Opinion ID: 201784
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Scheme

Text: 28 The Massachusetts workers' compensation statute generally provides the exclusive remedy for employees who suffer work-related injuries. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 152, § 24. A non-employer third party tortfeasor, however, is not protected by the immunity from suit by an injured worker that workers' compensation law affords that worker's employer. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 152, § 15. Injured employees are thus free to sue third party tortfeasors whose negligence caused or contributed to their work-place injuries. 29 Where a third party whose actions might subject it to a tort suit by an injured worker later merges with the injured worker's employer — so that the employer and the third party become one and the same — a dilemma arises. After a merger, the surviving corporation is liable for[] all liabilities and obligations of each of the constituent corporations in the same manner and to the same extent as if such ... surviving corporation had itself incurred such liabilities or obligations. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 156B, § 80(b). As successor to the alleged tortfeasor, the surviving entity should ordinarily be subject to suit by the injured employee to the same extent the third party would have been absent the merger. On the other hand, under the circumstances here, neither the plaintiffs, nor the state decisions on which they rely, explain to our satisfaction why the injured employee's employer is not immunized from tort liability by the same law that provided compensation administratively to the injured employees. See, e.g., infra Part II.D.3.