Court Opinion

ID: 9763050
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 02:36:00.467981+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:39.141912
License: Public Domain

ZAPPALA, Justice,
concurring.
I join the Majority Opinion but write separately merely to emphasize that the appellees’ cause of action is not barred by Section 303 of the Workmen’s Compensation Act because the appellees are not seeking redress for the underlying work-related injury but rather the aggravation to that injury as the result of the employer’s fraudulent misrepresentations.
In Poysner v. Newman & Co., Inc., 514 Pa. 32, 522 A.2d 548 (1987), we reiterated that the Workmen’s Compensation Act is the exclusive remedy for all “work-related” injuries. The employee in Poysner attempted to avoid the exclusivity provision by arguing that the employer “intentionally” caused his injury by failing to adhere to governmental safety regulations. However, the. operative factor is not the intentions of the employer but whether the employee’s injury is “work-related”. In Poysner, it was clear that although the employer disregarded safety regulations, the underlying injury was “work-related” and occurred in the course of the employee’s employment.
In this appeal, the appellees are not seeking redress for injuries caused by exposure to lead and dust, for those injuries are covered by the Act. Instead, the appellees are seeking damages for the aggravation to the lead-related injuries due to the employer’s failure to communicate the test results evincing Mr. Martin’s actual condition. Because of this distinction, I agree with the majority and join in affirming the Order of the Superior Court.