Opinion ID: 2419272
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: disability pay

Text: Next, movant complains that it was also entitled to a credit for $6,000 that was paid to plaintiff by his employer during the period when he was disabled from work because of his injury. This claim for credit was also first raised by post-trial motion. In support of this post-trial motion, movant refers us to a pretrial deposition which is not part of the record. We would have some difficulty using it to reverse the trial court. On the other hand, the affidavit from Mitchell in response to the motion, which is part of the record, states that he received this payment as medical benefits and sick pay benefits through his employment with General Electric Co. Movant's Brief says that this money was paid to [Mitchell] pursuant to the union contract. Assuming this to be true, we conclude that the union contract required that General Electric provide, either directly or through insurance, sick and accident benefits during a period when the employee is disabled from work by an off-the-job injury, whatever might have caused the injury. It is well settled that a tortfeasor is not entitled to any credit against what he owes for payments of medical expenses or disability benefits paid by a collateral source to the tort victim pursuant to a contractual obligation owed to the victim from the collateral source, whether it be first party insurance coverage, employment benefits, or otherwise. See Hellmueller Baking Co. v. Risen, 295 Ky. 273, 174 S.W.2d 134 (1943), and cases cited therein. Nor is the tortfeasor entitled to introduce evidence at trial of such payments, except to corroborate other evidence, if there is any, that establishes malingering. Hellmueller Baking Co. v. Risen, supra, 174 S.W.2d at 136. Whereas some of the statements by our Court in our opinion in Rankin v. Blue Grass Boys Ranch, Inc., Ky., 469 S.W.2d 767 (1971) created temporary confusion as to the precise meaning of the collateral source rule, the case of Davidson v. Vogler, Ky., 507 S.W.2d 160 (1974) clarified our holding in Rankin, and modified Rankin accordingly, citing and reaffirming the rule in Hellmueller Baking Co. v. Risen, supra . In Davidson v. Vogler, supra , after citing the general rule, 22 Am.Jur.2d, Damages § 208, p. 291, the court states that to depart from the collateral source rule would provide the tortfeasor a windfall to the substantial detriment of the injured party. There is a sharp distinction between collateral source benefits and payments by another person also charged with liability for the injury which is the subject matter of the lawsuit. With collateral source benefits the injured person is entitled to payments by reason of personal insurance or an employment contract. These benefits are payable whatever the cause of the injury. They are contractual obligations unrelated to the subject matter of the case, except fortuitously. On the other hand, payments by or on behalf of another person against whom claim has been made for the same injury which is the subject matter of the law suit, whether such person is actually liable in fact or not, is made towards satisfaction of a common liability. The former is a payment to which the recipient is entitled whatever the source of the injury and bears no relation to the law suit. The latter is a payment to which the recipient is entitled because of his tort claim, to which he is entitled to only one satisfaction. The first type is insurance against losses which follow any injury, whatever the source. The second type of payment is made to obtain release from potential liability which is the subject matter of the law suit. The tortfeasor is not entitled to share in the benefits that the victim has arranged to receive should he be injured from sources unrelated to the lawsuit. For the reasons stated, we affirm the Court of Appeals except in denying credit for the $10,000 paid by Ground Hog, Inc. in partial satisfaction of respondent's claim. We remand the case to the trial court to amend the judgment to give credit for the $10,000 paid by Ground Hog, Inc. In all other respects the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. STEPHENS, C.J., and AKER, GANT, STEPHENSON and VANCE, JJ., concur. LEIBSON and WINTERSHEIMER, JJ., dissent by separate opinion.