COURT OF APPEALS DECISION DATED AND FILED December 10, 2009 David
R. Schanker Clerk of Court of Appeals |
|
NOTICE |
|
|
This opinion is subject to further editing. If published, the official version will appear in the bound volume of the Official Reports. A party may file with the Supreme Court a petition to review an adverse decision by the Court of Appeals. See Wis. Stat. § 808.10 and Rule 809.62. |
|
APPEAL
from an order of the circuit court for
Before Dykman, P.J., Higginbotham and Bridge, JJ.
¶1 HIGGINBOTHAM, J. Robert J. Van Epps, both individually and as special administrator for the Estate of his mother, Josephine Osgood, and his siblings, Rosemary Van Epps, James P. Van Epps and Patricia Looker, appeal a summary judgment order dismissing their claims of assault and battery, conspiracy, negligence, false imprisonment, fraud and misrepresentation against Krista Mendyke, North Haven of Stevens Point, Inc. and National Speciality Insurance (“Mendyke”)[1] for alleged damages resulting from Osgood’s 2005 stay at North Haven, a community-based residential facility (CBRF). We conclude that summary judgment was appropriately granted to Mendyke and therefore affirm.
Background
¶2 The following facts are taken from the parties’ summary
judgment submissions viewed in the light most favorable to the Estate.[2] In October 2004, Josephine Osgood was admitted
to
¶3 Soon after being admitted, Osgood got behind in payments to
¶4 On January 16, 2005, Osgood reportedly fell and was found on
the floor of her room. She was taken to
a nearby hospital, where she received treatment for minor injuries, and was
returned to
¶5 Cummings informed Mendyke later that night that Osgood had
been readmitted. Cummings testified that
Mendyke said that she wanted Osgood out of the facility that night, and told
her that she would pay a bonus to any staff member who caused Osgood’s removal
from
¶6 Osgood was discharged from
DISCUSSION
¶7 We review de novo a grant of summary judgment, employing the
same methodology as the circuit court. See Green
Spring Farms v. Kersten, 136
¶8 If the complaint states a claim for relief, we then examine
the summary judgment submissions to determine whether material issues of fact
exist.
I.
Complaint fails to state a claim upon which
Osgood’s children may personally recover damages
¶9 The complaint alleges that Josephine Osgood’s children, James Van Epps, Patricia Looker, Rosemary Van Epps, and Robert Van Epps, each suffered “emotional[], financial[] and/or physical[]” damages as a result of Mendyke’s alleged mistreatment of Van Epps. For the reasons that follow, we conclude that the complaint fails to state a claim upon which Osgood’s children may personally recover for alleged damages arising from these circumstances.
¶10 On appeal, Osgood’s children no longer maintain that they personally suffered direct physical or financial damages, and our review of the summary judgment submissions reveals no evidence of physical or financial injury to them. Rather, the children maintain only that they personally suffered emotional damages as a result of Mendyke’s alleged conduct. The children variously allege that they have suffered trouble sleeping, nightmares, frequent crying, intestinal ailments, nose bleeds, problems at work, guilt and depression.
¶11 However,
¶12 Accordingly, we conclude that summary judgment was properly granted against Osgood’s children in their personal capacity.
II.
Mendyke and
A. Negligence Claim Against
¶13 The Estate contends that
B. Assault and Battery and Conspiracy
¶14 The Estate contends summary judgment is inappropriate because material facts remain in dispute. The Estate argues that it has submitted sufficient facts to support a claim for assault and battery based on the following incidents: (1) Mendyke offered a bonus to staff members to remove Osgood from the facility, which led to Osgood’s fall on January 16, 2005, and subsequent trip to the local hospital emergency room; (2) a staff member, Charlene Cummings, in an attempt to collect on Mendyke’s offer of a bonus, attempted to drag Osgood out of her bed by pulling on her arms with the intention of walking Osgood until she fell; and (3) staff members over-sedated Osgood, causing her physical distress.[6] We address each contention in turn.
¶15 Regarding the January 16, 2005 fall, the Estate contends that
Donna (Henke) Erickson’s and Charlene Cummings’ testimony that Mendyke had
offered them a bonus for causing Osgood to be removed from the facility is
sufficient to support a reasonable inference that Mendyke or her staff, as a
part of an alleged scheme to remove Osgood from the facility, caused the fall. It is true that the affidavits contain evidence
supporting the Estate’s allegation that Mendyke offered a bonus to certain
employees to remove Osgood from the facility.
It is also true that the undisputed facts show that Osgood was found on
the floor on January 16 and was subsequently taken to the hospital, where she
was treated. However, the Estate fails
to produce any evidence that Mendyke or any member of her staff caused Osgood
to fall. Moreover, the testimony
suggests that Mendyke offered the bonus after
January 16. Additionally, the record
shows that Osgood had a history of falling, which was the product of syncope
(fainting), and had experienced recurrent syncope at the hospital on January 16
when emergency room personnel attempted to walk her. We therefore conclude that allegations that
Mendyke or her staff caused the January 16 fall as part of a scheme to remove
Osgood from
¶16 Turning to the Estate’s contention that Cummings’ attempt to remove Osgood from her bed by pulling on her arms supports its claim for assault and battery, we conclude that the complaint fails to state a claim for assault and battery on this ground.[7]
¶17 In determining whether a complaint states a claim, we accept as
true the facts pleaded and all reasonable inferences arising from those
facts. Farr, 253
¶18 The elements of a civil assault and battery claim are
intentional bodily harm to the plaintiff without the plaintiff’s consent. See
¶19 The complaint makes the following allegations in support of the claim for assault and battery:
22. That the defendant [Krista Mendyke] was unauthorized, forceful and offensive to Josephine Osgood when she intentionally:
A. Told her employee to walk Mrs. Osgood until she dropped.
B. Told her employee to push Mrs. Osgood to the floor and leave her there.
C. Gave Mrs. Osgood improper medications that caused her physical pain.
D. Told
her staff that she wanted Mrs. Osgood out of her facility, even offering a
reward, to anyone that could rid her, and
E. Calling and having Ms. Osgood transported to the hospital when it was not medically necessary.
23 That as a result of the defendant’s assault and battery Mrs. Osgood and the plaintiffs, who are her children, suffered emotionally, financially and/or physically.
24. That the assault and battery of the defendant was the proximate cause of the plaintiffs’ injuries and damages, therefor, the defendant is responsible to plaintiffs for all of plaintiffs’ injuries and damages.
¶20 Assuming all of the Estate’s allegations of assault and battery
are true, we conclude that the complaint fails to set forth sufficient facts to
state a claim for assault and battery based on Cummings’ alleged conduct. First, the complaint contains no factual allegations
that Cummings pulled on Osgood’s arms with the intent to remove her from the
bed and to cause her harm. Indeed, the
complaint makes no mention of Cummings at all or this alleged incident. Although the complaint alleges that Mendyke
told an employee to walk Osgood until she fell, the complaint does not allege that
any employee did in fact walk or attempt to walk Osgood until she fell. In addition, the complaint contains no
factual allegations from which it could be reasonably inferred that Cummings
harmed or attempted to harm Osgood. In
short, the complaint contains no “statement of the general factual
circumstances” in support of the Estate’s contention that Cummings committed
assault and battery on Osgood by pulling on her arms. See Ziemann, 102
¶21 Even assuming for the sake of argument that the complaint
states a claim for civil assault and battery based on Cummings’ alleged misconduct,
the Estate has not produced any evidence that Osgood suffered any injuries and
that those injuries were caused by Cummings when she pulled on Osgood’s
arms. See
¶22 Regarding the allegation of over-sedation, the January 16
emergency room discharge report indicates that Osgood appeared to be
over-sedated because of a “long acting scheduled narcotic pain medication” she
had been prescribed. However, the Estate
presents no evidence from which a reasonable inference could be drawn that Mendyke
or
¶23 We first examine evidence submitted by Mendyke to determine whether she has established a prima facie defense. Mendyke introduced the depositions of numerous employees, including Charlene Cummings, Mark Jagger, Donna Henke, and Julia Spielman. Questions were posed to each person regarding whether they knew of anyone at North Haven who may have given the wrong medication to Osgood or administered the wrong dose, or whether they had done so themselves. None of the employees indicated that Osgood was given the wrong medication or administered the wrong dose of any medication. We conclude that Mendyke has made a prima facie case for summary judgment.
¶24 We now turn to the Estate’s submissions to determine whether a material dispute of fact exists on the over-sedation issue. The Estate relies heavily on hospital medical records to support its claim that Mendyke intentionally administered improper medication to Osgood. These records were created when Osgood was taken to the emergency room on January 16, 2005, after she fell. The records indicate that Osgood presented with syncope, which was likely caused by a number of factors, including the likelihood of being over-sedated by pain medication prescribed for back pain. The records also indicate that the emergency room physicians immediately discontinued the pain medicine.
¶25 We conclude that the Estate has failed to submit any evidence
creating a material dispute of fact concerning the over-sedation issue. With respect to the medical records, standing
alone, these records do not support the Estate’s claim that Mendyke, or anyone
else at her direction, over-sedated Osgood.
There is no evidence in the record from which a reasonable inference
could be drawn that any
¶26 Turning to the Estate’s conspiracy claim, the Estate argues that there are sufficient facts supporting its allegation that Mendyke conspired with members of her staff, including Cummings, to remove Osgood from the facility and that Cummings acted on the conspiracy. However, we have concluded that the assault and battery claim concerning Cummings fails to state a claim. Thus, because the conspiracy claim relates to a claim we have rejected, we must reject the conspiracy claim as well.[9]
C. False
Imprisonment
¶27 This cause of action stems from allegations that Mendyke, as
part of an alleged effort to have Osgood removed from
¶28 False imprisonment is “[t]he unlawful restraint by one person
of the physical liberty of another.” Strong
v. City of
¶29 The Estate contends that Osgood’s January 21 transport to the hospital constituted false imprisonment because it was not medically necessary for her to go to the hospital. It notes that Cummings and Jaggar testified that they believed that Osgood did not require emergency medical treatment on that day.
¶30 Regardless of Mendyke’s reasons for having Osgood transported to the hospital, the submissions show that Osgood had medical needs on January 21. The report from the emergency responders states that Osgood complained of “p[ai]n all over” and nausea. At the hospital, Osgood said she was “feeling all done in,” and complained of nausea and chest pain when coughing. The emergency room physician diagnosed Osgood with a “viral syndrome,” directed her to take Tylenol and discussed with Osgood “close follow-up with [her] primary care physician early next week.” Further, the record contains no evidence that Osgood was transported to the emergency room against her will; the emergency responders’ report states that Osgood “walked to the cot” to be carried into the ambulance. On these undisputed facts, we conclude that Osgood’s January 21 transport to the hospital was not without just cause and therefore does not provide a basis for an action for false imprisonment. Accordingly, we conclude that Mendyke is entitled to summary judgment on this claim.
D. Fraud and Negligent Misrepresentation
¶31 The Estate’s claims of fraud and negligent misrepresentation stem from allegations that Rosemary Van Epps, acting as Osgood’s representative, placed Osgood in North Haven based on Mendyke’s false assurances that North Haven was a safe place, and by providing Van Epps with a North Haven brochure that made similar assurances about the facility.
¶32 An action for fraud, sometimes called fraudulent
misrepresentation or intentional misrepresentation,[10]
and an action for negligent misrepresentation share the following
elements: “1) the defendant must have
made a representation of fact to the plaintiff; 2) the representation of fact
must be false; and 3) the plaintiff must have believed and relied on the
misrepresentation to his [or her] detriment or damage.” Tietsworth v. Harley-Davidson, Inc.,
2004 WI 32, ¶13, 270
¶33 We conclude that the submissions fail to support claims of
fraud or negligent misrepresentation because the Estate failed to provide
evidence that Rosemary Van Epps, as Osgood’s representative, relied upon
the alleged misrepresentations to Osgood’s detriment. The Estate’s brief asserts—without citation
to the record—that Mendyke personally stated to Rosemary Van Epps, as
Osgood’s representative, that
CONCLUSION
¶34 In sum, we conclude that the circuit court properly granted Mendyke’s motion for summary judgment. Accordingly, we affirm.
By the Court.—Order affirmed.
Not recommended for publication in the official reports.
[1] The
defendants filed two sets of responsive briefs in this case, one from Mendyke,
the other from
[2] Mendyke
argues that portions of an affidavit of the Estate’s attorney were not made on
personal knowledge or do not set forth facts that would be admissible as
evidence and therefore may not be considered on summary judgment pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 802.08(3). These portions include: signed statements of
[3] We discourage the practice of issuing factual findings on summary judgment because it increases the possibility that the court may erroneously issue a finding as to a disputed fact. Bank of New Glarus v. Swartwood, 2006 WI App 224, ¶11 n.5, 297 Wis. 2d 458, 725 N.W.2d 944. We note that the court did not make such an error in this case, however. Its “findings” did not resolve factual disputes; they merely stated the court’s conclusions that the Estate failed to produce evidence of damages, and that the case presented no triable issues of fact. Thus, to the extent that the Estate’s contention that the circuit court made credibility determinations in its decision granting Mendyke summary judgment rests on the Findings of Fact, we reject this argument.
[4] All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2007-08 version unless otherwise noted.
[5] The
complaint also alleges
[6] The Estate also argues that Mendyke committed assault and battery on Osgood by having Osgood transported to the hospital on January 21, 2005, “where a doctor would poke and prod her” even though she did not need medical attention. However, reading the pleadings liberally, the Estate’s complaint does not allege assault and battery on this ground. We therefore address Osgood’s transport to the hospital only in the context of the Estate’s claim of false imprisonment.
We observe that the Estate alleged in the assault and battery section of the complaint that Mendyke gave Osgood medication that caused Osgood pain. However, the Estate does not address this allegation in its appellate brief in the assault and battery section. Instead, the Estate raises this issue in its section alleging negligence on the part of North Haven based in part on violations of the community-based residential facilities regulations set forth in Ch. 83 of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Code. Nonetheless, we address the over-sedation issue here because it was alleged as an assault and battery.
[7] We
acknowledge that Mendyke does not argue that the complaint fails to state a
claim for civil assault and battery based on the allegation that Cummings
pulled on Osgood’s arms. However, the
first step in the summary judgment methodology requires an examination of the
complaint to determine whether it states a claim. See Frost v. Whitbeck, 2001 WI App 289,
¶6, 249
[8] There is one theory of battery that the record may support if
sufficiently pled: assault and battery:
offensive bodily contact. However, even
reading the complaint liberally, we conclude that the complaint fails to state
any facts in support of this claim.
The elements of assault and battery, offensive bodily contact, are:
[T]he infliction of a bodily contact; an intention to inflict such contact; the making of bodily contact in an angry, revengeful, rude, or insolent manner; a contact which was offensive to a reasonable sense of personal dignity and which was unwarranted by the social usages prevalent at the time and place at which it was inflicted.
See
The complaint fails to state a claim for assault and battery, offensive bodily contact, in at least two ways. First, the complaint does not allege “the infliction of bodily contact.” Certainly, the record supports a possible claim for assault and battery, offensive bodily contact based on evidence that Cummings pulled on her arms. However, the complaint does not make this allegation. Second, assuming the complaint sufficiently alleges bodily contact, it does not allege that the contact was done “in an angry, revengeful, rude, or insolent manner,” or make any other allegation from which a reasonable inference could arise that this part of the element has been sufficiently pled. We need not consider the last two elements because the result of our analysis is apparent. Even giving the complaint the most liberal reading entitled by law, we cannot discern any factual allegations from which we can infer that the complaint states a claim for assault and battery by offensive bodily contact.
[9] “To
state a cause of action for civil conspiracy, the complaint must allege: (1)
The formation and operation of the conspiracy; (2) the wrongful act or acts
done pursuant thereto; and (3) the damage resulting from such act or acts.” Onderdonk v. Lamb, 79
[10] See Kaloti Enters., Inc. v. Kellogg Sales Co., 2005 WI 111, ¶12, 283 Wis. 2d 555, 699 N.W.2d 205.