Opinion ID: 1183309
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: workmen's compensation defense

Text: The company urges as a first ground for reversal that the court erred in not directing a verdict for it upon the ground it was the statutory employer under § 27-60(D), W.S. 1957, and was entitled to immunity from suit by virtue of §§ 27-50 and 27-51, W.S. 1957. The first time this defense was suggested was on the motion for directed verdict at the close of plaintiff's case. This defense does not appear in the pleadings nor is it in any manner mentioned in the company's pretrial memorandum or the pretrial order. It is not asserted or mentioned in the motion for new trial filed December 23, 1971, and first emerges as a claimed error in the so-called supplemental motion for new trial filed February 4, 1971, after denial of the original motion. The company did not plead this as an affirmative defense (Rule 8(c), W.R.C.P.), and although this is not specifically enumerated in that rule as being an affirmative defense, it clearly fits the description of any other matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense (emphasis supplied). It must be pleaded and raised in the lower court. A general and almost universal identifying criterion of an affirmative defense is one in avoidance, or stated alternatively a direct or implicit admission of plaintiff's claim and assertion of other facts which would defeat a right to recovery, Horst v. Morand Brothers Beverage Co., 96 Ill. App.2d 68, 237 N.E.2d 732, 738; Armstrong v. Johnson Motor Lines, Inc., 12 Md. App. 492, 280 A.2d 24, 29; Charles F. Hartmetz Investments v. Litty, 129 Ind. App. 251, 153 N.E.2d 924, 926. We have heretofore styled the defense of a bona fide purchaser for value as an affirmative defense which must be specifically pleaded, Wheatland Irrigation District v. Dodge, Wyo., 387 P.2d 679, 683. It has been frequently recognized that this defense is an affirmative one in cases involving a claim of avoidance because of workmen's compensation coverage, Behringer v. Inspiration Consol. Copper Co., 17 Ariz. 232, 149 P. 1065, 1067; Dalgleish v. Holt, 108 Cal. App.2d 561, 237 P.2d 553, 557; McDaniel v. Kerr, 364 Mo. 1, 258 S.W.2d 629, 635; Hammett v. Vogue, 179 Tenn. 284, 165 S.W.2d 577, 579. The failure to raise such a defense is a waiver and results in its removal from the case, and further cannot be raised on appeal, Pangarova v. Nichols, Wyo., 419 P.2d 688, 691; 5 Wright and Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure, § 1278, p. 339 (1969), and cases cited therein. For these reasons this matter is not before us in this appeal.