Friebel v. Visiting Nurse Assn. of Mid-Ohio , 2013 Ohio 1646 ( 2013 )

[Cite as Friebel v. Visiting Nurse Assn. of Mid-Ohio, 2013-Ohio-1646.]
COURT OF APPEALS
RICHLAND COUNTY, OHIO
FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
JUDGES:
TAMARA L. FRIEBEL : Hon. Patricia A. Delaney, P.J.
: Hon. W. Scott Gwin, J.
Plaintiff-Appellant : Hon. John W. Wise, J.
:
-vs- :
: Case No. 2012-CA-56
VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF :
MID OHIO, ET AL :
: OPINION
Defendant-Appellee
CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Civil appeal from the Richland County Court
of Common Pleas Case No. 2011CV0939
JUDGMENT: Reversed and Remanded
DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: April 19, 2013
APPEARANCES:
For Plaintiff-Appellant For Defendant-Appellee
PAUL FLOWERS MELISSA A. BLACK
FRANK GALLUCCI JOHN C. BARNO
55 Public Square, Suite 2222 JAMISON S. SPEIDEL
Cleveland, OH 44113 Box 9115
Columbus, OH 43209
[Cite as Friebel v. Visiting Nurse Assn. of Mid-Ohio, 2013-Ohio-1646.]
Gwin, J.
{¶1} Appellant Tamara Friebel appeals from the June 22, 2012 Judgment Entry
issued by the Richland County Court of Common Pleas.
FACTS & PROCEDURAL HISTORY
{¶2} As a home health nurse, appellant provided in-home health care services
to the clients of appellee, Visiting Nurse Association of Mid-Ohio. Her job duties
included visiting homes of geriatric patients to assess their physical condition, reviewing
medications, and tending to medical needs. Each morning, appellant received her
schedule identifying the patients she needed to visit. She typically visited six to eight
patients per day during the week and sometimes visited patients on the weekends,
depending on the needs of the patient. Appellant testified her typical day consisted of
going from patient home to patient home and she only had occasion to stop at the office
when she needed to pick up a form or medical supplies, check her mailbox, or attend
meetings. Each nurse saw patients within a specified territory, though adjustments
could be made when necessary.
{¶3} Appellant traveled in her personal vehicle to the patient’s homes. During
the week, appellant subtracted mileage and time for travel to and from home. On the
weekends, appellee paid appellant for travel time and mileage from the time she left her
home to the time she returned to her home.
{¶4} On Saturday, January 22, 2011, appellant’s first patient was a woman she
had visited approximately eight times previously. The patient lived on Park Avenue,
West, in Ontario, Ohio. Appellant confirmed she was being paid for both travel time and
mileage during this trip from the time she left her home to the time she returned to her
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 3
home. Appellant’s children and two family friends were in the car with appellant
because appellant intended to drop them off at the Richland Mall and then continue on
to see her patient at the patient’s home in Ontario. Appellant testified she planned to
take her normal route to the patient’s home, Lexington-Springmill Road to Park Avenue
West. On her way, she was going to take the second entrance road to the mall off of
Lexington-Springmill Road, drop off her passengers, and proceed on the same access
road to return southbound on Lexington-Springmill Road. Appellant stated after she
dropped off her passengers at the mall, she would have taken Lexington-Springmill
Road to Park Avenue West, the street on which her patient’s home was located.
{¶5} Appellant left her home in Shelby, Ohio and traveled south on Lexington-
Springmill Road. Prior to arriving at the mall entrance, appellant’s car was hit from
behind while stopped at a traffic light at Fourth Street and Lexington-Springmill Road.
Appellant testified she had not yet departed from the route to her patient’s house when
the vehicle was struck, as she had not yet turned into the mall entrance.
{¶6} Appellant sought the right to participate in the workers’ compensation
system for a cervical sprain she sustained in the motor vehicle accident. Though
appellant states that appellee does not dispute appellant sustained an injury, the record
in this case indicates appellee disputes that an injury occurred.
{¶7} On February 11, 2011, appellant’s workers’ compensation claim was
allowed for a sprain of the neck. After an employer appeal, a hearing officer issued an
order on March 22, 2011, finding that appellant was a fixed situs employee and did not
begin her substantial employment until she arrived at the patient’s house and thus was
not in the course and scope of her employment at the time of the accident. A staff
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 4
hearing officer vacated the district hearing officer’s order on May 12, 2011, and the
claim was allowed for a cervical sprain.
{¶8} Appellant filed a complaint in Richland County Common Pleas Court on
August 12, 2011, after appellee commenced the proceedings on July 25, 2011.
Appellee filed an answer denying the allegations. The Bureau of Workers’
Compensation filed an answer stating appellant should be allowed to participate in the
fund for allowed conditions only. The trial court granted summary judgment to appellee
on June 22, 2012, finding, as a matter of law, appellant’s injury did not arise out of her
employment and was not received in the course of her employment because she was
on the personal errand of transporting passengers to the mall.
{¶9} Appellant filed an appeal of the trial court’s June 22, 2012 judgment entry
granting summary judgment to appellee and raises the following assignment of error on
appeal:
{¶10} “ AS A MATTER OF LAW, THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY
OVERTURNING THE SOUND DISCRETION OF THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION OF
OHIO AND GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF DEFENDANT-
APPELLEE, VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF MID OHIO.”
Summary Judgment
{¶11} Civ. R. 56 states in pertinent part:
“Summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings,
depositions, answers to interrogatories, written admissions, affidavits,
transcripts of evidence, and written stipulations of fact, if any, timely filed
in the action, show that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 5
the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. No evidence
or stipulation may be considered except as stated in this rule. A summary
judgment shall not be rendered unless it appears from the evidence or
stipulation, and only from the evidence or stipulation, that reasonable
minds can come to but one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to
the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, that
party being entitled to have the evidence or stipulation construed mostly
strongly in the party’s favor. A summary judgment, interlocutory in
character, may be rendered on the issue of liability alone although there is
a genuine issue as to the amount of damages.”
{¶12} A trial court should not enter a summary judgment if it appears a material
fact is genuinely disputed, nor if, construing the allegations most favorably towards the
non-moving party, reasonable minds could draw different conclusions from the
undisputed facts. Hounshell v. Am. States Ins. Co., 67 Ohio St.2d 427, 424 N.E.2d 311(1981). The court may not resolve any ambiguities in the evidence presented. Inland
Refuse Transfer Co. v. Browning-Ferris Inds. Of Ohio, Inc., 15 Ohio St.3d 321, 474
N.E.2d 271 (1984). A fact is material if it affects the outcome of the case under the
applicable substantive law. Russell v. Interim Personnel, Inc., 135 Ohio App.3d 301,
733 N.E.2d 1186 (1999).
{¶13} When reviewing a trial court’s decision to grant summary judgment, an
appellate court applies the same standard used by the trial court. Smiddy v. The
Wedding Party, Inc., 30 Ohio St.3d 35, 506 N.E.2d 212 (1987). This means we review
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 6
the matter de novo. Doe v. Shaffer, 90 Ohio St.3d 388, 2000-Ohio-186, 738 N.E.2d
1243.
{¶14} The party moving for summary judgment bears the initial burden of
informing the trial court of the basis of the motion and identifying the portions of the
record which demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of fact on a material element
of the non-moving party’s claim. Drescher v. Burt, 75 Ohio St.3d 280, 662 N.E.2d 264(1996). Once the moving party meets its initial burden, the burden shifts to the non-
moving party to set forth specific facts demonstrating a genuine issue of material fact
does exist. Id. The non-moving party may not rest upon the allegations and denials in
the pleadings, but instead must submit some evidentiary materials showing a genuine
dispute over material facts. Henkle v. Henkle, 75 Ohio App.3d 732, 600 N.E.2d 791(1991).
Workers’ Compensation
{¶15} Pursuant to R.C. 4123.54(A), every employee who is injured or contracts
an occupational disease in the course of employment is entitled to receive
compensation for loss sustained a result of the disease or injury as provided for in the
Ohio Revised Code. R.C. 4123.01(C) provides that in order for an employee’s injury to
be compensable under the workers’ compensation fund, the injury must be “received in
the course of, and arising out of, the injured employee’s employment.” The claimant
must show the injury was received both in the course of and arising out of the injured
employee’s employment. Fisher v. Mayfield, 49 Ohio St.3d 275, 551 N.E.2d 1271(1990). However, this rule is to be liberally construed in favor of awarding benefits. Id.
at 278, 551 N.E.2d 1271.
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 7
“In the Course of” Employment
{¶16} Appellee argues the trial court properly found as a matter of law
appellant’s injury was not received in the course of her employment with appellee. We
disagree. The requirement that an injury be in the course of employment involves the
time, place, and circumstances of the injury. Fisher, 49 Ohio St.3d 275, 551 N.E.2d
1271. An injured employee does not actually have to be performing his or her duties for
the injury to be in the course of employment. Stair v. Mid-Ohio Home Health Ltd., 5th
Dist. No. 2010-CA-0114, 2011-Ohio-2351. An employee “must be engaged in a pursuit
or undertaking consistent with the contract of hire which is related in some logical
manner, or is incidental to, his or her employment.” Id. at ¶ 32.
{¶17} Appellee states appellant was on a personal errand and thus not in the
course of employment at the time of her accident because her conduct at the time of the
accident involved transporting passengers to the mall. Appellee further argues
appellant’s act of transporting passengers to the mall took her conduct outside the
course of her employment.
{¶18} In Houston v. Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company, an employee
working as a merchandiser tending to merchandise displays in various stores went to
lunch and Wal-Mart on a personal errand, but had resumed work and was traveling on
her original route to a store when she was involved in an accident. 6th Dist. No. L-04-
1161, 2005-Ohio-4177. The court held that, “when a frolic and detour is ended and the
employee returns to his or her original route, the employee is again within the scope of
employment.” Id. at ¶ 47.
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 8
{¶19} In Slack v. Karrington Operating Company, this court found that while an
employee would arguably be within the course of her employment while on a break
visiting a park with her boss, she was not in the course of her employment when she
stepped away from her boss onto another walkway. 5th Dist. No. 99-COA-01337, 2000
WL 1523285 (Sept. 28, 2000). On the other hand, in Stair v. Mid Ohio Home Health
Ltd., we found an employee injured slipping on ice in the parking lot while en route to
picking up her paycheck was in the course of employment because she was required by
the employer to pick up her paycheck from the office. 5th Dist. No. 2010-CA-0114,
2011-Ohio-2351.
{¶20} In this case, appellant’s children and two family friends were in the car
with appellant because appellant intended to drop them off at the Richland Mall.
However, appellant testified she would have traveled the same route to her patient’s
home whether or not she had been dropping her passengers off at the mall. She
testified she had not yet turned into the mall when her vehicle was struck from behind.
Once the light turned green, she intended to proceed straight through the intersection
on Lexington-Springmill Road and then turn into the mall entrance before returning to
Lexington-Springmill Road and continuing on this route to her patient’s home.
{¶21} These facts present a unique situation in which appellant had dual
intentions when she left her home on the morning of Saturday, January 22, 2011. She
intended to travel to her patient’s home via a certain defined route. She also intended
to drop her passengers off at the mall and return to the route to her patient’s home. We
find it significant that while, at the time of the accident, she had a future intent to divert
her vehicle into the mall entrance, she had not yet diverted off the route from her home
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 9
to the patient’s home. Appellant did not have the opportunity to end any potential “frolic
and detour” that might have occurred, as she was not yet in the process of any “frolic
and detour” or personal errand when her vehicle was hit from behind. She was still on
the path to the patient’s home at the time of the accident. Appellant had not detoured
from her path to the patient’s home and appellee was paying her travel time and
mileage during this time. Simply because appellant dually intended to both travel to her
patient’s home and drop her passengers off at the mall when she left her house does
not disqualify appellant from being in the course of employment since the accident
occurred prior to appellant’s deviation from the route to the patient’s house.
{¶22} Accordingly, we find appellant was injured while engaged in specific acts
appellee required her to do regularly as part of her weekend employment – traveling to
her patient’s home. Thus, as a matter of law, appellant’s injury was received in the
course of her employment with appellee.
“Arising Out of” Employment
{¶23} Appellant argues the trial court erred in finding her injury did not arise out
of her employment. We agree. To satisfy this prong, there must be a sufficient causal
connection between the alleged injury and the employment. Fisher, 49 Ohio St.3d 275,
551 N.E.2d 1271. Whether there is sufficient causal connection between an injury and
her employment depends on the totality of the facts and circumstances surrounding the
accident, including: “(1) the proximity of the scene of the accident to the place of
employment; (2) the degree of control the employer had over the scene of the accident;
and (3) the benefit the employer received from the injured employee’s presence at the
scene of the accident.” Lord v. Daugherty, 66 Ohio St.2d 441, 423 N.E.2d 96 (1980).
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 10
This list of factors is not exhaustive and may continue to evolve, but the list is
“illustrative of the factors that need to be considered.” Fisher, 49 Ohio St.3d at 279, 551
N.E. 2d 1271.
{¶24} Appellee relies on Gilham v. Cambridge Home Health Care, Inc. and
Crockett v. HCR Manorcare, to argue appellant cannot meet the totality of the
circumstances test because the accident occurred on a public roadway, the employer
did not exercise control over the accident scene, and the employer did not receive a
sufficient benefit from appellant’s presence at the scene of the accident. 5th Dist. No.
2008CA00211, 2009-Ohio-2842; 4th Dist. No. 03CA2919, 2004-Ohio-3533. The key
distinction between appellant in the instant case and the employees in the Gilham and
Crockett cases cited by appellee is that in Gilham and Crockett, the employees were not
paid for travel time or reimbursed for travel expenses. In this case, both parties agree
that, on the weekends, appellee paid appellant for travel time and mileage from the time
she left her home to the time she returned to her home.
{¶25} Travel was an integral part of appellant’s employment as a visiting nurse.
Appellee knew appellant used her vehicle to travel to and from job sites and acquiesced
in its use. Unlike on the weekdays when appellant was not paid for mileage or travel
time to and from her home, on the Saturday when the accident occurred appellant was
paid for travel time and mileage from the time she left her home to the time she returned
to her home. Appellee waived direct control of appellant’s “tools of the trade,” such as
her automobile. Hampton v. Trimble, 101 Ohio App.3d 282, 655 N.E.2d 432 (2d Dist.
1995). An employer’s lack of control over an accident scene is not dispositive of
causation because “the absence of this one factor [i.e., degree of employer’s control
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 11
over the accident scene] cannot be considered controlling to deny coverage.” Cossin v.
Ohio State Home Servs., Inc., 10th Dist. No. 12AP-132, 2012-Ohio-5664, quoting
Griffith v. Miamisburg, 10th Dist. No. 08AP-557, 2008-Ohio-6611, ¶ 13.
{¶26} While appellee had no control over the scene of the accident, appellee
reaped the benefits of appellant’s travel to the homes of patients as its business centers
around nurses traveling to visit patients in their homes. As noted above, appellant was
on the route to the patient’s home, prior to exiting the route to the patient’s home to drop
off her passengers at the mall and thus was still in her zone of employment. She had
not yet diverted from the route to the patient’s home to seek a personal benefit at the
time of the accident. Further, the record demonstrates the accident site was only a few
miles from the home of the patient.
{¶27} The totality of the circumstances shows appellant would not have been
present at the scene of the accident if she was not performing her employment duties.
Accordingly, we find, as a matter of law, appellant has established the causation prong
of Fisher.
“Coming and Going” Rule
{¶28} “As a general rule, an employee with a fixed place of employment, who is
injured while traveling to or from his place of employment, is not entitled to participate in
the Workers’ Compensation Fund because the requisite causal connection between
injury and the employment does not exist.” Ruckman v. Cubby Drilling, Inc., 81 Ohio
St.3d 117, 119, 689 N.E.2d 917 (1998). When determining whether an employee is a
fixed situs employee, the “focus is on whether the employee commences his or her
substantial employment duties only after arriving at a specific and identifiable workplace
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 12
designated by his employer.” Id. Further, “where traveling itself is part of the
employment, either by virtue of the nature of the occupation or by virtue of the contract
of employment, the employment situs is non-fixed, and the coming-and-going rule, is by
definition, inapplicable.” Bennett v. Goodremont’s, Inc., 6th Dist. No. L-08-1193, 2009-
Ohio-2920 at ¶ 19.
{¶29} Appellee argues the coming and going rule prevents appellant from
participating in the workers’ compensation fund. We disagree. Appellant testified her
typical day consisted of traveling from patient home to patient home and she only had
occasion to stop at the office when she needed to pick up a form, pick up medical
supplies, check her mailbox, or for meetings. Her work day did not begin and end in
one location. In addition, unlike in the Gilham case, appellant was compensated for
travel time and mileage from the time she left her home until the time she returned to
her home. The facts in this case are similar to those in Stair v. Mid-Ohio Home Health
Ltd., where the employee traveled to homes to complete household chores and was
paid hourly for the chores and travel time between clients. 5th Dist. No. 2010-CA-0114,
2011-Ohio-2351. Appellant’s travel to and from the patients’ homes was a fundamental
and necessary part of her employment duties.
{¶30} We conclude as a matter of law appellant was not a fixed situs employee
and the coming and going rule does not apply to prevent appellant from participating in
the workers’ compensation fund.
Special Hazard Exception
{¶31} Appellant argues the special hazard exception applies in this case if the
coming and going rule bars her claim. Analysis of the special hazard exception is only
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 13
relevant if appellant is a fixed situs or semi-fixed situs employee. Ruckman, 81 Ohio
St.3d 117, 689 N.E.2d 917 (1998). Because we found as a matter of law the coming
and going rule does not apply and appellant was not a fixed or semi-fixed situs
employee, the special hazard exception is not applicable.
Conclusion
{¶32} We find the trial court erred as a matter of law in determining appellant
was not entitled to participate in the workers’ compensation fund.
{¶33} Appellant’s assignment of error is sustained.
{¶34} For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of
Richland County is reversed, and the cause is remanded to the court for further
proceedings in consistent with this decision.
By Gwin, J., and
Delaney, P.J., concur;
Wise, J., dissents _________________________________
HON. W. SCOTT GWIN
_________________________________
HON. PATRICIA A. DELANEY
_________________________________
HON. JOHN W. WISE
WSG:clw 0325
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 14
Wise, J., dissenting
{¶35} I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion. The majority finds that
appellant was in the course of employment because she had a dual intent at the time
she left her house. One intent was to go to her first scheduled appointment of the day.
Appellant’s other intent was to take her daughter and a friend to the mall, which was en
route to her first appointment. The majority analyzes this fact pattern under a frolic and
detour theory finding that she had not yet left the route leading to her first job site, as
she had not yet turned onto the route entering the mall when the accident occurred.
{¶36} I agree with the majority that the facts determine the legal outcome in
“course of employment” cases; however, I disagree with the majority’s application of the
facts in this case. I do not believe “frolic and detour” is the proper legal analysis under
these facts. The majority speaks to the dual intent of appellant and applies that concept
to the “frolic and detour” analysis. I disagree with this analysis for two reasons. First, I
do not find any case law to support the concept of dual intent. I believe that an
employee has a purpose which may change during the course of the day’s employment,
i.e. “frolic and detour”. Second, I believe intent or purpose analysis becomes very
difficult when trying to determine what is in the mind of the employee. Instead, I believe
a strict application of the facts best determines whether the employee was in the course
of employment or on a personal errand. In this case, the facts indicate that the
employee was headed to the mall to drop off her daughter and her friend. Only after she
had dropped off her passengers at the mall was she going to begin her travel in the
course of her employment. Therefore, there could be no “frolic and detour” from a
course upon which she had not yet set out.
Richland County, Case No. 2012-CA-56 15
________________________________
JUDGE JOHN W. WISE
[Cite as Friebel v. Visiting Nurse Assn. of Mid-Ohio, 2013-Ohio-1646.]
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR RICHLAND COUNTY, OHIO
FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
TAMARA L. FRIEBEL :
:
Plaintiff-Appellant :
:
:
-vs- : JUDGMENT ENTRY
:
VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF :
MID OHIO, ET AL :
:
:
Defendant-Appellee : CASE NO. 2012-CA-56
For the reasons stated in our accompanying Memorandum-Opinion, the judgment of
the Court of Common Pleas of Richland County is reversed, and the cause is remanded
to the court for further proceedings in consistent with this decision. Costs to appellee.
_________________________________
HON. W. SCOTT GWIN
_________________________________
HON. PATRICIA A. DELANEY
_________________________________
HON. JOHN W. WISE