[Cite as Knight v. Ohio Dept. of Transp., 2010-Ohio-6546.]

                                       Court of Claims of Ohio
                                                                        The Ohio Judicial Center
                                                                65 South Front Street, Third Floor
                                                                           Columbus, OH 43215
                                                                 614.387.9800 or 1.800.824.8263
                                                                            www.cco.state.oh.us




LISA KNIGHT

       Plaintiff

       v.

OHIO DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION

       Defendant

        Case No. 2010-03690-AD

Deputy Clerk Daniel R. Borchert

MEMORANDUM DECISION



        {¶ 1} Plaintiff, Lisa Knight, filed this action against defendant, Department of
Transportation (ODOT), contending her automobile was damaged as a proximate cause
of negligence on the part of ODOT in maintaining a hazardous condition on Interstate
75 South in Hamilton County. Specifically, plaintiff advised that the wheel, strut, and
stabilizer links on her vehicle were damaged as a result of striking a pothole in the left
lane of Interstate 75. Plaintiff filed this complaint requesting damage recovery in the
amount of $467.40, the total cost of replacement parts needed resulting from the
described incident.        Plaintiff recalled that her property damage event occurred on
February 17, 2010 at approximately 11:30 a.m. The filing fee was paid.
        {¶ 2} Defendant denied liability in this matter based on the contention that no
ODOT personnel had any knowledge of the particular damage-causing pothole prior to
plaintiff’s February 17, 2010 described occurrence. Defendant located the particular
pothole “between milepost 10.88 and 9.45 on I-75 in Hamilton County” and advised that
“ODOT did not receive any reports of the pothole or have knowledge of the pothole prior
to the (February 17, 2010) incident.” According to ODOT records the only complaint
received (December 14, 2009) regarding a pothole on Interstate 75 was in the
northbound lane; the opposite direction of where plaintiff was traveling when her vehicle
struck a pothole.    Defendant submitted a copy of “Maintenance Records” recording
ODOT maintenance activity on Interstate 75 from August 17, 2009 to February 17,
2010. The submitted document shows ODOT personnel performed pothole patching
operations in the vicinity of plaintiff’s incident on September 9, 2009, January 12, 2010,
and January 13, 2010. The pothole repair that was apparently made in response to the
October 12, 2009 complaint is not listed on the submitted maintenance activity
document.
       {¶ 3} Defendant denied ODOT negligently maintained Interstate 75 in Hamilton
County.    Defendant noted the ODOT “Hamilton County Manager inspects all state
roadways within the county at least two times a month.” Apparently no potholes were
discovered between mileposts 10.88 and 9.45 on Interstate 75 South the last time that
section of roadway was inspected prior to February 17, 2010. The claim file is devoid of
any copy of ODOT Hamilton County inspection records.                Defendant asserted the
particular location of Interstate 75 is a well patrolled location and suggested the pothole
plaintiff’s car struck “existed for only a short time before the incident.”
       {¶ 4} For plaintiff to prevail on a claim of negligence, she must prove, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that defendant owed her a duty, that it breached that
duty, and that the breach proximately caused her injuries.           Armstrong v. Best Buy
Company, Inc., 99 Ohio St. 3d 79, 2003-Ohio-2573,¶8 citing Menifee v. Ohio Welding
Products, Inc. (1984), 15 Ohio St. 3d 75, 77, 15 OBR 179, 472 N.E. 2d 707. Plaintiff
has the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that she suffered a loss
and that this loss was proximately caused by defendant’s negligence. Barnum v. Ohio
State University (1977), 76-0368-AD. However, “[i]t is the duty of a party on whom the
burden of proof rests to produce evidence which furnishes a reasonable basis for
sustaining his claim. If the evidence so produced furnishes only a basis for a choice
among different possibilities as to any issue in the case, he fails to sustain such
burden.” Paragraph three of the syllabus in Steven v. Indus. Comm. (1945), 145 Ohio
St. 198, 30 O.O. 415, 61 N.E. 2d 198, approved and followed.
       {¶ 5} Defendant has the duty to maintain its highways in a reasonably safe
condition for the motoring public. Knickel v. Ohio Department of Transportation (1976),
49 Ohio App. 2d 335, 3 O.O. 3d 413, 361 N.E. 2d 486. However, defendant is not an
insurer of the safety of its highways. See Kniskern v. Township of Somerford (1996),
112 Ohio App. 3d 189, 678 N.E. 2d 273; Rhodus v. Ohio Dept. of Transp. (1990), 67
Ohio App. 3d 723, 588 N.E. 2d 864.
      {¶ 6} In order to prove a breach of the duty to maintain the highways, plaintiff
must prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that defendant had actual or
constructive notice of the precise condition or defect alleged to have caused the
accident.   McClellan v. ODOT (1986), 34 Ohio App. 3d 247, 517 N.E. 2d 1388.
Defendant is only liable for roadway conditions of which it has notice but fails to
reasonably correct. Bussard v. Dept. of Transp. (1986), 31 Ohio Misc. 2d 1, 31 OBR
64, 507 N.E. 2d 1179. There is no evidence that defendant had actual notice of the
pothole.    Therefore, for the court to find liability on a notice theory, evidence of
constructive notice of the pothole must be presented.
      {¶ 7} “[C]onstructive notice is that which the law regards as sufficient to give
notice and is regarded as a substitute for actual notice or knowledge.” In re Estate of
Fahle (1950), 90 Ohio App. 195, 197-198, 48 O.O. 231, 105 N.E. 2d 429. “A finding of
constructive notice is a determination the court must make on the facts of each case not
simply by applying a pre-set time standard for the discovery of certain road hazards.”
Bussard, at 4.      “Obviously, the requisite length of time sufficient to constitute
constructive notice varies with each specific situation.” Danko v. Ohio Dept. of Transp.
(Feb. 4, 1993), Franklin App. 92AP-1183. In order for there to be constructive notice,
plaintiff must prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that sufficient time has
elapsed after the dangerous condition appears, so that under the circumstances
defendant should have acquired knowledge of its existence.          Guiher v. Dept. of
Transportation (1978), 78-0126-AD; Gelarden v. Ohio Dept. of Transp., Dist. 4, Ct. of Cl.
No. 2007-02521-AD, 2007-Ohio-3047.
      {¶ 8} The trier of fact is precluded from making an inference of defendant’s
constructive notice, unless evidence is presented in respect to the time that the pothole
appeared on the roadway. Spires v. Ohio Highway Department (1988), 61 Ohio Misc.
2d 262, 577 N.E. 2d 458. No evidence was presented to establish the length of time
that the particular pothole was present. Size of the defect (pothole) is insufficient to
show notice or duration of existence. O’Neil v. Department of Transportation (1988), 61
Ohio Misc. 2d 287, 587 N.E. 2d 891. Plaintiff has failed to prove that defendant had
constructive notice of the pothole. Plaintiff has not produced any evidence to infer that
defendant, in a general sense, maintains its highways negligently or that defendant’s
acts caused the defective condition.    Herlihy v. Ohio Department of Transportation
(1999), 99-07011-AD. Therefore, defendant is not liable for any damage that plaintiff
may have suffered from the roadway defect.


                               Court of Claims of Ohio
                                                                       The Ohio Judicial Center
                                                               65 South Front Street, Third Floor
                                                                          Columbus, OH 43215
                                                                614.387.9800 or 1.800.824.8263
                                                                           www.cco.state.oh.us




LISA KNIGHT

      Plaintiff

      v.

OHIO DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION

      Defendant

      Case No. 2010-03690-AD

Deputy Clerk Daniel R. Borchert


ENTRY OF ADMINISTRATIVE DETERMINATION



      Having considered all the evidence in the claim file and, for the reasons set forth
in the memorandum decision filed concurrently herewith, judgment is rendered in favor
of defendant. Court costs are assessed against plaintiff.



                                                ________________________________
                                                DANIEL R. BORCHERT
                                                Deputy Clerk
Entry cc:

Lisa Knight                      Jolene M. Molitoris, Director
5713 Rutledge Trl.               Department of Transportation
Liberty Twp., Ohio 45011         1980 West Broad Street
                                 Columbus, Ohio 43223
RDK/laa
8/6
Filed 9/15/10
Sent to S.C. reporter 12/29/10
