Carter v. Property Owners Insurance Co.

846 N.E.2d 712, 2006 Ind. App. LEXIS 807, 2006 WL 1158056
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 3, 2006
Docket27A02-0511-CV-01035
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 846 N.E.2d 712 (Carter v. Property Owners Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carter v. Property Owners Insurance Co., 846 N.E.2d 712, 2006 Ind. App. LEXIS 807, 2006 WL 1158056 (Ind. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinions

OPINION

BAKER, Judge.

Appellant-defendant Byron Carter appeals from the trial court's order granting summary judgment in favor of appellee plaintiff Property Owners Insurance Company (Property Owners). In particular, Carter contends that the trial court erred in, among other things, concluding that he was an employee, rather than an independent contractor, such that his injury on the job was not covered by Property Owners' insurance policy issued to Three Star Properties, Inc. (Three Star). Concluding, among other things, that there is an issue of material fact with respect to Carter's employment status and that Property Owners is not entitled to judgment as a matter of law at this juncture, we reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand for trial.

FACTS

On July 17, 2000, Carter sustained personal injuries in an accident that occurred while he was assisting Three Star and Benhower Building Movers, Inc. (Benhower) in moving a house in Grant County. Three Star is a business that renovates and moves houses from one location to another, Whenever it planned to move a house, Three Star hired laborers and a moving company to help with the move. Mike Helms, Three Star's president and part owner, explained that Three Star hired laborers in addition to a moving company because, "If you've got a big building or a lot of work, you hire more than one laborer." Appellant's App. p. 188.

The parties dispute the nature of Carter's relationship to Three Star. According to Property Owners, Carter was an employee of Three Star. But according to Carter, Three Star, and Helms, Carter was an independent contractor. Indeed, at the time that Three Star hired Carter, Helms informed him that he would be working as an independent contractor, not as an employee. Three Star required Carter to sign an independent contractor affidavit of exemption with the Worker's Compensation Board, stating that he was an independent contractor working in the construction trades. When Carter filed a request for assistance with the Worker's Compensation Board, Three Star's attorney filed a response, stating that "Carter was an independent contractor and not an employee." Appellant's App. p. 55.

Carter began working on certain Three Star projects in March 1999. Three Star paid Carter between eleven and twelve dollars per hour, and Helms understood that Carter worked as a general laborer. Carter kept track of his hourly work and was paid on that basis by Three Star. Three Star provided certain tools for Carter's use in the moving process. Generally, Carter performed whatever kind of work Helms instructed him to do. Ben-hower instructed Carter with regard to loading the house onto the truck, but Carter's other instructions came from Helms. Additionally, Three Star relied upon Carter to supervise temporary help obtained for Three Star through temporary employment agencies.

On the day of the accident, Three Star hired Benhower to transport a house. On that day, Helms instructed Carter to climb on top of the house to push any overhead wires out of the way during the move. Benhower informed Carter that it was not a good idea to be on the roof during the move; indeed, Benhower did not permit anyone to be on the roof during a move because of the risk of electrocution. During [715]*715the move, Carter was electrocuted and sustained injuries as a result of the electrocution.

At the time of the accident, Three Star was insured by a Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy (Policy) issued by Property Owners. The Policy contains the following exelusions on liability coverage:

2. Exelusions
This insurance does not apply to:
* "t * * * *
d. Any obligation of the insured under a workers' compensation, disability benefits or unemployment compensation law or any similar law.
e. "Bodily injury" to: (1) An employee of the insured arising out of and in the course
of employment by the insured
[[Image here]]
* * * * * *
This exclusion applies:
(1) Whether the insured may be liable as an employer or in any other capacity; and
(2) To any obligation to share damages with or repay someone else who must pay damages because of injury.
This exclusion does not apply to liability assumed by the insured under an "insured contract."
# * x B # x
5. "Insured contract" means:
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f. That part of any other contract or agreement pertaining to your business ... under which you assume the tort liability of another party to pay for "bodily injury" or "property damage" to a third person or organization. Tort liability means a liability that would be imposed by law in the absence of any contract or agreement.

Appellant's App. p. 208-04.

On February 15, 2001, Carter filed a lawsuit (the Carter Lawsuit) against Three Star, Helms, and Benhower, seeking damages for the injuries he sustained as a result of the electrocution. Property Owners is defending Three Star and Helms in that action pursuant to a reservation of rights in the underlying action herein.

On May 14, 2003, Property Owners filed a complaint for declaratory judgment against Carter, arguing that the Policy does not cover Carter's injuries, inasmuch as he was an employee of Three Star and sustained the injuries in the course of his employment. On April 18, 2005, Property Owners filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing that there are no genuine issues of material fact and that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Following briefing and a hearing, on October 11, 2005, the trial court entered summary judgment in favor of Property Owners. Carter now appeals.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

Carter argues that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Property Owners. In particular, he contends that: (1) the trial court should have allowed the trial court in the Carter Lawsuit to determine whether Carter was an employee of Three Star; (2) the Policy is ambiguous; and (@) there is a genuine issue of material fact with respect to Carter's status as employee or independent contractor.

I. Standard of Review

As we consider Carter's arguments, we observe that summary judgment is appropriate only if the pleadings and evidence [716]*716considered by the trial court show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp. v. Cobb, 754 N.E.2d 905, 909 (Ind.2001); see also Ind. Trial Rule 56(C). On a motion for summary judgment, all doubts as to the existence of material issues of fact must be resolved against the moving party. Owens Corning, 7454 N.E.2d at 909. Additionally, all facts and reasonable inferences from those facts are construed in favor of the nonmoving party. Id. If there is any doubt as to what conclusion a jury could reach, then summary judgment is improper. Id.

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Bluebook (online)
846 N.E.2d 712, 2006 Ind. App. LEXIS 807, 2006 WL 1158056, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carter-v-property-owners-insurance-co-indctapp-2006.