Martine v. Heavenly Valley Ltd.

27 Cal.App.5th 715

238 Cal.Rptr.3d 237

Teresa MARTINE, Plaintiff and Appellant,

v.HEAVENLY VALLEY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, Defendant and Respondent.

C076998

Court of Appeal, Third District, California.

Filed September 4, 2018

Bradley Paul Elley for Plaintiff and Appellant.

Duane Morris LLP, John E. Fagan, Michael L. Reitzell, and Kristin M. Bohm, Truckee, for Defendant and Respondent.

HULL, J.

Plaintiff Teresa Martine (Martine) hurt her knee while skiing at Heavenly Valley Ski Resort and was being helped down the mountain by a ski patrolman when the rescue sled in which she was riding went out of control and hit a tree. Martine sued resort owner Heavenly Valley Limited Partnership (Heavenly) for negligence and for damages arising from her injuries.

Heavenly moved for summary judgment arguing that there was no evidence that its employee, a ski patrolman named Gustav Horn (Horn) had been negligent in taking Martine down the mountain thus causing the sled to hit the tree and that, in any event, Martine's action is barred by the doctrine of primary assumption of risk.

The trial court granted Heavenly's motion and entered judgment accordingly. Martine appeals.

As we understand her arguments on appeal, Martine asserts: (1) there is evidence on the motion to support Martine's claim that the ski patroller Horn was negligent; (2) her action is not barred by the doctrine of primary assumption of risk; (3) the trial court erred in not allowing her to amend her complaint to allege negligence and damages arising from a second injury she incurred the same day while being taken off the mountain; and (4) the trial court erred in not granting her motion for a new trial.

We affirm the judgment.

The Proceedings

On March 2, 2011, Martine filed a Judicial Council of California form complaint alleging general negligence against Heavenly for injuries she suffered on March 23, 2009. Specifically, Martine alleged: "Heavenly is liable for the negligent transportation of an injured party. Ms. Martine injured her knee while skiing and called for ski patrol to transport her to the bottom of the mountain. She was loaded into a sled by ski patrol, who may have loaded her improperly. During her transport to the bottom of the mountain, ski patrol negligently failed to maintain control of the sled, causing it to slide down the mountain and into a tree. As a result of the accident, Ms. Martine suffered injuries to her head and leg."

Heavenly answered the complaint, asserting various affirmative defenses, including that Martine had assumed the risk for all injuries sustained and that her injuries "resulted from inherent risks of the activity in which [Martine] engaged and as to which [Heavenly] owed no duty."

On November 21, 2012, Heavenly brought its motion for summary judgment (Motion) arguing alternatively that Martine's complaint (1) was barred by the doctrine of primary assumption of risk, or (2) there was no evidence that Heavenly breached a duty of care and/or caused Martine's injuries.

Martine opposed the Motion, arguing: (1) the doctrine of primary assumption of risk "does not apply to the transportation of injured skiers by the ski resort's ski patroller" and (2) the doctrine of primary assumption of risk "does not apply to the transportation of injured skiers by the ski resort's ski patroller engaged in a common carrier activity charged with the duty of utmost care." As to her common carrier contention, Martine also argued that the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur applied, which would show negligence on the part of Heavenly's employee.

The trial court granted the Motion and entered judgment for Heavenly ruling that Martine's action was barred by the doctrine of primary assumption of risk and that Heavenly was not acting in the capacity of a common carrier at the time of the accident.

Martine thereafter moved for a new trial arguing, in part, that there was newly discovered evidence. The trial court denied the motion.

The Facts

In its order granting summary judgment, the trial court set forth the following disputed and undisputed facts relevant to the Motion. Neither party has challenged the trial court's statement of facts and, having reviewed the record on our own, we will adopt it as the statement of facts relevant to the Motion.

"On March 23, 2009, plaintiff was skiing down Powder Bowl at Heavenly Mountain Resort. While skiing with friends, one of plaintiff's companions came out of her skis, and plaintiff called for the assistance of ski patrol. Plaintiff claims that while standing on the hill her kneecap ‘moved out and back in.’

"Volunteer ski patroller Gustav ‘Gus’ Horn was dispatched to the scene of plaintiff's call for assistance. [Horn had] been a ski patroller, both paid and as a volunteer, for the [prior] twenty-eight years. He [had] been at Heavenly for ten years, and he [had] patrolled there over 100 days. [Horn was] a certified professional ski patroller and examiner in first aid, toboggan handling, and skiing, and [was] recertified every two years. [Horn was] trained in all aspects of patrolling, including patient care, toboggan transport, and first aid, and [was] tested on these skills each year by Heavenly. He receive[d] annual and ongoing on-hill training in all aspects of ski patrol including, but not limited to, toboggan training, toboggan training on steep slopes, first aid, and other areas.

"When [Horn] arrived at the scene, he conducted an assessment of plaintiff's reported injuries and called for a toboggan to be transported to him. When the toboggan arrived, [Horn] unpacked it and stabilized it. He applied a quick splint to plaintiff's left leg in accordance with his training and knowledge, [which included] immobilizing the area above and below the injury site, plaintiff's knee. [Horn] had plaintiff lay down in the toboggan inside a blanket roll. After plaintiff was in the toboggan, [Horn] placed a plastic cover or tarp over her, he placed her equipment on her non-injury side (her right side), and strapped her in using the straps provided on the toboggan.

"Heavenly contends that while [Horn] was skiing down the groomed and limited pitch terrain on Lower Mombo, three snowboarders emerged from the trees, off-piste to his right. [Fn. omitted.] While the snowboarders turned to their right, Heavenly claims the last snowboarder clipped [Horn's] right ski, causing him to fall. Based upon [Horn's] view, as the snowboarders turned right, they did so on their toe side edge, which put their backs to him. [Horn] tried to avoid a collision with the last snowboarder, but he was unsuccessful, and when he fell the toboggan rolled over. Heavenly alleges that the rollover caused some of plaintiff's equipment in the toboggan to hit her head.

"Plaintiff, however, contends there was no contact with any of the snowboarders, who she claims were downhill of [Horn]. Instead, plaintiff argues [Horn] lost control of the sled, and he was going too fast and fell. Plaintiff further asserts that [Horn's] reports indicate the incident did not involve any collision, and the toboggan tumbled instead of simply rolling over. Plaintiff also contends her initial head injuries were caused by the sled tumbling out of control and hitting a tree."

Heavenly asserts, "The rollover caused some of [Martine's] equipment in the toboggan to hit her head" while Martine contends her "initial head injuries were caused by the sled tumbling out of control and hitting a tree."

Discussion

IScope of Review

As the California Supreme Court explained in Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 107 Cal.Rptr.2d 841, 24 P.3d 493 (Aguilar ), "Under summary judgment law, any party to an action, whether plaintiff or defendant, ‘may move’ the court ‘for summary judgment’ in his favor on a cause of action (i.e., claim) or defense (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c, subd. (a) ) .... The court must ‘grant[ ]’ the ‘motion’ ‘if all the papers submitted show’ that ‘there is no triable issue as to any material fact’ (id., § 437c, subd. (c) )—that is, there is no issue requiring a trial as to any fact that is necessary under the pleadings and, ultimately, the law [citations]—and that the ‘moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law’ (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c, subd. (c) ). The moving party must ‘support[ ]’ the ‘motion’ with evidence including ‘affidavits, declarations, admissions, answers to interrogatories, depositions, and matters of which judicial notice’ must or may ‘be taken.’ (Id., § 437c, subd. (b).) Likewise, any adverse party may oppose the motion, and, ‘where appropriate,’ must present evidence including ‘affidavits, declarations, admissions, answers to interrogatories, depositions, and matters of which judicial notice’ must or may ‘be taken.’ (Ibid.) An adverse party who chooses to oppose the motion must be allowed a reasonable opportunity to do so. (Id., § 437c, subd. (h).)" (Aguilar, at p. 843, 107 Cal.Rptr.2d 841, 24 P.3d 493.)

"In ruling on the motion, the court must ‘consider all of the evidence’ and ‘all’ of the ‘inferences’ reasonably drawn therefrom (id., § 437c, subd. (c) ), and must view such evidence [citations] and such inferences [citations], in the light most favorable to the opposing party." (Aguilar, 25 Cal.4th at p. 843, 107 Cal.Rptr.2d 841, 24 P.3d 493.) "[I]f the court concludes that the plaintiff's evidence or inferences raise a triable issue of material fact, it must conclude its consideration and deny the defendant[’s] motion." (Aguilar, 25 Cal.4th at p. 856, 107 Cal.Rptr.2d 841, 24 P.3d 493.)

12" ‘The purpose of a summary judgment proceeding is to permit a party to show that material factual claims arising from the pleadings need not be tried because they are not in dispute.’ (Andalon v. Superior Court, [ (1984) 162 Cal.App.3d 600, 604-605, 208 Cal.Rptr. 899 ].) ‘The function of the pleadings in a motion for summary judgment is to delimit the scope of the issues: the function of the affidavits or declarations is to disclose whether there is any triable...