Court Opinion

ID: 4559806
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-08-26 21:01:07.850609+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:19:27.114766
License: Public Domain

FILED

                                                                                   TN COURI'OF
                                                                        ll\ OR.li.':I.R S' CiOMPl.NS.ATION
                                                                                   477 S.W.3d 235, 265 (Tenn.
2015).

       NVR relies on Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-113(a) (2016), which
provides that a "principal contractor, intermediate contractor or subcontractor shall be
liable for compensation to any employee injured while in the employ of any of the
subcontractors of the principal contractor, intermediate contractor or subcontractor and
engaged upon the subject matter of the contract to the same extent as the immediate
employer." Further, "Every claim for compensation under this section shall be in the first
instance presented to and instituted against the immediate employer[.]" !d. at § 50-6-
113(c).

       In Murray v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., the Supreme Court explained the
policy underpinning the statutory employer provision as follows:

      In essence, the Act creates "statutory employers" in situations where
      injured workers are unable to recover compensation from their immediate
      employers. The purpose of this provision is to protect employees of
      irresponsible and uninsured subcontractors by imposing ultimate liability
      on the presumably responsible principal contractor, who has it within his
      power, in choosing subcontractors, to pass upon their responsibility and
      insist upon appropriate compensation for their workers. Moreover, the
      statute prevents principal contractors from contracting out work to prevent
      liability by giving the claimant the right to recover from the principal
      contractor as a statutory employer if the immediate employer cannot pay.

46 S.W.3d 171, 175 (Tenn. 2001)(Internal citations omitted).

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        Here, it is undisputed that: Mirage employed Mr. Jimenez Morales; Mirage is
uninsured; and Rite Rug engaged Mirage as a subcontractor. Mr. Jimenez Morales may
first look to the immediate employer, Mirage, to seek recovery. Mirage is uninsured.
Mr. Morales next looks to Rite Rug. Rite Rug admits it hired Mirage as a subcontractor
and admits that it (Rite Rug) has workers' compensation coverage. Mr. Morales need riot
look higher up the chain to the general contractor. The Court finds summary judgment is
appropriate.

IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED AS FOLLOWS:

      1. NVR's motion for summary judgment is granted and NVR and its carrier are
         dismissed with prejudice from this action.

      2. The matter is set for a status conference on June 5, 2017, at 1:45 p.m. Central
         Time. The hearing will take place via telephone with Judge Kenneth M.
         Switzer.     You must dial 615-532-9552 or 866-943-0025 toll-free to
         participate.

                                        ENTERED this the 16th day ofMay, 2017.

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                          CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

       I certifY that a true and correct copy of this Order was sent to the following
recipients by the following methods of service on this the 16th day of May, 2017.

Name                     Certified   Via        Via    Service sent to:
                          Mail       Fax       Email
Zachary Wiley,                                   X     zwiley@forthegeoQle.com
Employee's attorney
Nathan Colburn,                                  X     colburnlaw@gmail.com
attorney for Mirage
Tamara Gauldin,                                  X     Tamara. gauldin@thehartford. com
attorney for Rite
Rug/The Hartford
Stephanie Rockwell,                              X     Steghanie@s:geed-seta.com;
Alex Adkins, attorneys                                 alex@sgedd-seta.com
forNRV/New
Hampshire Ins. Co.

                                               ~,&;~
                                               Court of  rkers' Compensation Claims
                                               WC.CourtClerk@tn.gov

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