2012 Ohio 6112
Ohio Ct. App.2012Background
- Simonelli suffered a guide-thumb amputation caused by a meat-cutting band saw at Fligner’s Market in 2009; he filed suit against Fligners alleging wrongful termination, intentional injury, and damages.
- Fligners moved for summary judgment, arguing no genuine issues of material fact and entitlement to judgment as a matter of law; the trial court granted summary judgment and dismissed all claims.
- The trial court analyzed claims for employer intentional tort under RC 2745.01, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, wrongful discharge (constructive discharge), and hostile work environment.
- Simonelli argued there were material facts showing deliberate intent to injure or intolerable working conditions.
- The court applied Dresher’s burden-shifting framework to each claim and found no genuine issues of material fact for the employer, sustaining summary judgment for Fligners on all claims.
- The sole assignment of error challenged the trial court’s grant of summary judgment to Fligners, which this court affirmed.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether summary judgment was proper on Simonelli’s claims against Fligners. | Simonelli contends genuine facts show intentional or actionable conduct. | Fligners show absence of deliberate intent and lack of intolerable conditions. | Yes; summary judgment affirmed for all claims. |
Key Cases Cited
- Grafton v. Ohio Edison Co., 77 Ohio St.3d 102 (Ohio 1996) (establishes de novo review for summary judgment and Civ.R.56 standards)
- Dresher v. Burt, 75 Ohio St.3d 280 (Ohio 1996) (burden-shifting framework for Civ.R.56)
- Temple v. Wean United, Inc., 50 Ohio St.2d 317 (Ohio 1977) (affirms summary judgment criteria under Civ.R.56)
- Barton v. G.E. Baker Constr., Inc., 2011-Ohio-5704 (9th Dist. 2011) (employer intentional tort limits via Workers’ Comp framework)
- Kaminski v. Metal & Wire Prods. Co., 125 Ohio St.3d 250 (Ohio 2010) (requires specific intent for employer intentional tort)
- Houdek v. ThyssenKrupp Materials N.A., Inc., 2012-Ohio-5685 (Ohio 2012) (discusses elements of employer intentional tort)
- Yeager v Local Union 20, Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen, & Helpers of America, 6 Ohio St.3d 369 (Ohio 1983) (emotional distress standard; severity required)
- Brooks v. Lady Foot Locker, 2005-Ohio-2394 (9th Dist. 2005) (emotional distress threshold)
- Paugh v. Hanks, 6 Ohio St.3d 72 (Ohio 1983) (requires extreme and outrageous conduct for IIED)
- Giannini-Baur v. Schwab Retirement Plan Servs., 2010-Ohio-6453 (9th Dist. 2010) (constructive discharge standard review)
- Risch v. Friendly’s Ice Cream Corp., 136 Ohio App.3d 109 (1st Dist. 1999) (insufficiency of intolerable working conditions)
- Jarvis v. Gerstenslager, 2003-Ohio-3165 (9th Dist. 2003) (hostile work environment analysis under Title VII)