Beavers v. Johnson Controls World Services, Inc.

901 P.2d 761, 120 N.M. 343
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 1, 1995
Docket13610
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 901 P.2d 761 (Beavers v. Johnson Controls World Services, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Beavers v. Johnson Controls World Services, Inc., 901 P.2d 761, 120 N.M. 343 (N.M. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

OPINION

DONNELLY, Judge.

In this case we consider the claims of Johnson Controls World Services, Inc. and Arthur L. DaSilva (Appellants) that the trial court erred in not dismissing Johanna Beavers’ (Plaintiff’s) prima facie tort claim because: (1) the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Act provides the exclusive remedy for Plaintiffs claim of emotional and mental distress, (2) the trial court applied an erroneous balancing test in determining that the prima facie tort claim should be submitted to the jury, and (3) the jury verdict awarding damages for a prima facie tort is not supported by substantial evidence. For the reasons discussed below, we affirm.

BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

This is the second time this cause has been before this Court. Appellants’ appeal from a judgment of the trial court awarding $76,000 damages resulting from the commission of a prima facie tort was reversed by another panel of this Court in Beavers v. Johnson Controls World, Services, Inc., 116 N.M. 29, 859 P.2d 497 (Ct.App.) (Beavers I), cert. granted, 115 N.M. 795, 858 P.2d 1274 (1993). This Court’s prior decision held that Plaintiffs action, predicated on the claim of prima facie tort, should be dismissed because the facts underlying the action occurred prior to the time a cause of action for prima facie tort was recognized in Schmitz v. Smentowski, 109 N.M. 386, 785 P.2d 726 (1990). The Supreme Court granted certiorari in this case and reversed the Court of Appeals, holding that Plaintiffs prima facie tort claim should be applied retroactively. See Beavers v. Johnson Controls World Servs., Inc., 118 N.M. 391, 881 P.2d 1376 (1994) (Beavers II). After deciding the retroactivity issue, the Supreme Court remanded the case back to this Court “for consideration of the other issues in [Appellants’] appeal.” Id. at 393, 881 P.2d at 1378.

FACTS

Plaintiff was employed by Pan Am World Services as a secretary. The corporation subsequently changed its name , to Johnson Controls World Services, Inc. (Johnson). In 1987, after working for Johnson and its predecessor for approximately ten years, Plaintiff was assigned to work in DaSilva’s office. At trial Plaintiff testified, among other things, that DaSilva, her supervisor, belittled and denigrated her to co-workers and that his conduct resulted in her becoming extremely depressed, suffering acute mental distress necessitating her hospitalization.

Among the several incidents that contributed to her hospitalization, Plaintiff testified that in October 1987 she attempted to repair an office photocopy machine. DaSilva saw Plaintiff working on the machine and DaSilva told her to call a repairman. Plaintiff called the repair company listed in the customer’s manual for the photocopier, and following completion of the repair work the company billed the office for the service call. She gave the bill to DaSilva. When DaSilva saw the bill he became agitated and told her that instead of calling an outside service repairman she should have gone through Johnson’s purchasing department. DaSilva was told by his supervisors that the proper procedure had not been followed in getting the office machine repaired, and he was instructed to advise individuals in his department to follow correct procurement procedures in the future. Instead of admitting any responsibility for the problem, DaSilva assigned the blame to Plaintiff, informed her that he was very unhappy with her handling of the matter, that she had used poor judgment, and that she had not followed correct company procedure.

DaSilva directed that a memorandum to other employees in the department be prepared. DaSilva edited several different drafts of the memorandum before it was finalized and Plaintiff was required to retype each version. The memorandum stated that an employee in the department faded to follow correct company policy, pointed out that arranging for repairs on company machines was the exclusive responsibility of Johnson’s procurement department, and directed that area construction superintendents in his division remind “employees that not following procedures reflects poorly on the Department and will not be condoned.” Plaintiff presented evidence that following the incident involving the photocopy machine, DaSilva’s attitude toward her changed. He no longer would say “hello” to her when he arrived at work in the morning, and that when he left the office he would not speak or inform her where he could be contacted or reached by others.

Plaintiff asked DaSilva for permission to schedule a vacation around the 1987 Thanksgiving holiday. A few days thereafter Plaintiff submitted a new leave slip requesting two additional days of vacation time. Under company procedure, requests for vacation time were required to be approved in writing. Although DaSilva orally indicated his consent, he never signed the necessary documentation as required by company rules. Because of the photocopier incident and DaSilva’s blaming her for not following company procedure, Plaintiff became concerned about whether formal, written approval had been given for her vacation. Several days prior to the time her vacation was scheduled to begin, Plaintiff asked her husband to contact DaSilva and find out if he had signed the authorization form. When her husband inquired concerning the matter, DaSilva looked at him, shrugged, and walked away without giving any response. Since DaSilva had failed to give his written approval for the requested leave, Plaintiff reported for work instead of leaving on vacation. When she arrived at the office she found that DaSilva had made arrangements for someone else to perform Plaintiff’s duties on the dates in question. DaSilva asked her why she had come to work, and she said because he had not signed her leave slip. DaSilva then told her to resubmit her request so as to be effective the following day, and belatedly signed the document. Plaintiff became very upset and agitated over DaSilva’s conduct.

Plaintiff told DaSilva that she wanted a transfer from his department. DaSilva told her that he would “send her back where she came from” and would see that she received a transfer. Plaintiff also testified that following her request for a transfer DaSilva began feigning illness when he saw her and that he told a personnel officer that he wanted her transferred because her presence in his division was making him physically ill. This statement by DaSilva was related to Plaintiff by a company representative.

After the October incident involving the photocopy machine, DaSilva began to denigrate Plaintiff and disparage her to others within the company offices.

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Bluebook (online)
901 P.2d 761, 120 N.M. 343, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/beavers-v-johnson-controls-world-services-inc-nmctapp-1995.