Opinion ID: 1692075
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: cross-appellant kelly robinsonstatute of limitations

Text: ¶ 35. On cross-appeal, Robinson argues the circuit court erred in finding the applicable FELA statute of limitations, under 45 U.S.C. § 56, had run as to his claim. 45 U.S.C. § 56 states: No action shall be maintained under this chapter unless commenced within three years from the day the cause of action accrued. Compliance with 45 U.S.C. § 56 is a condition precedent to an injured employee's recovery in a FELA action. Emmons v. Southern Pacific Transp. Co., 701 F.2d 1112, 1117 (5th Cir.1983) (citing Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe R.R. Co. v. McClelland, 355 F.2d 196, 197 (5th Cir.1966)). The burden is therefore on the claimant to allege and to prove that his cause of action was commenced within the three-year period. Emmons, 701 F.2d at 1118 (citing Carpenter v. Erie R.R. Co., 132 F.2d 362, 363 (3d Cir.1942), cert denied, 318 U.S. 788, 63 S.Ct. 983, 87 L.Ed. 1155 (1943)). ¶ 36. In 1989, well over three years before this case was filed, Robinson was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. With this knowledge in hand, the circuit court found: With respect to Kelly Robinson, I believe that this claim should be barred by the statute of limitations and dismissed because he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 1989. The diagnosis at least put the plaintiff on notice of the accrual of his cause of action and the statute of limitations ran in 1992. The circuit court applied the United States Supreme Court case of Urie v. Thompson, 337 U.S. 163, 69 S.Ct. 1018, 93 L.Ed. 1282 (1949), in ruling Robinson's claim was barred. Urie offers the afflicted employee can be held to be `injured' only when the accumulated effects of the deleterious substance manifest themselves. 337 U.S. at 170, 69 S.Ct. 1018. Stated another way, as related to this case, Robinson's claim for an asbestos related injury will begin to run when Robinson knew or reasonably should have known the injury was present. ¶ 37. Also, the circuit court applied the Federal District Court's opinion in Williams v. S. Pac. Trans. Co., 813 F.Supp. 1227 (S.D.Miss.1992) to Robinson's claim for asbestos related damages. In Williams the Federal District Court propounded the federal courts have applied the discovery [rule] (an objective, `knew or should have known' test) to determine when the limitation period begins to run. Id. at 1232; see Emmons, 701 F.2d at 1119 (limitation period begins to run when claimant becomes aware that he has been injured and that his injury is work related); Fries v. Chi. & Nw. Transp. Co., 909 F.2d 1092, 1095 (7th Cir.1990) (the test is an objective inquiry into when the plaintiff knew or should have known, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, the essential facts of injury and cause); Albert v. Me. Cent. R.R. Co. 905 F.2d 541, 544 (1st Cir.1990); Townley v. Norfolk & W. Ry. Co., 887 F.2d 498, 501 (4th Cir.1989). Further, Williams decreed: Actual knowledge by the plaintiff of the governing cause of the injury is not necessary to a finding that the cause of action has accrued. Further, it is not necessary that the plaintiff be formally advised by a physician or receive a medical diagnosis as to the cause of injury for the action to accrue. Nor must the injury reach its maximum severity before the cause is deemed to accrue. The action accrues when the injury first manifests itself to the plaintiff. As recognized by the courts, the discovery rule imposes an affirmative duty on plaintiff to investigate the potential cause of his injury. This is a fair rule since the discovery rule should not be abused by plaintiffs who are aware that an injury exists yet choose to ignore it and fail to investigate the cause. Obviously, such a course of wilful inaction has the potential of visiting prejudice upon defendants who may be blind-sided by lawsuits long after the complained-of negligence. Williams, 813 F.Supp. at 1232 (citations omitted). ¶ 38. After due consideration, we find the circuit court properly applied the aforementioned precedent to this case in rendering its ultimate finding. Furthermore, there is nothing in the record demonstrating Robinson met his burden of proving he commenced his action within the three-year limitation period. After hearing arguments by both parties, the circuit court was in the best position to determine whether Robinson's claim should be barred by the statute of limitations. In line with this notion and the applicable standard of review, this Court finds Robinson has failed to show the circuit court committed a clear error of judgment. Therefore, the circuit court has not abused its discretion, and this issue is without merit.