Opinion ID: 2589272
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: The relevant facts set out in Judge Belot's Memorandum and Order of Certification to the Kansas Supreme Court are as follows: Plaintiff Julie Ogden claims to be Edward Ogden's daughter. The relationship of the other two plaintiffs to Edward is not alleged in the complaint but in their response to defendant's motion to dismiss, it is stated that they also are daughters. The court will assume that they are. Edward, not legally married, died at defendant's hospital on August 28, 2001. Plaintiffs contend that Amy Chaplin, one of defendant's employees, obtained consent from Pat Kunz for organ and tissue donation of certain parts of Edward; that Chaplin obtained Kunz's consent on the basis that Kunz was Ogden's common law wife, even though no such relationship existed and that Chaplin spoke with Julie, but did not ask her about organ and tissue donation or the marital status of Edward and Kunz. Based upon Kunz's consent, defendant harvested Edward's eyes and bone marrow, allegedly for the purpose of monetary gain and compliance with quotas. Plaintiffs seek actual damages based upon claims of defendant's negligent failure to properly train Chaplin, intentional infliction of emotional distress, conversion, fraud and outrage. In addition, plaintiffs seek punitive damages. Plaintiffs filed this case on May 23, 2003, approximately 21 months after Edward's death. Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), defendant now moves for dismissal of plaintiffs' intentional infliction of emotional distress and outrage claims on the basis that they are barred by Kansas' one year statute of limitation. K.S.A. 60-514(b). Defendant also seeks dismissal of plaintiffs' fraud and conversion claims on the basis that plaintiffs cannot recover damages on those claims as a matter of law. Finally, defendant asserts that because plaintiffs have no claims upon which they can recover actual damages, their claim for punitive damages also must be dismissed. Defendant does not address plaintiffs' negligent failure to train claim. Plaintiffs respond that the statute of limitation on plaintiffs' intentional infliction of emotional distress and outrage claims is two years, that plaintiffs had `quasi property rights' in Edward's body which allow them to recover damages on their fraud and conversion claims and therefore entitle them to maintain their punitive damages claim.