Opinion ID: 2281968
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: TEAM's Claim for Fraud against Vermeer

Text: TEAM argues that any fraud claims capable of being asserted by Crush were distributed to Uhlmann upon the dissolution of Crush/Mo-Kan and then assigned by Uhlmann to TEAM. An action for fraud and deceit is assignable when the injury affects the estate or arises out of contract. Gremminger v. Missouri Labor & Indus. Relations Comm'n, 129 S.W.3d 399, 403 (Mo.App.2004). The analysis for TEAM's fraud claim is the same as the analysis for Uhlmann's because any alleged misrepresentations were made simultaneously to Crush and to Uhlmann. For the first representation, the reliance element is dispositive because, as a matter of law, TEAM cannot show that Crush relied on its truth prior to purchase. For the second representation, the falsity element is dispositive because TEAM failed to produce any evidence that Vermeer did not intend to perform consistently with its statement. TEAM, like Uhlmann, has failed to establish one of the essential elements of fraud for each of the alleged misrepresentations. Its fraud claim fails. Summary judgment for Vermeer on TEAM'S fraud claim was proper. 2. Negligent Misrepresentation Uhlmann and TEAM base their negligent misrepresentation claims on the same two representations that gave rise to their fraud claims. The elements of negligent misrepresentation are: (1) the speaker supplied information in the course of his business; (2) because of the speaker's failure to exercise reasonable care, the information was false; (3) the information was intentionally provided by the speaker for the guidance of limited persons in a particular business transaction; (4) the hearer justifiably relied on the information; and (5) due to the hearer's reliance on the information, the hearer suffered a pecuniary loss. Dancin Development, L.L.C. v. NRT Missouri, Inc., 291 S.W.3d 739, 744 (Mo.App.2009). A party must prove every element of a claim for negligent misrepresentation for the claim to succeed. Id.