Fye v. Woodland Forrest Products Inc.

39 Pa. D. & C.4th 420, 1998 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 135
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Clearfield County
DecidedSeptember 29, 1998
Docketno. 95-1473-CD
StatusPublished

This text of 39 Pa. D. & C.4th 420 (Fye v. Woodland Forrest Products Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Clearfield County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fye v. Woodland Forrest Products Inc., 39 Pa. D. & C.4th 420, 1998 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 135 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1998).

Opinion

REILLY, P.J.,

Dennis and Valerie Fye instituted the above-captioned civil action in order to recover money damages resulting from injuries sustained after Dennis Fye, plaintiff,1 fell on the stairs/catwalk allegedly under the control of Woodland Forrest Products Inc., defendant.

The facts of the case indicate that plaintiff is a truck driver, and on August 16, 1994, he was weighing a truckload of wood chips to be hauled for defendant at the defendant’s chipping mill near Clearfield. The accident occurred that day as plaintiff was ascending a set of steel steps to the weight scales of the chipping [422]*422plant. Plaintiff apparently suffered a fractured foot and nerve, muscle, ligament, and soft tissue damage.

Alleging negligence, plaintiffs’ complaint argues that the improper installation and substantial disparity in elevation between the ground and walkway of the stairs/catwalk created a dangerous condition. Defendant has denied any negligence and liability resulting from plaintiff’s fall. Further, in 1997, Eichleay Constructors Inc., additional defendant, was brought into the litigation by defendant. Defendant claims that additional defendant had possession and control of the stairs and catwalk, and as contractor, was solely responsible for the construction and maintenance of them.

The crux of the dispute, however, centers on whether plaintiff was an employee of the defendant. Defendant claims that plaintiff was its employee or statutory employee, thus barring recovery based on negligence due to the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. Plaintiff argues that he was an employee of Robert Raymond d/b/a R.J.’s Garage at all relevant times.

Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment on April 23, 1998. Oral argument on the issue of summary judgment was held on July 27, 1998 before the undersigned. Briefs by the parties having been timely received, the issue is now set for decision.

Plaintiff began working for R.J.’s Garage in May 1994, and was initially assigned to operate a dump trailer, which was used to haul stone. About a month later, R.J.’s decided to lease two trucks to the defendant, which would haul wood chips. Hauling wood chips from a processing plant requires compliance with certain regulations of the Public Utility Commission (PUC). Both parties agree that there was an oral agreement between defendant and R.J.’s Garage, which resulted in the placement of R.J.’s employees on defendant’s [423]*423payroll. This temporary arrangement allowed R.J.’s to operate through the defendant, who had PUC authorization that R.J.’s lacked. The facts indicate that Bruce Graham, president of Woodland Forrest Products Inc., leased the trucks and drivers from Robert Raymond. Upon R.J.’s procurement of its own PUC license in May 1995, the employees were placed back on R.J.’s payroll.

The manner in which the parties conducted business while operating under their agreement is important to the resolution of the instant matter. Mr. Raymond told plaintiff of the arrangement with defendant because of the PUC problem, and plaintiff never had a discussion with Mr. Graham relating to his employment or the situation generally. R.J.’s told plaintiff that he would be hauling wood chips, and plaintiff was taken to defendant’s premises by Mr. Raymond. The wood chips were loaded at the chipping plant in Woodland, and the destination was Johnsonburg. Plaintiff learned what to do by observing, and stated that he did not receive any kind of instruction on the process of loading the chips from the shoots to the truck from either R.J.’s or the defendant.

The parties are in agreement as to the following; plaintiff’s checks were issued by defendant, plaintiff was paid in accordance to the pay cycle of defendant’s employees, plaintiff filled out W-2 and W-4 forms for defendant, and deductions were taken from plaintiff’s check for payroll taxes, workers’ compensation insurance, and social security. It is asserted that R.J.’s continued to pay workers’ compensation insurance on the plaintiff because of ease in bookkeeping. Two paychecks dated August 18 and August 25, 1994, were issued to plaintiff by defendant for the work done a week prior to each issuance. Plaintiff’s rate of pay while [424]*424on defendant’s payroll was the same as previously established at R.J.’s. Apparently, Mr. Graham did not want to pay that rate initially, but the pay rate was set by the truck owner, Mr. Raymond. Because of the way the payments to R.J.’s were structured, defendant’s out-of-pocket expenses remained constant after the truckers from R.J.’s were placed on defendant’s payroll.

Both parties had the right to terminate plaintiff’s employment. Although plaintiff reported to R.J.’s to determine the number of loads to be hauled per week, this information was also provided to R. J. ’s or the drivers by the defendant. R.J.’s had no authority to decide the number of loads going out or the number of trips to be made, although the papers received by the plaintiff from the scale in Johnsonburg for the week were submitted to Mr. Raymond. The only instruction given to plaintiff by R.J.’s was the general caution given to all the drivers not to overload. Since the trucks were leased from R.J.’s and under their control, R.J.’s was responsible for repairs.

After plaintiff’s accident, another driver, Ron Hensel, was sent by R.J.’s to pick up the truck, which was parked near plaintiff’s home. Incidentally, Mr. Hensel was later dismissed by R.J.’s. As previously noted, R.J.’s obtained a PUC license, and the drivers were placed back on its payroll. In addition, at the time of the deposition of Mr. Raymond, R.J.’s Garage had apparently gone through chapter seven bankruptcy proceedings.

In considering a motion for summary judgment, the trial court must examine the entire record. Morin v. Traveler’s Rest Motel Inc., 704 A.2d 1085, 1086 (Pa. Super. 1997) (citing Merriweather v. Philadelphia Newspapers Inc., 453 Pa. Super. 464, 684 A.2d 137 (1996)). Summary judgment is appropriate when the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and [425]*425admissions on file, together with the affidavits 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. Hopewell Estates Inc. v. Kent, 435 Pa. Super. 471, 475, 646 A.2d 1192, 1194 (1994) (citing Pa.R.C.P. 1035.1, 42Pa.C.S.). Summary judgment may be entered only in cases where the right is clear and free from doubt. Id. In addition, the record must be viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, and all doubts as to existence of a genuine issue of material fact must be resolved against the moving party. Pennsylvania State University v. County of Centre, 532 Pa. 142, 145, 615 A.2d 303, 304 (1992) (citing Marks v. Tasman, 527 Pa. 132, 135, 589 A.2d 205, 206 (1991)).

The record contains excerpts from the depositions of Mr. Fye, Mr. Raymond and Mr.

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39 Pa. D. & C.4th 420, 1998 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 135, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fye-v-woodland-forrest-products-inc-pactcomplclearf-1998.