Opinion ID: 1385982
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Independent Finding of Negligence

Text: Following the entry of the sanctions order, a trial was scheduled on Garber's negligence claims against Northward, on her punitive damages claim against Otis, and to determine compensatory damages. Otis' counsel sought permission to present evidence of Northward's negligence as a defense to Northward's indemnity claim, but the court ruled that Otis could only put on testimony that Northward's conduct was so outrageous that the court should relieve Otis of the preclusion order. Otis then assumed the defense of Northward. At trial, Garber sought to prove her claims against Northward and her punitive damages claim against Otis. Northward, defended now by Otis' counsel, argued that Garber was comparatively negligent. Judge Hodges made the following factual findings at the end of trial: [T]he court specifically finds that the Northward Operating Company has a non-delegable duty to see that the elevator service in the building operated correctly... . The court specifically finds that the judgment which will be awarded in favor of plaintiff is as to both Northward and Otis because of the non-delegable duty. The court does not find any independent negligence on the part of the Northward Operating Company. .... The court does not find that there is a product defect with respect to the elevator. The court, however, does find that Otis was negligent, even though the court granted plaintiff motion for liability based on the discovery violation. The court finds that it was negligence on the part of Otis not to better maintain the elevator and that negligence was the legal cause of the elevator misleveling, and the legal cause of the injuries sustained by plaintiff. The court specifically finds that plaintiff was not negligent. We find that Otis is bound by Judge Hodges' conclusion that it was negligent. One of plaintiff's theories of liability against Northward is that Northward had a non-delegable duty and is therefore vicariously liable to Garber because of the negligence of Otis. Judge Hodges accepted this theory. Otis, which assumed the defense of Northward, had an opportunity to defend against this theory on the grounds that Otis was not negligent. Having failed in this effort, Otis is bound by the result. See RESTATEMENT (SECOND) JUDGMENTS § 57 (1982). Otis also claims that Judge Hodges' order limiting the testimony of its expert, Red Matthews, to his deposition, was erroneous. This order was imposed as a sanction against Otis because when Otis presented Matthews for his deposition, Matthews had not yet inspected the elevator. When Otis assumed Northward's defense, it had the opportunity, on behalf of Northward, to elicit Matthews' observations of the elevator based on an inspection, since Northward was not bound by the sanction limiting Matthews' testimony. Thus Otis' claim of error on this point is moot. We cannot conclude, however, that the proceedings allowed a determination of Otis' defense that Northward was independently negligent. Judge Hodges specifically restricted Otis to the presentation of evidence that Northward's conduct was so outrageous that the court should lift the sanction requiring Otis to indemnify Northward. Therefore, Otis was denied the opportunity to present evidence that may have shown that Northward's independent negligence contributed to Garber's injuries. Negligence on the part of a tortfeasor indemnitee bars its claim to indemnity. See, e.g., Koehring Mfg. Co. v. Earthmovers of Fairbanks, Inc., 763 P.2d 499, 503 (Alaska 1988); Vertecs Corp. v. Reichhold Chemicals, Inc., 661 P.2d 619 (Alaska 1983). On remand, there must be a trial on the issue of Northward's independent negligence.