Opinion ID: 1251693
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Standard for Summary Judgment Determination

Text: Having concluded that the lower court properly found that no additional period of discovery was necessary prior to ruling on the summary judgment motion, we address the issue of whether the lower court properly granted summary judgment based upon its conclusion that the decedent's act constituted an intervening cause as a matter of law. In syllabus point one of Williams, this Court explained the fundamental standard for granting summary judgment, as follows: `A motion for summary judgment should be granted only when it is clear that there is no genuine issue of fact to be tried and inquiry concerning the facts is not desirable to clarify the application of the law.' Syllabus Point 3, Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. v. Federal Insurance Co. of New York, 148 W.Va. 160, 133 S.E.2d 770 (1963). Syllabus Point 1, Andrick v. Town of Buckhannon, 187 W.Va. 706, 421 S.E.2d 247 (1992). 194 W.Va. at 53, 459 S.E.2d at 330. In syllabus point two of Williams, this Court continued: Summary judgment is appropriate if, from the totality of the evidence presented, the record could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the nonmoving party, such as where the nonmoving party has failed to make a sufficient showing on an essential element of the case that it has the burden to prove. Id.