ÿWPC …# VUNa %¯ 0(µ4Ýñ 0l 0Dl w@° 0Jð 0T: 0^Ž 0hì 0rT 0|Æ 0†B 0È 1uX U,Í 0dù U,]U>‰B)ÇDCð AM3U*€ÿªå©Žv~vÓ  D3à B 0@0 AOpÆ¿ 0D… D/É Bø˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ŽUv y3|xé((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó ÓUԠՠ֠נأÙÚÛÓ€ç2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d!!!!7Border 1dd€-"Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial õÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÔ€$ÔÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€$XÔÌÌò òMarch€25,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€$ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó ÛÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝAll€defendants€except€Harris€Webb€were€dismissed€by€orders€of€compromise€andÏdismissal.Ì ÷Ý ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝMr.€Merritt€was€the€deceased€husband€of€plaintiff€Naomi€Merritt€Gosnell€in€òòò òGosnell€v.ÏAshland€Chemicalóóó ó.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA: T Monaco ÒÒ  BA: T Monaco Ò++++'ÿÿdxd d("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€X„d&ÓÑ#€Xd#ÑÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÓ` Ü` p”XÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñà@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€WESTERN€SECTIONÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLEÌà@ à_______________________________________________________ÌÌó óà à)ò òÌSHARON€HUFFMAN,ó óà à)à àBlount€Coutny€Circuit€CourtÌÙ€€Ùò òßL€#%";+'h|` Å `€€LßTHE€SURVIVING€MOTHER€OFó óà à)à àNo.€L„5246Ìò òSHARON€ELAINE€BLEDSOEó ó,à à)Ìò òA€MINORó ó,à à)Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellant.à à)Ìà à)ÌVS.à à)à àC.A.€No.Ï03A01„9508„CV„00268Ìà à)Ìò òBRUCE€A.€BALDWIN,€et€al€ó óà à)Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Defendantsà à)Ìà à)ÌANDà à)Ìà à)Ìò òHARRIS€WEBBó ó,à à)Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Defendant/Appellee.à à)Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌFrom€the€Circuit€Court€of€Blount€County€at€Maryville.Ìò òHonorable€W.€Dale€Young,€Judge€€ó óÌÌÌÌò òHarry€Wiersema,€Jr.ó ó,€Knoxville,€TennesseeÌò òBrenda€L.€Lindsay,ó ó€Knoxville,€TennesseeÌAttorneys€for€Plaintiff/Appellant.ÌÌÌÌò òArthur€B.€Goddardó ó,ÌGODDARD€&€GAMBLE,€Maryville,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€€Defendant/Appellee,€Harris€Webb.ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:ÌÌò òAFFIRMEDÌÌÌà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌCRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.€ó ó:€(Concurs)Ìò òÌHIGHERS,€J.€ó ó:€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ` Ü` ˜XÓÓÓà àThis€appeal€results€from€the€trial€court's€grant€of€summary€judgment€in€favor€of€theÏone€remaining€defendant,€Harris€Webb.€€The€plaintiff,€Sharon€K.€Huffman,€is€the€survivingÏmother€of€Sharon€Elaine€Bledsoe,€a€minor,€who€was€killed€in€an€automobile€accident€on€June€5,Ï1987.€€According€to€the€complaint,€the€deceased€was€a€passenger€in€an€automobile€driven€by€BruceÏA.€Baldwin€and€it€is€alleged€that€his€negligence€was€a€proximate€cause€of€the€accident.€€TheÏcomplaint€also€alleged€negligence€against€Elizabeth€E.€Webb,€Kenneth€Ray€Tipton€and€JaniceÏTipton.× ƒ& ××  ×ÌÌà àOn€August€17,€1990,€Plaintiff€moved€to€amend€the€complaint€to€add€Harris€Webb,Ïthe€appellee,€as€a€defendant.€€The€complaint€against€Harris€Webb€alleged€that€he€is€the€brother€ofÏBruce€Baldwin's€stepfather,€that€he€knew€of€Baldwin's€propensity€to€drink€and€drive€and€of€a€priorÏD.U.I.€€That€on€the€night€of€the€accident,€he€supplied€Baldwin€and€Plaintiff's€deceased€minorÏdaughter€with€alcoholic€beverages.€€Webb€filed€a€motion€to€dismiss€and/or€for€summary€judgmentÏon€the€basis€that€the€complaint€failed€to€state€a€cause€of€action€against€him€and€that€the€suit€wasÏbarred€by€the€one€year€statute€of€limitation€set€forth€in€T.C.A.€ðð€28„3„104.€€In€response€to€theÏmotion,€Plaintiff€filed€her€affidavit€and€that€of€her€attorney.€€The€record€also€contains€BruceÏBaldwin's€deposition.€€According€to€Ms.€Huffman's€affidavit,€she€was€unaware€that€her€daughterÏand€Bruce€Baldwin€had€been€at€the€home€of€Harris€Webb€or€that€Webb€served€them€alcohol€untilÏthis€was€revealed€during€the€deposition€of€Bruce€Baldwin€on€August€17,€1989.€€She€talked€withÏEdith€Webb€shortly€after€the€accident€but€Edith€Webb€did€not€reveal€to€her€any€involvement€on€theÏpart€of€Harris€Webb.€€She€states€that€she€made€"as€much€inquiry€about€how€the€accident€occurredÍwith€Edith€Webb€and€with€others€as€I€reasonably€could."€€The€affidavit€of€her€attorney€states€thatÏ"[n]ever€in€our€investigation€of€this€cause€was€there€any€indication€from€any€source€that€SherrieÏBledsoe€or€Bruce€Baldwin€had€been€at€the€home€of€Harris€Webb€or€anyone€else€except€Edith€WebbÏbefore€the€fatal€accident,€and€nothing€put€us€on€inquiry€concerning€this€until€the€statements€ofÏBruce€Baldwin€in€his€Deposition€of€August€17th,€1989."€€ÌÌà àThe€statute€of€limitations€begins€to€run€when€the€plaintiff's€cause€of€action€accrues.€Ïòòò òSeeóóó ó€T.C.A.€ðð€28„3„104.€€It€has€long€been€the€law€in€this€jurisdiction€that€the€one€year€period€ofÏlimitations€on€actions€for€personal€injuries€applies€in€wrongful€death€cases.€€òòò òJones€v.€Blackóóó ó,€539ÏS.W.2d€123€(Tenn.€1976).€€Clearly,€Harris€Webb€was€not€sued€within€one€year€from€the€date€ofÏthe€fatal€accident.€€However,€the€plaintiff€contends€that€her€cause€of€action€is€not€barred€by€theÏstatute€of€limitations€because€she€did€not€discover€Harris€Webb's€involvement€until€the€discoveryÏdeposition€of€Bruce€Baldwin€was€taken€on€August€17,€1989.€€Under€the€"discovery€doctrine,"€theÏstatute€does€not€begin€to€run€until€the€negligent€injury€is,€or€should€have€been,€discovered.€Ïòòò òTeeters€v.€Curreyóóó ó,€518€S.W.2d€512€(Tenn.€1974).€€Our€supreme€court€held€in€òòò òMcCroskeyÏv.€Bryant€Air€Conditioning€Co.,óóó ó€524€S.W.2d€487,€491€(Tenn.€1975),€that€in€tort€actionsÏpredicated€on€negligence,€strict€liability€or€misrepresentation,€the€cause€of€action€accrues€and€theÏstatute€of€limitations€commences€to€run€when€the€injury€occurs€or€is€discovered,€or€when€in€theÏexercise€of€reasonable€care€and€diligence,€it€should€have€been€discovered.€€As€stated€by€the€lateÏJustice€Harbison€in€a€concurring€opinion€in€òòò òTeeters€v.€Curreyóóó ó,€"the€[discovery]€rule€appliesÏonly€in€cases€where€the€plaintiff€does€not€discover€and€reasonably€could€not€be€expected€toÏdiscover€that€he€has€a€right€of€action.€.€.€.€€The€statute€is€tolled€only€during€the€period€when€theÏplaintiff€has€no€knowledge€at€all€that€a€wrong€has€occurred,€and,€as€a€reasonable€person,€is€not€putÏon€inquiry."€€òòò òTeetersóóó ó,€518€S.W.2d€at€518.ÌÌà àIn€support€of€her€argument,€Plaintiff€relies€upon€òòò òFoster€v.€Harrisóóó ó,€633€S.W.2dÏ304€(Tenn.€1982),€a€dental€malpractice€case€wherein€it€was€alleged€that€the€defendant€lacerated€hisÍown€finger€and€plaintiff's€lip€and€their€blood€intermingled;€approximately€one€month€later€plaintiffÏbecame€ill€and€was€diagnosed€as€suffering€from€serum€hepatitis,€a€disease€that€can€be€contacted€andÏpassed€from€one€person€to€another€only€through€blood€contact.€€Plaintiff€and€his€physicianÏconducted€a€diligent€but€futile€search€in€an€effort€to€determine€his€contact€with€serum€hepatitis.€ÏWhen€he€returned€to€the€dentist€more€than€a€year€after€the€injury,€he€was€informed€that€on€the€dateÏof€the€injury€the€defendant€was€infected€with€serum€hepatitis.€€The€court€held€that€plaintiff's€causeÏof€action€accrued€on€the€date€that€the€defendant€dentist€told€him€he€was€suffering€from€serumÏhepatitis€and€the€suit€was€brought€within€one€year€of€that€date€and€was€timely€filed.ÌÌà àThe€defendant€contends€that€òòò òFoster€v.€Harrisóóó ó€is€not€applicable€to€this€case€as€Mr.ÏFoster€was€not€put€on€notice€by€the€diagnosis€that€he€may€have€been€the€victim€of€a€negligent€act.€ÏDefendant€further€contends€that€Plaintiff€could€have€discovered€his€identity€and€alleged€activity€byÏexercising€due€diligence€and€not€delaying€in€taking€the€deposition€of€Bruce€Baldwin.€€ÌÌà àPlaintiff€further€contends€that€summary€judgment€was€inappropriate€becauseÏwhether€she€acted€with€reasonable€diligence€is€a€factual€question,€relying€upon€òòò òGosnell€v.ÏAshland€Chemical,€Inc.óóó ó,€674€S.W.2d€737€(Tenn.€App.€1984).€€In€that€case,€plaintiff'sÏdecedent€died€of€leukemia€after€thirty€years€employment€exposure€to€various€chemicals.€€Suit€wasÏfiled€more€than€one€year€after€his€death€and€defendant€moved€for€summary€judgment.€€PlaintiffÏresponded€with€an€affidavit€that€she€did€not€learn€about€the€possible€connection€between€herÏhusband's€leukemia€and€his€exposure€to€solvents€and€chemicals€until€she€read€a€newspaper€articleÏwhich€reported€that€a€suit€had€been€filed€for€the€wrongful€death€of€one€of€her€deceased€husband'sÏco„workers,€who€had€died€of€leukemia.€€This€Court€reversed€the€trial€court's€grant€of€summaryÏjudgment,€holding€that€whether€the€widow€could€reasonably€have€been€expected€to€discover€theÏpossible€connection€between€her€husband's€exposure€to€chemicals€and€his€fatal€illness€was€aÏquestion€of€fact€for€the€jury.ÌÌà àThe€middle€section€of€this€Court,€speaking€through€Judge€Cantrell,€recentlyÏdiscussed€òòò òFoster€v.€Harrisóóó ó€and€òòò òGosnell€v.€Ashland€Chemical,€Incóóó ó.€in€òòò òSteele€€v.ÏTennessee€Jaycees,€Inc.,€óóó óNo.€01„A„01„9505„CH„00214€(Tenn.€App.€Oct.€25,€1995),€asÏfollows:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àThe€delay€in€the€discovery€of€the€origin€of€Mr.€Foster'sÏserum€hepatitis€occurred€because€of€the€inherent€difficulties€involvedÏin€tracing€the€transmission€of€disease.€€Since€such€diseases€may€beÏcontracted€without€negligence€by€any€party,€Mr.€Foster€was€not€putÏon€notice€by€the€diagnosis€that€he€may€have€been€the€victim€of€aÏnegligent€act.ÌÌà8 àà àThe€delay€in€the€discovery€that€Mr.€Merritt's× ƒ' ××  ×€leukemia€mayÏhave€been€due€to€occupational€exposure€to€chemicals€can€beÏattributed€to€the€imperfect€state€of€medical€knowledge€aboutÏleukemia,€and€also€to€the€lack€of€any€link€that€would€be€obvious€toÏlaypersons,€between€the€exposure€and€the€illness.€€In€both€theÏòòò òFosteróóó ó€and€òòò òGosnellóóó ó€cases,€the€question€of€causation€relied€moreÏupon€expert€knowledge€than€upon€the€common€experiences€of€theÏordinary€person.ÌÌà8 àà àAnalysis€of€the€facts€of€the€above€cases€shows€that€theÏdiscovery€rule€was€appropriately€used€to€protect€the€rights€ofÏindividuals€who€were€not€put€on€inquiry€that€the€injury€they€sufferedÏmay€have€been€caused€by€the€negligence€of€others.€€The€plaintiffs€inÏthe€present€case,€however,€cannot€persuasively€argue€that€they€wereÏnot€put€on€inquiry€of€possible€negligence€once€they€learned€ofÏMelvin€Lee€Steele's€death.ÌÌÌÌÓÓòòò òSteele,ó óóó€slip€op.€at€9„10.ÌÌà àSummary€judgment€is€proper€if€it€is€shown€there€is€no€genuine€issue€as€to€anyÏmaterial€fact€and€that€the€moving€party€is€entitled€to€a€judgment€as€a€matter€of€law.€€Rule€56.03ÏT.R.C.P.€€In€determining€whether€or€not€a€genuine€issue€of€material€fact€exists,€the€court€mustÏconsider€the€matter€in€the€same€manner€as€a€motion€for€a€directed€verdict€made€at€the€close€ofÏplaintiff's€proof,€i.e.,€the€€trial€court€must€take€the€strongest€legitimate€view€of€the€evidence€inÍfavor€of€the€nonmoving€party,€allow€all€reasonable€inferences€in€favor€of€that€party,€and€discard€allÏcountervailing€evidence.€€If€there€is€a€dispute€as€to€any€material€fact€or€any€doubt€as€to€theÏconclusions€to€be€drawn€from€that€fact,€the€motion€must€be€denied.€€òòò òByrd€v.€Hallóóó ó,€847€S.W.2dÏ208€(Tenn.€1993).ÌÌà àViewing€the€evidence€in€this€record€in€the€light€most€favorable€to€the€plaintiff,ÏSharon€Huffman€was€told€by€Edith€Webb€shortly€after€the€accident€that€Ms.€Huffman's€daughterÏand€Bruce€Baldwin€had€been€at€her€house€and,€that€upon€discovering€Bruce€Baldwin€intoxicated,Ïshe€told€Bruce€and€Sherrie€to€stay€there€while€she€carried€other€teenagers€home€and€when€sheÏreturned€they€were€gone.€€Ms.€Webb€never€mentioned€to€Ms.€Huffman€that€they€had€been€atÏanyone€else's€house,€and€particularly€did€not€mention€that€they€had€been€to€the€house€of€HarrisÏWebb.€€Ms.€Huffman€and€her€husband€spoke€with€many€friends€of€their€daughter€and€inquired€asÏto€whether€they€knew€where€Sherrie€was€before€she€went€to€the€home€of€Edith€Webb.€€No€oneÏthey€spoke€with€told€them€about€Sherrie€going€to€Harris€Webb's€house€and€this€was€not€revealed€inÏthe€investigation€by€Plaintiff's€attorney.€€Plaintiff€did€not€become€aware€of€any€involvement€on€theÏpart€of€Harris€Webb€until€the€deposition€of€Bruce€Baldwin€taken€by€her€attorneys€on€August€17,Ï1989,€more€than€two€years€after€the€accident.€€An€effort€was€made€to€add€Harris€Webb€as€aÏdefendant€immediately€thereafter.€€ÌÌà àNotably€absent€from€Plaintiff's€affidavits€is€whether€Plaintiff,€or€anyone€in€herÏbehalf,€made€any€effort€to€talk€with€Bruce€Baldwin€at€any€time€between€the€date€of€the€accident€andÏthe€time€of€his€deposition,€or€that€they€were€in€any€way€misled€by€any€statements€by€Mr.€BaldwinÏduring€this€period€of€time,€notwithstanding€the€fact€that€he€was€the€driver€of€the€vehicle€and€the€oneÏalleged€to€have€been€guilty€of€negligence€which€was€a€proximate€cause€of€the€accident.€€AccordingÏto€the€record€before€us,€Baldwin€was€the€only€surviving€witness€to€the€accident.€€PlaintiffÏcontended€at€oral€argument€that€Bruce€Baldwin's€deposition€was€taken€within€four€months€after€hisÏrelease€from€prison.€€We€find€nothing€in€this€record€to€support€that€contention.€€However,Íassuming€arguendo€that€to€be€a€fact,€and€assuming€further€that€Baldwin€was€incarcerated,€PlaintiffÏhas€failed€to€show€any€effort€to€depose€Baldwin€during€his€incarceration.€€òòò òSeeóóó ó€Rule€30.01ÏT.R.C.P.€€Plaintiff€argues€that€the€defendant€has€presented€no€evidence€that€Plaintiff€failed€toÏexercise€due€diligence.€€However,€viewing€the€evidence€in€the€record€before€us€in€the€light€mostÏfavorable€to€the€plaintiff,€we€believe€that€it€is€clear€that€the€plaintiff€failed€to€exercise€due€diligenceÏby€delaying€more€than€two€years€in€taking€the€deposition€of€Bruce€Baldwin.€€Any€potential€causeÏof€action€against€Harris€Webb€accrued€and€the€statute€of€limitations€commenced€to€run€when€hisÏinvolvement€was€discovered€or,€in€the€exercise€of€reasonable€care€and€diligence,€should€have€beenÏdiscovered.€€The€statute€of€limitations€expired€prior€to€the€bringing€of€an€action€against€HarrisÏWebb.€€ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€to€theÏappellant€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÓ` Ü` È“XÓÓÓà à___________________________________Ìà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌCRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌHIGHERS,€J.€(Concurs)Ì