Court Opinion

ID: 9743596
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:37:52.476039+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:42.280542
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE HARRISON, concurring in part and dissenting in part: I agree with the majority that plaintiff is entitled to a new trial on his claims against WHGK, Inc.; Hellmuth, Obata, Kassabaum, Inc. (HOK); and Fritz, Inc. Because a new trial is necessary as to those claims, I believe that we should also order a new trial on the third-party claims by HOK and Fritz, Inc., against American Air Filter (AAF) and Belleville Area College (BAG). At this point we cannot know precisely what evidence will be adduced in the course of the retrial of the underlying action, but we should not assume that it will merely be a rerun of the initial litigation. Plaintiff’s underlying action was and is factually intertwined with the third-party claims, and in the course of presenting his case against WHGK, HOK and Fritz, Inc., a second time, plaintiff may well bring to light additional facts which show that AAF and BAG were negligent or guilty of misconduct and that such negligence or misconduct was a proximate cause of plaintiff’s injury. If that happens, there would certainly be a valid basis for a claim for contribution against BAG and AAF by WHGK and HOK. Under the majority’s disposition, however, the possibility of bringing such a contribution claim has now been completely foreclosed. I see no justification for such a result. Accordingly, I would reverse and remand for a new trial not only on the underlying action but on the contribution claims as well.