Bowens v. Allied Warehousing Services, Inc.

729 S.E.2d 845, 229 W. Va. 523, 2012 WL 2226447, 2012 W. Va. LEXIS 299
CourtWest Virginia Supreme Court
DecidedJune 15, 2012
DocketNo. 11-0210
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 729 S.E.2d 845 (Bowens v. Allied Warehousing Services, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bowens v. Allied Warehousing Services, Inc., 729 S.E.2d 845, 229 W. Va. 523, 2012 WL 2226447, 2012 W. Va. LEXIS 299 (W. Va. 2012).

Opinion

BENJAMIN, Justice:

This appeal was brought by Byron Bow-ens, Appellant, following two separate orders of the Circuit Court of Wayne County granting summary judgment to Allied Warehousing Services, Inc., d/b/a Allied Logistics [hereinafter “Allied”], the Appellee, dismissing Bowens’s workers’ compensation fraud and common law fraud claims and granting summary judgment to Allied finding it to be a special employer of Bowens for the purpose of workers’ compensation immunity. In this appeal, Bowens contends that the circuit court erred in its order dismissing his work[527]*527ers’ compensation fraud and common law fraud claims because the decision of the administrative law judge was not based solely upon the medical issues presented. Rather, he contends, the decision was influenced by the submission of allegedly fraudulent training documents by Manpower, his employer, which were allegedly originally supplied by Allied. Bowens also alleges that the circuit court erred in determining that Allied was a special employer for purposes of workers’ compensation immunity, thus requiring him to sue Allied under a deliberate intent theory rather than a negligence theory of liability. After a careful review of the briefs, the record submitted on appeal, and hearing the oral arguments of the parties, we affirm the decisions of the circuit court.

I.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Bowens began working for Manpower, a temporary employment agency, in the summer of 2006. The second work assignment he received was to operate a forklift for Allied Warehousing. Allied is in the business of providing a wide range of warehousing services from various warehouse facilities located in West Virginia and Virginia. Although Allied directly employs certain supervisors and workers at its various facilities, due to the variability of its needs and for other business reasons, it has historically staffed its warehouse in Kenova, West Virginia, by obtaining temporary workers from a temporary employment agency like Manpower.

Under the arrangement between Allied and Manpower, Manpower was responsible for payment of employee wages, payroll deductions and payment of unemployment and workers’ compensation premiums. Each week, Manpower would submit an invoice to Allied for time and work of all Manpower employees who were assigned to work and who worked for Allied. The amount paid to Manpower by Allied included a premium over Bowens’s actual wages to cover the costs of employing Bowens, including payroll deductions, federal and state unemployment compensation, and required payment of workers’ compensation premiums.

Although Manpower was to provide Allied with experienced forklift operators1, Allied implemented additional testing and training before permitting Manpower temporary employees to operate machinery. In addition to giving each temporary employee a forklift instruction manual explaining the proper way to drive and park a forklift, Allied conducted a two part test to evaluate each temporary employee’s knowledge and proficiency. Each employee was allegedly given an oral multiple choice and true/false test based on a Clark Equipment Operator Training form. Allied also observed each new forklift operator for several days, after which a supervisor would complete an evaluation form entitled “Allied Warehouse Forklift Operator Field Test.”

On October 1, 2006, J.R. Jeffrey, an Allied warehouse supervisor, performed a two part field test using the “Field Test” form, a two-page pre-printed form with spaces provided at the top for the date, the name of the individual being evaluated, and the name of the individual performing the evaluation. Jeffrey signed the form in the top right corner and printed Bowens’s name in the top left corner. Bowens has made no allegation of forgery or fraud regarding this form. Jeffrey also used a pre-printed form entitled “Clark Equipment Company Operator Training” to evaluate Bowens. This form consists of various multiple choice and true/false questions regarding equipment operating procedures. The form contains a space in the top right corner for the date and a space in the top left corner for the “student’s signature.” Like the “Field Test,” the Clark Equipment Company form is used by Allied in the regular course of its business to ensure that workers who use equipment in its facility are properly trained and qualified. In this case, Jeffrey allegedly orally administered the test contained on the Clark Equip[528]*528ment Company form to Bowens on October 1, 2006, the same day he completed the “Field Test.” As he did with the “Field Test,” Jeffrey also allegedly personally signed the Clark Equipment Company form in the top right corner and then printed Bowens’s name in the top left corner.

On April 23, 2007, Bowens was pinned between his forklift and another forklift operated by Bowens’s supervisor and fellow Manpower employee, John Church. He suffered a crashed pelvis as a result of this accident. That same day, Bowens submitted an Employees’ and Physicians’ Report of Injury to Brickstreet. On this form, Bowens listed Manpower as his employer and John Church as his supervisor. On April 26, 2007, Manpower filed an Employers’ Report of Injury with Brickstreet.

Bowens received temporary total disability benefits for approximately five months and was then awarded permanent partial disability benefits. Allied had no involvement in the workers’ compensation proceedings, as Allied did not directly pay any workers’ compensation premiums for Bowens. Rather, such premiums were paid directly by Manpower. After his injury, Bowens alleged that he was not properly certified to operate a forklift and that he did not take a written test from Manpower or Allied on October 1, 2006. On October 23, 2008, Bowens filed a complaint against Allied Warehousing, Allied Realty Company, and Commercial Help LTD d/b/a Manpower. The Complaint asserted various claims against Allied including negligence, unsafe workplace, negligent hiring, workers’ compensation fraud, and common law fraud. Bowens sought both compensatory and punitive damages from Allied. Manpower and Allied Realty Company were later dismissed from the case.2

On January 23, 2009, Allied filed a motion to dismiss the workers’ compensation fraud claim. The circuit court below denied Allied’s motion to dismiss finding that because they presented issues outside of the pleadings, the motions had to be considered as motions for summary judgment and further discovery was needed. The court also held that it should review the administrative law judge’s decision regarding Bowens’s temporary total disability benefits, which decision formed the basis for Bowens’s fraud claims. Thereafter, Allied then filed its motion seeking summary judgment on Bowens’s workers’ compensation fraud and common law fraud claims. The circuit court granted Allied’s motion on April 15, 2009. In its order, the circuit court concluded that the administrative law judge’s order suspending Bowens’s temporary total disability benefits was based upon a medical determination, and thus, Bowens’s benefits would not have been affected by the receipt of allegedly fraudulent documents.

Subsequently, on May 11, 2009, Allied filed a motion for summary judgment on Bowens’s negligence claim based on workers’ compensation immunity. The circuit court determined, however, that the motion was premature and that certain additional discovery was needed.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
729 S.E.2d 845, 229 W. Va. 523, 2012 WL 2226447, 2012 W. Va. LEXIS 299, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bowens-v-allied-warehousing-services-inc-wva-2012.