JEANNE OMELENCHUK V CITY OF WARREN
Annotate this Case
Download PDF
STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
JEANNE OMELENCHUK and KRISTIN
OMELENCHUK, Co-Personal Representatives of
the Estate of George Omelenchuk,
UNPUBLISHED
June 23, 2000
Plaintiffs-Appellants,
v
No. 204098
Macomb Circuit Court
LC No. 96-005448-NH
CITY OF WARREN and WARREN FIRE
DEPARTMENT,
ON REMAND
Defendants-Appellees.
Before: Neff, P.J., and Kelly and Hood, JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
This case is before us on remand from the Supreme Court for consideration of the immunity
issue. We reverse and remand.
Plaintiffs argue that the trial court erred in granting summary disposition based on immunity. We
agree. Our review of a summary disposition decision is de novo. Spiek v Dep’t of Transportation,
456 Mich 331, 337; 572 NW2d 201 (1998). MCL 333.20965; MSA 14.15(20965) provides that
liability will not be imposed upon an emergency attendant unless the act or omission is the result of gross
negligence. Summary disposition is precluded in cases where reasonable jurors could reach different
conclusions with regard to whether a defendant’s conduct amounted to gross negligence. Vermilya v
Dunham, 195 Mich App 79, 83; 489 NW2d 496 (1992). In the present case, defendants failed to
present any documentary evidence to establish that the conduct of the responding paramedics did not
constitute gross negligence. The moving party must make and support entitlement to summary
disposition with documentary evidence.
-1
MCR 2.116(G)(4), (5). Accordingly, the trial court erred in granting defendants’ motion for summary
disposition.1
Reversed.
/s/ Janet T. Neff
/s/ Michael J. Kelly
/s/ Harold Hood
1
Defendants argue that MCL 333.20965(2); MSA 14.15(20965)(2) of the Emergency Medical
Services Act (EMSA) refers to the Governmental Tort Liability Act (GTLA), and therefore, summary
disposition was proper pursuant to MCL 691.1407; MSA 3.996(107). MCL 333.20965(2); MSA
14.15(20965)(2) provides that the provision governing gross negligence “does not limit immunity from
liability otherwise provided by law for any of the persons listed in subsection (1).” However, review of
the legislative intent underlying the Emergency Medical Services Act reveals that the legislation was
reenacted with changes because it was scheduled to lapse on September 30, 1989. House Bill Analysis
HB 4952, Second Analysis, January 11, 1990. There is no evidence or expressed intention in the
legislative analysis to eliminate vicarious liability by incorporating the provisions of the GTLA. Id.
Defendants’ contention is not supported by the legislative history.
-2
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.