Opinion ID: 1150821
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sufficiency of the Negligence Claim for Relief

Text: It does not appear to me that Falline has stated a negligence claim against Gibbens. Ordinarily the making of administrative decisions such as granting or refusing industrial accident claims does not result in tort liability. These decisions are discretionary in nature and do not involve the type of activity out of which negligence claims ordinarily arise. The exception to this rule is found in the case of Rush v. Nevada Industrial Commission, 94 Nev. 403, 580 P.2d 952 (1978), in which a claim for negligent decision-making was allowed when the Nevada Industrial Commission (predecessor to SIIS) negligently delayed claims processing in such a way as to cause a claimant to lose his eye. [2] There is no averment of facts in the amended complaint that would disclose or give any hint as to what negligent conduct Gibbens might be charged with doing. The claim of negligence is simply that Gibbens was somehow guilty of a negligent refusal to pay Falline. The plaintiffs' charging allegations do not put the defendants on notice in any way as to the manner in which they were supposed to have breached their duty of due care. This case is far different from the suggested averment provided in Form 9, NRCP, which authorizes an injured traffic victim to aver that a defendant negligently drove a motor vehicle against plaintiff who was then crossing said highway. In the Form 9 type of pleading, the defendant is put on notice that he or she is charged with driving a motor vehicle in a negligent manner into a pedestrian at a specified place. Although the exact nature of the defendant's untoward conduct is not described, certainly the defendant is put on notice as to what he or she did and where and when. Here, the defendants are not given a clue as to the nature of their supposed negligent decision-making. It would appear that a Rush type of action might possibly have been contemplated, but the mere allegation of negligent refusal to honor a claim does not, in my opinion, state a valid tort claim against Gibbens. If Falline has a Rush - like claim against Gibbens, he should be allowed to plead it properly. Upon remand to the district court, the court might then grant leave for Falline to plead a proper negligence claim if he is aware of facts to support such a claim. Thus far, none appears. Any vicarious liability on the part of GNLV must, of course, depend on the sufficiency of the claim against Gibbens. Further, I have a serious question in my mind as to whether vicarious liability can be imposed at all on a self-insured employer for negligent acts of a claims administration contractor.