ÿWPC:  …# VUNa %¯ 0xµ 0- b2 w@: 4z Ž † # + m- 0DD 0Jˆ 0TÒ 0^& 0h„ 0rì 0|^ 0†Ú 0` 1uð 0de BÉU >æB)$DCM AMU*Ý D3R:xŒ 0@v~DvÓ AO•Æä 0Dª D/î B ˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÈÚØÚÚØÈÚ0nLHÎ'í€"  Z 6Times New Roman Regular¼(Pì$¡¡ÑÜÜÑÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÓ  ÓÙñÓ Ù(µ(2Y$¤¤Ý ƒì!ÝÑܰÑÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÓ  ÓÙñÓ ÙÝ  ÝÑÜÑÒÒÒ„„ÒÔ€XµX¼¼Ôà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó- ù- ÎÏÐÑEÒÓÔÕÓ€ßàDÒ 3|xàrasmussen v. MROT, Inc. - opinion Í) ' IB011C20IB011C2 .   ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 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)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ d< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d&&&&7Border 1dd€-'Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial$$$$'ÿÿdxd HÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€%ÔÔ€%¼ÔÑ Ü ÑÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€)ÔÔ€)ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€)XÔÌÌAprilÏ23,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppellateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó ó nÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€%ÔÔ€%¼ÔÑ Ü ÑÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$ÝÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€%XÔà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝThey€also€filed€a€second€negligence€action€against€Bridgestone/Firestone€and€theÏloading€service€whose€employees€had€loaded€the€trailer.€€The€trial€court€later€consolidated€theÏtwo€suits€and€granted€summary€judgments€dismissing€the€claims€against€Bridgestone/FirestoneÏand€the€loading€service.€€These€summary€judgments€are€not€at€issue€on€this€appeal.Ì("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€%ÔÔ€%¼ÔÑ Ü ÑÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€ ¼¼ddÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÞ ÞÌ€›à@ àÔ€%„Ôò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLE̜ـ€ÙßR€(+'A1-j|QþÂ` à. `€€@ÿRß›ÌÌÌÔ€%¼ÔÌó óMICHAEL€¢RASMUSSEN£€and€wifeà à)ÌCINDY€¢RASMUSSEN£,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiffs/Appellants,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€CircuitÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€¢93C£„3498Ì¢VS£.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à¢01A01£„9611„CV„00517Ì¢MROT£,€INC.€andà àà àà àà à)ÌWILLIAM€G.€¢ROYSTER£,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellees.à àà à)ÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€FOR€DAVIDSON€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€HAMILTON€V.€¢GAYDEN£,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÌòòFor€the€Plaintiffs/Appellantsóó:à àà àà àà àòòFor€theÏDefendants/Appelleesóó:ÌÌMichael€J.€¢Philbin£à àà àà àà àà àà àJohn€Thomas€¢Feeney£ÌWilliam€G.€¢McCaskill£,€Jr.à àà àà àà àLee€Anne€MurrayÌTAYLOR,€¢PHILBIN£,€¢PIGUE£,à àà àà àà à¢FEENEY£€&€LAWRENCEÌà à¢MARCHETTI£€&€BENNETTà àà àà àNashville,€TennesseeÌNashville,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€%„Ôò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óÌÌÔ€%¼ÔÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,ÏJUDGEÇÓ€ÓÔ€%„Ôà@ àò òòòO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÔ€%¼ÔÌà àThis€appeal€involves€an€over„the„road€truck€driver€who€was€injuredÏwhile€a€stack€of€commercial€truck€tires€œwas›€being€unloaded€from€the€trailer€onÏhis€truck.€€The€driver€filed€a€negligence€action€in€the€Circuit€Court€forÏDavidson€County€against€the€tire€service€company€where€the€tires€were€beingÏdelivered€and€the€operator€œof€the›€forklift€carrying€the€tires€when€they€fell.€ÏThe€trial€court€determined€that€the€doctrine€of€res€ipsa€loquitur€wasÏinapplicable€to€œthis€case›€and€granted€the€defendantsðð€motion€for€summaryÏjudgment.€€The€driver€asserts€on€this€appeal€that€he€made€out€a€prima€facieÏcase€of€negligence€under€the€doctrine€of€res€ipsa€loquitur.€€We€affirm€theÏsummary€judgment.ÌÌà@ àò òI.ó óÌÌà àIn€1993€Michael€¢Rasmussen£€was€working€as€an€over„the„road€truckÏdriver€for€a€driver€leasing€service€in€Illinois.€€His€exclusive€assignment€was€toÏtransport€new€tires€manufactured€by€Bridgestone/Firestone,€Inc.€from€theÏcompanyððs€warehouse€in€Addison,€Illinois€to€various€other€locations.€€Mr.Ï¢Rasmussen£€did€not€load€the€tires€on€his€truckððs€trailer;€this€task€was€performedÏby€an€independent€loading€service€working€under€contract€withÏBridgestone/Firestone.Ìà àOn€March€15,€1993,€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£€delivered€a€load€of€commercialÏtruck€tires€to€¢MROT£,€Inc.€in€Nashville.€€William€¢Royster£,€one€of€¢MROT£ððsÏowners,€œbegan€unloading›€the€tires€from€the€trailer€using€a€forklift€equippedÍwith€a€ð ðsqueeze€clamp,ðð€and€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£€was€œassisting›€him.€€They€were€theÏonly€persons€involved€in€the€unloading€operation.€€ÌÌà àMr.€¢Rasmussen£€and€Mr.€¢Royster£€had€unloaded€approximately€œone„half›Ïof€the€œtrailer›€when€Mr.€¢Royster£€picked€up€a€ð ðchimney€stackðð€of€tires€œin›€theÏsqueeze€clamp€on€his€forklift.€€The€tire€on€the€bottom€of€the€stack€fell€out€ofÏthe€œclamp›€when€€Mr.€¢Royster£€began€to€move€the€tires.€€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£€movedÏthe€fallen€tire€away€from€the€trailerððs€wall€to€enable€Mr.€¢Royster£€to€place€theÏremaining€tires€on€top€of€the€fallen€œtire.›€€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£€stopped€Mr.€¢Royster£Ïhas€he€began€to€place€the€stack€of€tires€on€the€fallen€tire€because€he€wasÏconcerned€that€the€forklift€was€about€to€cut€the€fallen€tire.€€One€or€more€of€theÏtires€in€the€squeeze€clamp€became€dislodged€and€fell€on€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£€as€heÏwas€kneeling€down€to€reposition€the€fallen€tire€under€the€stack€œin›€the€œclamp.›€ÏNeither€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£€œnor›€Mr.€¢Royster£€could€explain€how€the€tires€fell€fromÏthe€squeeze€clamp.€€ÌÌà àMr.€¢Rasmussen£€and€his€wife€filed€a€negligence€action€against€¢MROT£€andÏMr.€¢Royster£€in€November€1993.œ× ƒ, ××  ×›€€Over€two€years€later,€¢MROT£€and€Mr.Ï¢Royster£€moved€for€a€summary€judgment€on€the€ground€that€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£Ïcould€not€prove€that€Mr.€¢Royster£€œhad›€acted€negligently.€€In€response,€Mr.Ï¢Rasmussen£€and€his€wife€asserted€that€they€had€made€out€a€prima€facie€case€ofÏnegligence€under€the€doctrine€of€res€ipsa€loquitur.€€On€August€16,€1996,€theÍtrial€court€entered€an€order€finding€œthe›€doctrine€of€res€ipsa€loquitur€to€beÏinapplicable€and€granting€the€motion€for€summary€judgment.ÌÌà@ àò òII.ó óÌÌà àThe€pivotal€issue€on€this€appeal€from€the€summary€judgment€dismissingÏthe€¢Rasmussens£ðð€complaint€is€whether€the€doctrine€of€res€ipsa€loquiturÏprevents€¢MROT£€and€Mr.€¢Royster£€from€being€entitled€to€a€judgment€as€aÏmatter€of€law.€€We€find€that€the€trial€court€correctly€determined€that€¢MROT£Ïand€Mr.€¢Royster£€were€entitled€to€a€judgment€as€a€matter€of€law€because€theÏ¢Rasmussens£ðð€evidence€does€not€exclude€every€inference€other€than€that€theirÏnegligence€caused€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£ððs€injuries.€€ÌœÌ›à àThere€is€a€common€misconception€that€a€party€who€proves€that€he€orÏshe€has€been€injured€œhas›€made€out€a€prima€facie€case€of€liability€under€theÏdoctrine€of€res€ipsa€loquitur.€€This€notion€overstates€the€utility€of€the€doctrineÏbecause€the€mere€occurrence€of€an€injury€is€not€evidence€of€negligence.€Ïòò¢Kilpatrick£€v.€Bryant,óó€868€S.W.2d€594,€599€(Tenn.€1993);€òòMemphis€St.€Ry.ÏCo.€v.€œ¢Cavell£óó,›€135€Tenn.€462,€467,€187€¢S.W.£€179,€180€(1916).€€MoreÏproperly,€the€res€ipsa€loquitur€doctrine€permits€plaintiffs€to€make€out€a€primaÏfacie€case€of€negligence€without€proving€specific€acts€of€negligence.€ÏòòUnderwood€v.€¢HCA£€Health€¢Servs£.€of€Tenn.,€Inc.,óó€892€S.W.2d€423,€426€(Tenn.ÏCt.€App.€1994).€€ÌÌà àThe€res€ipsa€loquitur€doctrine€provides€a€specialized€method€forÏconsidering€the€strength€of€a€negligence€case€predicated€entirely€onÍcircumstantial€evidence.€€òòPoor€Sisters€of€St.€Francis€v.€Long,óó€190€Tenn.€434,Ï442„43,€230€S.W.2d€659,€663€(1950);€€òòSummit€Hill€¢Assocs£.€v.€Knoxville€¢Utils£.ÏBd.,óó€667€S.W.2d€91,€96€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1983).€€It€envisions€a€common€senseÏappraisal€of€the€circumstantial€evidence,€€òò¢Quinley£€v.€¢Cocke£,óó€183€Tenn.€428,Ï438,€192€S.W.2d€992,€996€(1946),€to€determine€whether€the€circumstantialÏevidence€is€sufficient€to€enable€a€reasonable€finder„of„fact€to€conclude€that€theÏplaintiffððs€injury€was,€more€likely€than€not,€caused€by€the€defendantððsÏnegligence€rather€than€any€other€cause.€€òò¢Stinnett£€v.€Wright,óó€59€Tenn.€App.Ï118,€126,€438€S.W.2d€357,€361€(1968).€€ÌÌà àThe€res€ipsa€loquitur€doctrine€will€not€apply€when€an€injury€couldÏreasonably€have€occurred€even€without€the€defendantððs€negligence.€ÏòòUnderwood€v.€¢HCA£€Health€¢Servs£.€of€Tenn.,€Inc.,óó€892€S.W.2d€at€427;€òòFulton€v.Ï¢Pfizer£€Hosp.€Prods.€Group,€Inc.,óó€872€S.W.2d€908,€912€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1993).€ÏAccordingly,€the€doctrine€is€not€applicable€when€an€injury€that€could€haveÏoccurred€in€the€ordinary€course€of€things€even€if€all€the€persons€involved€wereÏexercising€reasonable€care.€€òòSoutheastern€Aviation,€Inc.€v.€Hurd,óó€209€Tenn.Ï639,€œ662,›€355€S.W.2d€436,€446€œ(1962);›€òò¢Armes£€v.€¢Hulett£,óó€843€S.W.2d€427,€432Ï(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1992).ÌÌà àNeither€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£€nor€Mr.€¢Royster£€could€explain€how€the€tiresÏthat€injured€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£€fell€from€the€squeeze€clamp.€€There€is€no€evidenceÏthat€œa€stack€of€tires€could€not€fall€out€of€a€squeeze€clamp€even€if€the€forkliftÏoperator€is€operating€the€forklift€and€the€squeeze€clamp€properly.€€In€fact,€theÏevidence€is€undisputed€that€tires€frequently€fall€from€squeeze€clamps€whenÏstacks€of€tires,€like€the€one€involved€in€this€case,€are€moved.€€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£Íconceded€that€he€was€aware€of€the€danger€of€being€underneath€a€tall€stack€ofÏmaterials€being€moved€on€a€forklift.€€He€also€stated€that€the€bottom€tire€canÏfall€out€of€a€squeeze€clamp€even€when€the€stack€of€tires€has€been€loadedÏproperly.€€ÌÌà àA€juryððs€verdict€cannot€be€based€on€a€mere€spark€or€glimmer€ofÏevidence€that€requires€the€finder„of„fact€to€make€a€leap€of€faith€in€order€toÏfind€that€the€defendant€is€liable€for€the€plaintiffððs€injury.€€òòOgle€v.€¢Winn£„DixieÏGreenville,€Inc.,óó€919€S.W.2d€45,€47€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1995);€òòUnderwood€v.Ï¢HCA£€Health€¢Servs£.€of€Tenn.,€Inc.,óó€892€S.W.2d€at€427.€€The€paucity€ofÏevidence€in€this€case€would€require€a€reasonable€fact„finder€to€speculate€inÏorder€to€find€that€Mr.€Royster€negligently€operated€the€forklift€or€squeezeÏclamp€and€that€this€negligence€was€the€proximate€cause€of€Mr.€¢Rasmussen£ððsÏinjury.€€Accordingly,€the€trial€court€properly€determined€that€¢MROT£€and€Mr.ÏRoyster€were€entitled€to€a€judgment€as€a€matter€of€law.ÌÌà@ àò òIII.ó óÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€summary€judgment€and€remand€the€case€to€the€trial€courtÏfor€whatever€further€proceedings€may€be€required.€€We€also€tax€the€costs€ofÏthis€appeal€to€Michael€and€Cindy€¢Rasmussen£€and€their€surety€for€whichÏexecution,€if€necessary,€may€issue.€€ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,ÏJUDGEÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ________________________________ÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€P.J.,€M.S.€ÌÌÌ________________________________ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGE€Ñ ° ÑÑ Ð Ñ