Opinion ID: 1699223
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Vicarious Liability of the City for the Acts or Omissions of the Firefighters

Text: The vicarious liability of a putative master under the rule of respondeat superior depends upon the liability of the putative servant. See Larry Terry Contractors, Inc. v. Bogle, 404 So.2d 613, 614 (Ala.1981) (`[W]hen [a] principal and his agent are sued in [a] joint action in tort for misfeasance or malfeasance of the servant, and his liability for the conduct of said servant is under the rule of respondeat superior, a verdict in favor of the servant entitles the master to have the verdict against him set aside.') (quoting Louisville & N.R.R. v. Maddox, 236 Ala. 594, 600, 183 So. 849, 853 (1938)), and Gore v. City of Hoover, 559 So.2d 163, 165 (Ala.1990), overruled on other grounds, Franklin v. City of Huntsville, 670 So.2d 848 (Ala.1995) (holding that a city could not be held vicariously liable for the act of a magistrate who was immune from liability). Thus, if a putative servant is not liable, either because he is innocent or because he is immune, no liability exists to be visited upon the putative master under the rule of respondeat superior. Id. The Volunteer Service Act provides in pertinent part: (c) For the purposes of this section, the meaning of the terms specified shall be as follows: (1) GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY. Any ... municipality.... .... (4) VOLUNTEER. A person performing services for ... a governmental entity without compensation, other than reimbursement for actual expenses incurred.... (d) Any volunteer shall be immune from civil liability in any action on the basis of any act or omission of a volunteer resulting in damage or injury if: (1) The volunteer was acting in good faith and within the scope of such volunteer's official functions and duties for... a governmental entity; and (2) The damage or injury was not caused by willful or wanton misconduct by such volunteer. § 6-5-336, Ala.Code 1975. As discussed above, the firefighters, the putative servants in the case now before us, were volunteers who did not receive compensation for their service as volunteer firefighters. Consequently, they were immune from liability for negligence under the Volunteer Service Act. Because the firefighters were immune from liability for negligence under the Volunteer Service Act, no liability for negligence could befall them to be visited upon the City, the putative master in the case now before us. While the plaintiffs allege not only negligence but also wantonness by the firefighters, and while § 6-5-336 excepts wanton volunteers from the immunity, a city cannot be liable for wanton conduct. Town of Loxley v. Coleman, 720 So.2d 907, 909 (Ala.1998), and Hilliard v. City of Huntsville, 585 So.2d 889, 892 (Ala.1991). Therefore, we affirm the summary judgment on the plaintiffs' claim for vicarious liability for the acts or omissions of the volunteer firefighters.