Opinion ID: 2566097
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: summary judgment in favor of fricke

Text: ¶20 The trial court granted summary judgment to Fricke, finding no factual basis on which Fricke could have been found negligent in connection with the accident. Because the trial court's entry of summary judgment turns on questions of law, we review it for correctness. We will affirm the summary judgment if there is no genuine issue of material fact and Fricke is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Utah R. Civ. P. 56(c). In reviewing summary judgments, we view the facts and all reasonable inferences drawn from them in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Harris v. Albrecht, 2004 UT 13, ¶ 2, 86 P.3d 728. ¶21 Fricke submitted an affidavit describing the accident. The affidavit supports the conclusion that Fricke was not negligent. West American presented no evidence to counter the facts presented in Fricke's affidavit. The trial court held that [West American] was not entitled to rest on the bare allegations of negligence in [its] pleadings to defeat the motion for summary judgment and was required to set forth, by affidavit or otherwise, specific facts to demonstrate a genuine issue for trial. ¶22 West American argues that summary judgment was improper because a jury could have concluded from Fricke's affidavit that she bore some responsibility for the accident. West American argues that Fricke had a duty to maintain control and that she may have violated that duty by not keeping a firmer grip on the steering wheel, by not reducing speed, or by not taking evasive action after Hiatt turned the wheel. While such conclusions may be theoretically possible, West American created no genuine issue of fact on these issues because it failed to introduce any evidence from which a jury could arrive at such conclusions. Absent such evidence, any finding of negligence on Fricke's part could have been based on nothing more than speculation. ¶23 In granting summary judgment to Fricke, the trial court properly applied rule 56(e) of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure, which provides: When a motion for summary judgment is made and supported as provided in this rule [e.g., by an affidavit], an adverse party may not rest upon the mere allegations or denials of his pleading, but his response . . . must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial. If he does not so respond, summary judgment, if appropriate, shall be entered against him. Utah R. Civ. P. 56(e). Fricke's affidavit supported a conclusion that the accident was caused by Hiatt's unexpectedly grabbing and turning the steering wheel. It provided no factual basis for a conclusion either that Fricke acted negligently or that any such negligence was a proximate cause of the accident. Accordingly, the trial court properly granted summary judgment to Fricke on the issue of her alleged negligence.