Opinion ID: 1920442
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Summary judgment in favor of Rotenberger and against Bail on negligence theory.

Text: Summary judgment was also improper on this issue because Rotenberger had a legal duty [] to both Limpert and Bail to properly test the cattle. Restatement (Second) of Torts § 323 (1977) provides: One who undertakes, gratuitously or for consideration, to render services to another which he should recognize as necessary for the protection of the other's person or things, is subject to liability to the other for physical harm resulting from his failure to exercise reasonable care to perform his undertaking, if (a) his failure to exercise such care increases the risk of such harm, or (b) the harm is suffered because of the other's reliance upon the undertaking. Likewise, it is generally recognized that one who undertakes to provide professional services has a duty to the person for whom the services are performed to use such skill and care ordinarily exercised by others in the same profession. City of Eveleth v. Ruble, 302 Minn. 249, 253-54, 225 N.W.2d 521, 524 (1974). As a veterinarian, Rotenberger provided professional services which created a duty to Bail as a recipient of those services. Whether that duty was breached is a genuine issue of material fact. A duty to use proper care may also arise from a contractual relationship and breach of the resulting duty may give rise to tort liability. Friedhoff v. Engberg, 82 S.D. 522, 527, 149 N.W.2d 759, 762 (1967); accord Champion v. United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co., 399 N.W.2d 320, 322 (S.D.1987); see also Lincoln Grain, Inc. v. Coopers & Lybrand, 216 Neb. 433, 437, 345 N.W.2d 300, 305 (1984) (accompanying every contract is a common-law duty to perform with care, skill, reasonable expediency, and faithfulness). Liability in tort for breach of that duty may arise as the result of negligence during the performance of the contract, even if there has been no breach of contract. Layman v. Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt, Inc., 343 N.W.2d 334, 341 (N.D.1983). Rotenberger was selected, obtained, and paid by Bail to do pregnancy, mouth, and brucellosis testing on Limpert's cattle to enable and complete the sale of the cattle to Bail. As a result of this relationship, Rotenberger owed Bail a duty to exercise skill and care in the testing of the cattle. If that duty was breached liability arises. Whether that duty has been breached is a genuine issue of material fact. Even if the contractual relationship was between Rotenberger and Limpert, rather than Rotenberger and Bail, a breach by Rotenberger of the duty owed to Limpert could still render Rotenberger liable to Bail. As explained by the court in Layman, supra : Where one undertakes by contract to perform a certain service and is chargeable with the duty of performing the work in a reasonably proper and efficient manner, and injury occurs to a blameless person, the injured person has a right of action directly against the offending contractor which is not based on any contractual obligation but rather on the failure of such contractor to exercise due care in the performance of his assumed obligation. Id. at 341 ( quoting 57 Am.Jur.2d Negligence § 50). Such an imposition of liability is consistent with SDCL 20-9-1, which provides in part: Every person is responsible for injury to the person, property, or rights of another caused by his ... want of ordinary care or skill[.] Rotenberger had a duty to exercise due care in the testing of the cattle. If in turn, Rotenberger allowed Limpert to do some of the testing, it would not absolve him from his responsibility to Bail. Thus, a legal duty and genuine issues of material fact exist. SDCL 20-9-1; Groseth, supra . Accordingly, the trial court's grant of summary judgment was in error.