Hargis v. United Transports, Inc.

274 S.W.2d 339, 1955 Mo. App. LEXIS 20
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 3, 1955
DocketNo. 7331
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 274 S.W.2d 339 (Hargis v. United Transports, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hargis v. United Transports, Inc., 274 S.W.2d 339, 1955 Mo. App. LEXIS 20 (Mo. Ct. App. 1955).

Opinion

McDOWELL, Presiding Judge.

This appeal is. from a judgment of the Circuit Court of • Greene County affirming an award of the Workmen’s Compensation Commission of Missouri in fayor of claimant and against United Transports, Inc., for $1,332.15.

Earl Hargis filed a claim for compensation before the Division rof Workmen’s Compensation, Department of Labor & Industrial Relations of Missouri. The claim lists both United Transports, Inc., and Auto Transports, Inc., as employer, each of which are self-insured. The1 date of the accident in which claimant was alleged to have ’been injured was May 21, 1951, and place of accident Highland, Illinois. The work claimant was doing at time of injury was unloading a cargo of automobiles being delivered for Auto Transports, Inc.

Defendants’ answer admitted the accident. United Transports, Inc., denied, claimant was in its employment at time of accident.. Auto Transports, Inc., admitted the employment as alleged. Both defendants denied contract of employment was made in Missouri and denied that the Workmen’s Compensation Commission had jurisdiction and all other allegations of. the petition.

The claim was heard by a referee on January 2, 1952. It was admitted that the accident occurred in Illinois; that the claim was filed within the time prescribed by law;’ that defendant United Transports, Inc., was operating under the Missouri Workmen’s Compensation Law but- Auto Transports, Inc., was not; that the injury actually took place May 18,T951; that the average weekly wage was over $37.50; that claimant had received compensation under the Kansas Act from Auto Transports, Inc., of $167.85 paid for a period from May 18, 1951, to July 7, 1951, and medical aid in the sum of $166.40.

The referee, in his findings of fact and conclusions of law, stated:

“I further find that at the time of said accident, Earl Hargis, was not an employee ■of United Transports, Inc., but under the loaned . servant doctrine was • an employee of Auto Transports, Inc., the contract of employment being entered into in Missouri.”

Claimant ' filed application for review , before the full Commission. Upon review the judgment of the referee was reversed. Its findings stated:

“We further find that said Earl Hargis was an employee of United Transports, Inc., at the time of his accident under a contract of employment entered into in Missouri; that in accordance with Section 287.110.2, RSMo 1949 [V.A.M.S.], the Commission has jurisdiction in this cause.

“We further find that said Earl Hargis was not á borrowed employee of Auto Transports, Inc., at the time of his 'accident; that the evidence fails to show that Auto Transports, Inc., had the power to control the details of the work Earl Hargis was performing at the time of his accidental injury. The claim against Auto Transports, Inc., .therefore, is hereby dismissed.”

Defendant United Transports, Inc., appealed to the Circuit Court of Greene County, Missouri. Upon review the Circuit Court affirmed the judgment of the Industrial Commission. Defendant United Transports, Inc., appealed.

In our opinion we well refer to appellant as defendant and to respondent as claimant:

Defendant’s first allegation of error is that the trial court erred in finding that claimant, at the time of the injury, was not a borrowed or loaned employee of Auto Transports, Inc.

Defendant contends the evidence showed, as a matter of law, claimant was a borrowed or loaned servant, acting as the employee of Auto Transports, Inc., at the time of accident.

To sustain this contention defendant cites the following authorities:

[341]*341McFarland v. Dixie Machinery & Equipment Co., 348 Mo. 341, 153 S.W.2d 67, 136 A.L.R. 516. This case involved an action for damages for personal injuries! The court, in its opinion, discussed the borrowed servant doctrine. On page 70 of 153 S.W.2d the law is stated:

“* * * Our precedents have always ruled the question of who is the master or employer, to whom the rule of respondeat superior is to be applied, principally upon the test of control. In O’Brien v. Rindskopf, 334 Mo. 1233, 70 S.W.2d 1085, many cases in this and other jurisdictions were reviewed. This case has recently been approved in State ex rel. Chapman v. Shain [347 Mo. 308], 147 S.W.2d 457, 462, which quashed an opinion of the Kansas City Court of Appeals, Perdue v. Chapman [Mo.App.], 137 S.W.2d 483, found to be in conflict with its rulings, which were stated as follows:

“ ‘ “While it is true one may be in the general service of another, and, nevertheless, with respect to particular work, may be the servant of another, who may become liable for his acts, yet to escape liability the original master must surrender full control ■of the servant in the performance of said work. The fact that the servant is partially under the control of the third person will not release the original master for any wrongful act done by the servant in the ordinary course of his employment. * * *» 'pjjg question of who is the master and therefore responsible, for the negligent act of the servant is said to be determinable by who at the time has the right to control the acts of the servant causing the injury. * * (See cases cited.).

Wittgrove v. Green Lea Dairies, Inc., Mo.App., 223 S.W.2d 114, 115, 116, states the law:

“The loaned or borrowed servant doctrine is simply a rule that an employee in the general employ of one master may, with his consent, be loaned to another master and become the servant or employee of the one to whom he has been loaned. The borrowing employer, .however; must have exclusive control over the employee’s work. Ellegood v. Brashear Freight Lines, 236 Mo.App. 971, 162 S.W.2d 628; McFarland v. Dixie Machinery & Equipment Co., 348 Mo. 341, 153 S.W.2d 67, 136 A.L.R. 516; Nolan v. Joplin Transfer & Storage Co., 239 Mo.App. 915, 203 S.W.2d 740; Lee v. Oreon E. & R. G. Scott Realty Co., Mo.App., 96 S.W.2d 652.”

Evans v. Farmers Mut. Hail Ins. Co., 240 Mo.App. 748, 217 S.W.2d 705, 709, cites with approval the law as declared in O’Brien v. Rindskopf, 334 Mo. 1233, 70 S.W.2d 1085. All of the cases cited by defendant -as to the “borrowed servant doctrine” follow the law as above stated.

The law probably is more clearly stated . in Ellegood v. Brashear Freight Lines, Inc., 236 Mo.App. 971, 162 S.W.2d 628, 632, 633:

“Under those decisions, it has been universally held that an employee in the general employment of one master may, with his consent, be loaned to another and become the servant of the person to whom he is loaned if the latter has exclusive -control over the work.

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274 S.W.2d 339, 1955 Mo. App. LEXIS 20, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hargis-v-united-transports-inc-moctapp-1955.