence of Weaver's alleged breach of an implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. Weaver argues that the trial court correctly struck Medcom's evidence because (1) Medcom did not plead breach of implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, and (2) the evidence presented at trial, in any event, was insufficient to create a jury issue on the alleged breach of implied warranty. In Paragraph 7 of its motion for judgment, Weaver alleged: 7. All valves and other components sold to Medcom by Weaver were in proper working order when delivered . . .; further, all such valves and other components are not defective and are fit for the purpose for which they were intended to be used by Medcom, although no such warranty was made to Medcom by Weaver. (Emphasis added.) In its grounds of defense, Medcom denie[d] each and every allegation of Paragraph 7. Thus, Medcom expressly denied Weaver's assertion that the parts were fit for the purpose for which they were intended. Medcom also denied the assertion that Weaver had not made any warranty of the parts. The issue of implied warranty, therefore, was before the court, entitling Medcom to present evidence in support thereof. [1] I think I have shown that Medcom relied upon the expertise of Clippard and Weaver when they sold them the product. In other words, I have to get within that part of the Uniform Commercial Code which allows a Jury to decide whether or not the parts were suitable for the purpose for which they were designed. Accordingly, we must determine whether Medcom's evidence created a jury issue concerning Weaver's alleged breach of an implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. Code | 8.2-315 provides: Where the seller at the time of contracting has reason to know any particular purpose for which the goods are required and that the buyer is relying on the seller's skill or judgment to select or furnish suitable goods, there is . . . an implied warranty that the goods shall be fit for such purpose. In order to recover under Code | 8.2-315, a buyer must prove that (1) the seller had reason to know the particular purpose for which the buyer required the goods, (2) the seller had reason to know the buyer was relying on the seller's skill or judgment to furnish appropriate goods, and (3) the buyer in fact relied upon the seller's skill or judgment. In the present case, Medcom introduced evidence from which the jury reasonably could inter that (1) Weaver and Clippard knew the particular purpose for which Medcom required the parts, (2) Weaver and Clippard knew Medcom was relying on their skill or judgment in selecting and furnishing appropriate parts, and (3) Medcom relied upon Weaver's and Clippard's skill or judgment. There was also evidence from which the jury reasonably could infer that the parts were not reasonably fit for their intended purpose, thereby causing the concentrator to malfunction and fail. When a seller breaches an implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, and the warranted goods have no value except for that purpose, the purchaser may assert the breach as a complete defense to the seller's action for the purchase price. Here, there was evidence to support a finding that the component parts manufactured for and sold to Medcom were not suitable for their intended purpose, and no evidence suggests that the parts had any value except for that purpose. Consequently, Medcom was entitled to assert a breach of implied warranty as a complete defense to Weaver's action. The resolution of conflicting evidence is a function of the jury. Here, the evidence relating to an implied warranty and breach thereof was conflicting and should have been submitted to the jury to resolve the conflicts. We hold, therefore, that the trial court erred in striking the evidence Medcom presented in defense of Weaver's action for the purchase price.