Opinion ID: 839915
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Facts of Jones v. Olson

Text: On August 1, 2003, the plaintiff, Douglas Jones, was westbound on M-115 when the defendant, Kathleen Olson, pulled out directly in front of the plaintiff's vehicle. The defendant's car hit the front right side of the plaintiff's car. The plaintiff sustained injuries and complained of head and neck pain. The plaintiff was taken to Mercy Hospital after the accident. Doctors diagnosed the plaintiff with a fractured vertebrae in his neck and fitted him with a C-collar. The plaintiff was released after 9 to 10 hours and was advised to consult a neurologist. The plaintiff continued to complain of persistent neck and shoulder pain and numbness in his shoulders and arms. A magnetic resonance imaging report of the plaintiff's spine showed disc bulges at the C6-7 and C5-6 levels. The plaintiff continued to see his neurologist and underwent physical therapy sessions through February 2004. In March 2004, the plaintiff returned to work full-time where he helped pour and set cement walls. The plaintiff testified that during the months that he was unable to work, he was also unable to hunt, go snowmobiling, play softball, do yard work, or take long walks with his girlfriendactivities he enjoyed before the accident. Further, the plaintiff stated that for the first few months after the accident, he had difficulty dressing and feeding himself. He also required the help of his mother, grandmother, and girlfriend to prepare his son for school in the mornings. Plaintiff testified that he was able to return to work and resume all normal activities in March 2004. The defendant refused to pay the plaintiff noneconomic damages. The plaintiff filed suit for damages with the Wexford Circuit Court. The defendant moved for summary disposition, asserting that the plaintiff had failed to establish a genuine issue of material fact regarding whether he suffered a serious impairment of bodily function. The circuit court granted the defendant's motion for summary disposition, and the plaintiff appealed. The Court of Appeals reversed the circuit court and remanded the case for trial. Unpublished opinion per curium, issued September 21, 2006 (Docket No. 268929). The majority of four now reverses the Court of Appeals judgment by order, stating that the plaintiff's injuries in this case are substantially similar to the injuries considered in Kreiner's companion case, Straub v. Collette. With all due respect, I disagree with the majority's interpretation and application of MCL 500.3135 in this case, just as I did in Kreiner when joining Justice Cavanagh's dissent. 471 Mich. at 139, 683 N.W.2d 611.