Opinion ID: 1757327
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Liability of co-employee Long.

Text: As an employee covered by worker's compensation, Thompson's right to maintain an action against Long, as a co-employee, is governed by section 85.20, The Code. That statute states that worker's compensation is the exclusive remedy against a co-employee, provided that such injury . . . is not caused by the other employee's gross negligence amounting to such lack of care as to amount to wanton neglect for the safety of another. (Emphasis added.) The emphasized portion of the statute was added in 1974, apparently in response to a decision of this court recognizing the right to sue co-employees based upon acts of simple negligence in breaching safety-related duties owed to co-employees. Craven v. Oggero, 213 N.W.2d 678, 682 (Iowa 1973); accord, Davis v. Crook, 261 N.W.2d 500, 503 (Iowa 1978) (injury predating 1974 amendment; prior law applicable); Kerrigan v. Errett, 256 N.W.2d 394, 396-97 (Iowa 1977) (same). This case presents the first opportunity for this court to interpret the amendment restricting the right to maintain such suits. The term gross negligence is said to be nebulous, without a generally-accepted meaning: It implies conduct which, while more culpable than ordinary inadvertence or unattention, differs from ordinary negligence only in degree, not kind. W. Prosser, Handbook of the Law of Torts § 34, at 183-84 (4th ed. 1971). However, the legislature added a new dimension and a certain amount of refinement to the term gross negligence in section 85.20 by providing it must amount to wanton neglect for the safety of another. (Emphasis added.) Similar to wilful or reckless conduct, wanton conduct lies somewhere between the mere unreasonable risk of harm in ordinary negligence and intent to harm. Prosser, supra, at 184-85. The author further explains the concept: The usual meaning assigned to wilful, wanton or reckless, according to taste as to the word used, is that the actor has intentionally done an act of an unreasonable character in disregard of a risk known to or so obvious that he must be taken to have been aware of it, and so great as to make it highly probable that harm would follow. Id. at 185 (emphasis added). It is said that the concept involves the combination of attitudes: a realization of imminent danger, coupled with a reckless disregard or lack of concern for the probable consequences of the act. Friesen v. Chicago, R.I. & Pacific R.R., 215 Kan. 316, 524 P.2d 1141, 1147 (1974) (railroad aware of prior accidents at same crossing and of safety recommendations for improvements failed to make crossing changes; held not wanton neglect). Another authority labels both wanton and wilful misconduct as reckless disregard for the safety of another, Restatement, supra § 500, at 587, and distinguishes it from intentional misconduct only in that it requires a realization of a strong probability of harm to another rather than the substantial certainty accompanying an intentional act, id. § 500(f), at 590. Other authorities distinguish between wilfulness, characterized by intent to injure, and wantonness, which merely implies an indifference to whether the act will injure another. E. g., 57 Am.Jur.2d Negligence § 102, at 452-53 (1971). The difference is illustrated by comparing the throwing of an object with intent to strike another and throwing it without such intent, but believing that it will, in fact, strike another, and proceeding with indifference as to whether it does not. See Siesseger v. Puth, 213 Iowa 164, 172, 239 N.W. 46, 50 (1931). Wantonness is said to be less blameworthy than an intentional wrong only in that instead of affirmatively wishing to injure another, the actor is merely willing to do so. Id. We conclude, in view of the foregoing, that there are three elements necessary to establish gross negligence amounting to such lack of care as to amount to wanton neglect under section 85.20: (1) knowledge of the peril to be apprehended; (2) knowledge that injury is a probable, as opposed to a possible, result of the danger; and (3) a conscious failure to avoid the peril. See Friesen, 215 Kan. at 322-23, 524 P.2d at 1146-49; Prosser, supra at 184-86. Much of Thompson's evidence on the issue of wantonness was disputed; however, when viewed in the light most favorable to him, it showed that Long knew the guard on the press in question was maintained at a height sufficient to allow entry of the operator's hand, that the key for changing the operational mode was usually left in the press, and that the access door to the foot control switch was propped open for easy access. There was also evidence that although Long was present in the press room when presses were operated without adequate guarding, he failed to respond by providing guards or enforcing safety rules for their operation. Another employee, it was shown, lost several fingers in a press before Thompson's injury, and other, less serious injuries also had occurred in Farmaster presses. Thompson contends this conduct on the part of Long amounted to more than simple negligence, signifying an absence of care showing he completely disregarded the consequences which were obvious and which he knew would naturally flow from his failure to act in seeing that the machine was properly set up and properly guarded. However, even though other injuries had occurred in other Farmaster presses, none had occurred under similar circumstances and no injuries had occurred with this particular press in the several years Farmaster had used it. Thus it cannot be claimed that Long was aware by observation or experience that such injury would be a probable consequence of the operational practices of which he was claimed to be aware. It is also significant that no safety inspection had put Long on notice of any defect in the press. See 2A A. Larson, The Law of Workmen's Compensation at 13-51 (1978) (serious or wilful misconduct of employer giving rise to penalty recovery by employee). The most the evidence establishes under these circumstances is a want of ordinary care; there was no evidence that under the facts known or which should have been known to Long, such an injury was probable. See Bains v. Western Pacific R.R., 56 Cal.App.3d 902, 905-908; 128 Cal. Rptr. 778, 779-81 (1976) (violations of train speed and braking statutes insufficient to constitute wilful negligence); Friesen, 215 Kan. at 324, 524 P.2d at 1148 (maintenance of train crossing in allegedly dangerous conditions not wanton negligence); Bensen v. South Kitsap School District, 63 Wash.2d 192, 386 P.2d 137, 140 (1963) (allowing obstruction to remain on premises not wanton negligence); 56 Am.Jur.2d, supra § 102, at 452-55. We conclude the trial court erred in refusing to grant Long's motion for directed verdict; the evidence fell short of establishing wantonness. In view of this holding, it is unnecessary to consider the remaining issues raised by Long on his appeal.