McGraw, Justice, dissenting:
This is a case where I believe that the lower court should have followed our
standard for summary judgment, which would have allowed Mr. Beatty to present his case
to a jury. A motion for summary judgment should be granted only when it is clear that there
is no genuine issue of fact to be tried and inquiry concerning the facts is not desirable to
clarify the application of the law. Syl. pt. 3, Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Federal Ins. Co. of
N.Y., 148 W. Va. 160, 133 S.E.2d 770 (1963). Furthermore, this Court has often made clear
that courts considering motions for summary judgment must draw any permissible inference
from the underlying facts in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion.
Painter v. Peavy, 192 W. Va. 189, 192, 451 S.E.2d 755, 758.
The dispute in this case is fact specific. Either the part in question was
defective and the cause of the accident, or it was not. I believe that the plaintiff has
presented sufficient evidence to survive a motion for summary judgment if one considers the
facts in the light most favorable to him. Though Mr. Beatty might have a difficult time
convincing a jury by presenting only his own testimony as an expert to counter the enormous
legal and scientific resources of one of the world's largest companies, I believe that he should
be given the opportunity to make his case.
Therefore, I respectfully dissent.