Opinion ID: 879190
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: project engineer's duty

Text: We will now consider Christian's summary judgment. Appellant, despite ample opportunity at the District Court level and here on appeal, has presented no legal arguments or factual evidence to counter the District Court's conclusion that Christian had no duty of safety. Christian's contract with MPC is in the record and does not address safety. The District Court's conclusion is supported by this Court's decision in Wells v. Stanley J. Thill and Associates, Inc. (1969), 153 Mont. 28, 452 P.2d 1015. In Wells, the City of Belt contracted with Thill, an engineering company, to design a sewer project for the city. Thill's contract with the city included only engineering and not safety responsibilities. The city then contracted with Fedco, Inc., to construct the project. Wells was employed by Fedco. He was injured in a trench cave-in when safety precautions were not taken. We held that summary judgment in favor of Thill was proper because the duty of the engineer did not include safety and ran to the city and not other contractors. Our holding regarding project engineers in Wells has not been altered by subsequent changes in Montana law on contractor duties to employees of subcontractors. See Stepanek, supra. We will not alter the holding now. Because the District Court's conclusion is supported by substantial evidence and Montana law, we affirm. The District Court's order granting summary judgment in favor of Christian and the companies is affirmed. HARRISON, WEBER and GULBRANDSON, JJ., concur.