Opinion ID: 1663499
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: did the circuit court abuse its discretion by dismissing blailock's complaint?

Text: ¶ 3. Blailock contends that the WCC does not have exclusive original jurisdiction to hear her claims because her claims consist of intentional torts which are not compensable under the Act. See Miss.Code Ann. § 71-3-3(b)(2000) (To be compensable under the Act, there must be an accidental injury or an accidental death); Miller v. McRae's, Inc., 444 So.2d 368, 372 (Miss.1984) (WCC has exclusive jurisdiction if the injury arose out of and in the course of employment and if the injury is compensable under the Act). The standard of review for questions of law is de novo. Starcher v. Byrne, 687 So.2d 737, 739 (Miss.1997). ¶ 4. We have set out two elements which must be met in order to avoid the exclusivity of the Act: (1) The injury must be caused by the willful act of the employer or another employee acting in the course of employment and in the furtherance of the employer's business; and (2) The injury must be one that is not compensable under the Act. Griffin v. Futorian Corp., 533 So.2d 461, 463 (Miss.1988) (citing Miller, 444 So.2d at 371-72). ¶ 5. Many states which have enacted statutory exclusivity provisions which allow civil claims, as opposed to physical injury claims which are compensable under the Act, by the employee against the employer's insurance carrier for the commission of an intentional tort. [1] We have held that a mere willful and malicious act is insufficient to give rise to the intentional tort exception to the exclusive remedy provisions of the Act. There must be a finding of an actual intent to injure. Reckless or grossly negligent conduct is not enough to remove a claim from the exclusivity of the Act. Peaster v. David New Drilling Co., 642 So.2d 344, 348, 349 (Miss.1994). For a civil suit based on an intentional tort to proceed, the injury has been something other than physical injury or death, which are compensable under the Act. Id. at 348. ¶ 6. We find that the circuit court's dismissal of Blailock's complaint was error, and we reverse and remand for further proceedings. Part of the damages sought by Blailock (physical pain and suffering due to the alleged wrenching of her arm, emotional distress, loss of wages, special damages for the loss of the opportunity to compete in the Senior Olympics and punitive damages) are not compensable under the Act because they are alleged to have been caused by willful and intentional acts, not negligent or grossly negligent acts. The damages did not arise from an accidental injury or an accidental death. The allegations of Blailock's complaint certainly meet the two criteria set out by the Court in Griffin. Blailock must prove that O'Bannon was working in the course and scope of her employment when she allegedly committed the intentional torts, that O'Bannon's alleged acts were committed with an actual intent to inflict injury, and that Blailock suffered injuries as a result, but the allegations of intentional acts certainly take Blailock's non-compensable claims out of the jurisdiction of the WCC. Of course, a claim for her injuries that are compensable under the Act are still subject to the WCC. See, e.g., Sharpe v. Choctaw Elecs. Enters., 767 So.2d 1002, 1007 (Miss.2000).