Lambert v. James A. Teague Rental Equipment, Inc.

278 So. 2d 544
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 29, 1973
Docket9347
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 278 So. 2d 544 (Lambert v. James A. Teague Rental Equipment, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lambert v. James A. Teague Rental Equipment, Inc., 278 So. 2d 544 (La. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

278 So.2d 544 (1973)

James Robert LAMBERT
v.
JAMES A. TEAGUE RENTAL EQUIPMENT, INC., et al.

No. 9347.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

May 14, 1973.
Rehearing Denied June 20, 1973.
Writ Refused August 29, 1973.

*545 David M. Robinson, Watson, Blanche, Wilson & Posner, Baton Rouge, for third party defendant-appellant John Hennes Trucking Co.

Frank M. Coates, Jr., Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, Baton Rouge, for James A. Teague Rental Equipment, Inc., and Highlands Ins. Co.

Cyrus J. Greco, Baton Rouge, for plaintiff-appellee Lambert.

Before LANDRY, TUCKER and PICKETT, JJ.

PICKETT, Judge.

The plaintiff, James Robert Lambert, instituted this suit against his former employer, James A. Teague Rental Equipment, Inc., (Teague), and its workmen's compensation insurer, Highlands Insurance Company (Highlands), endeavoring to recover workmen's compensation benefits, including medical expenses, for injuries which he asserts he sustained on April 9, 1971, in the course and scope of his employment by defendant, Teague. In their answer the defendants admitted the hazardous nature of their business, and their employment of plaintiff, but denied liability. The defendants assuming the position of third party plaintiffs filed a third party demand against John Hennes Trucking Co., Inc. (Hennes), for contribution of one-half of all benefits previously paid to plaintiff together with legal interest thereon from date of such payments, and that the third party defendant be adjudged jointly and solidarily liable to plaintiff to the same extent as third party plaintiffs. Hennes answered the third party demand with a general denial of liability.

The case was tried on the merits, and the trial court in written reasons for judgment filed July 19, 1972, found the plaintiff was totally and permanently disabled as a result of injuries sustained in the course of his employment, and as such entitled to benefits of $49.00 per week during his period of disability, not to exceed 500 weeks, less compensation already paid, and an award of $12,500.00 for medical and hospital services. On October 5, 1972, the plaintiff, Lambert, and the defendants, Teague and Highlands, having reached a lump sum compromise agreement, filed a joint petition in which they set forth that no final judgment had been filed, but that Teague had agreed to pay Lambert the total sum of $29,435.56, less the sum of $14,635.56 for compensation and medical benefits previously paid, and that Lambert had agreed to accept such payment in settlement of his claim. The Trial Court rendered and signed a judgment in conformity with the compromise agreement on the same date. On October 18, 1972, the Trial Court rendered and signed a judgment in favor of the third party plaintiffs, Teague and Highlands, and against the third party defendant, Hennes, for the sum of $14,717.78 being one-half of the amount of *546 the judgment in the main demand, together with legal interest from date of the judgment until paid, and that the third party defendant pay one-half of all the costs. From this judgment the appellant, Hennes, has appealed devolutively.

The Trial Court, in his written reason for judgment, summarized the facts as follows:

"On April 8, 1971, John Hennes Trucking Company, Inc., was working on a power plant at New Roads, and to facilitate this work, ordered a fifty-five (55) ton hydracrane from James A. Teague Rental Equipment, Inc. The crane was rented at an hourly rate of Fifty-five and no/100 ($55.00) Dollars for a minimum of eight (8) hours, and was operated by a crane operator, Henry Padgett, and an oiler, the plaintiff. The next morning the plaintiff drove the mobile unit to New Roads, and positioned the unit in accordance with instructions given him by an employee of John Hennes Trucking Company, Inc. He then proceeded, with Padgett operating the crane, to put out the outriggers necessary to stabilize the unit. While doing so he was struck by the counterbalance on the crane, resulting in serious injuries."

After a careful examination of the evidence in the record, we are convinced that the plaintiff was totally and permanently disabled, within the meaning and intendment of the Louisiana Workmen's Compensation Act, as a result of injuries sustained by him while performing services within the course and scope of his employment. We find it unnecessary to detail the evidence relating to the nature of plaintiff's employment, as well as the extent of his injuries. This is particularly true, because the appellant has not raised those issues, but complains that the Trial Court erred as follows:

"A. The trial judge erred in holding that an employer-employee relationship existed between plaintiff and third party defendant at the time of the accident sued on.
B. The trial judge erred in allowing the general employer contribution from the special employer, even if a special employment relationship existed, under the circumstances of this case."

Therefore, the principal issues are whether Hennes and Teague are solidarily liable to Lambert, and whether contribution is due to Teague because of the compensation payment made by it to Lambert.

The evidence shows that Teague was engaged in the business of renting cranes and other heavy equipment. The agreement between Hennes and Teague was that Teague would furnish the crane and an operator, and would provide a maintenance man called an oiler to maintain the equipment. Under their agreement Teague provided Hennes with a 55 ton mobile hydrocrane with an operator, Henry Padgett, and an oiler, plaintiff Lambert, as a unit at an hourly rate of $55.00. The crane was mounted on a truck. Teague obtained the necessary permit for the truck and crane to be moved on the highway. Lambert, who had the duty of operating the truck carrying the crane, drove the truck to the job site, and spotted the crane at a location pointed out to him by Norman Davenport, Hennes' Assistant Superintendent. It was necessary to immobilize the crane before it could be used. This required the extension of outriggers and the placement of pads under them for stability. Padgett and Lambert performed all of the operations necessary to immobilize the crane and insure its stability. While Padgett and Lambert were in the process of immobilizing the crane by setting the outriggers, Lambert was struck by a counterweight on the crane and injured.

If we should find that there existed a "special employer-borrowed servant" relationship between Lambert and Hennes, and that Lambert's injury occurred during this special employment, the law is clear to the *547 effect that Teague, as Lambert's general employer, and Hennes, as Lambert's special employer, are solidary obligors as contemplated by Civil Code Articles 2103 and 2104 for workmen's compensation due Lambert, and Teague and its insurer, Highland, having paid the whole debt, may claim from the Appellant, Hennes, contribution of one-half of that amount. Maryland Casualty Co. v. Liberty Mutual Ins. Co., 254 La. 489, 224 So.2d 465 (1969).

The problem we are here faced with is what test applies in determining whether a person is, at the time of his injury, a "borrowed servant" so as to be entitled to workmen's compensation from, in addition to his general employer, his alleged special employer.

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278 So. 2d 544, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lambert-v-james-a-teague-rental-equipment-inc-lactapp-1973.