Opinion ID: 1162623
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Glover v. Tacoma General Hospital

Text: We are faced with the problem of the correct interpretation of the holding in Glover v. Tacoma Gen. Hosp., 98 Wn.2d 708, 658 P.2d 1230 (1983). The court stated that under the facts of that case the trial judge should have dismissed the vicarious liability claim after approving a reasonable settlement between the agent and the principal. The court stated that Washington cases established two propositions: first, if the injured party chooses to seek redress from the agent, the election of remedy bars further action against the principal, and secondly, that a principal's liability may be discharged if a judgment in favor of the agent is on the merits. In essence, the court held that the discharge of a principal is discharge of an agent if settlement from one or the other is accepted in full since there is but one tortfeasor and the law simply protects the victim by allowing the victim to proceed against one or the other or both, but not to seek recovery of more than one's total damages. As aptly stated in Glover : This policy of full compensation is served when the plaintiff has multiple opportunities to satisfy one judgment. Once the plaintiff agrees to settle with a solvent agent for a reasonable amount, however, no principle of full compensation requires that she also be able to pursue a claim against the principal, since, presumably, she could have obtained full compensation from the agent. This situation is unlike that created by joint tortfeasor claims. When settling with one of a number of joint tortfeasors, the plaintiff may evaluate the relative conduct of each and determine that her best interests are served by  a partial settlement. In such an instance, she might settle for less than the full amount of her damages. Various factors, such as the percentage of such joint tortfeasor's fault compared to the conduct of the nonsettling defendant, may influence this decision. In vicarious liability cases, on the other hand, the claim is based on the conduct of one individual and the liability is imposed as a matter of public policy to ensure that the plaintiff has the maximum opportunity to be fully compensated. When the plaintiff chooses to settle for less than the full amount, when that agent is solvent, the need to pursue the principal does not exist. Once she elects to pursue the agent, full recovery should be obtained from that agent. Glover, at 722-23. I submit that the same policy considerations exist here where the principal settled with the injured party and the injured party accepted payment for the single impact from the principal who agreed to pay on behalf on the agent-tortfeasor. The holding in Glover does not depend upon the holding or failure to hold a reasonableness hearing. The disposition is based upon the sensible rationale that acceptance of payment as payment in full from the plaintiff's selected target of either the master or the servant discharges the liability. Glover noted that a release as to an agent should release the principal unless a claimant has settled with an agent who is financially unable to fully compensate the plaintiff. Glover, at 723-24. The rationale behind that rule is not changed when it is the principal who accepts a release for full compensation for the agent's wrong nor is the rationale behind the rule changed by the provisions of RCW 4.22.030-.060. Further, in Glover, the multiple tortfeasors were already involved in a lawsuit, which was not the case here. The Glover decision followed by some 2 years the adoption of the present form of RCW 4.22.030-.060. It noted the difference between vicarious liability and respondeat superior and the contribution rules set forth by those sections as they concern themselves with joint and several liability among joint tortfeasors. Glover, at 722, says plainly: This situation is unlike that created by joint tortfeasor claims.  Glover notes that the adoption of RCW 4.22.030-.060 does not change the fact that the injured party can seek recovery from either the agent or the principal or both, but once having accepted payment from one cannot continue to use the existence of the other as either an excuse to reopen a claim or to seek additional damages. The ruling in Glover is not contrary to the provision of RCW 4.22.030 that if more than one person is liable to a claimant on an individual claim for the same injury, the liability of such persons is joint and several. Glover recognizes that insofar as vicarious liability situations are concerned, we have not abandoned the rule as stated in Johns v. Hake, 15 Wn.2d 651, 131 P.2d 933 (1942) that the release of the master releases the servant (and vice versa), the liability of the master being derivative. In fact, Johns v. Hake, supra at 656, stated: A master and his servant are jointly and severally liable for the negligent acts of the servant in the course of his employment. The act of the servant is the act of the master. One damaged by an act of the servant may sue both the master and the servant, or he may sue either separately. In other words, the policy of the law is for (a) full compensation, (b) an election of remedies, and (c) when settlement in full is made by one, it is settlement for both.