Martin Electronics, Inc. v. Glombowski

705 So. 2d 26, 1997 WL 525241
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedAugust 26, 1997
Docket97-276, 97-278
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 705 So. 2d 26 (Martin Electronics, Inc. v. Glombowski) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martin Electronics, Inc. v. Glombowski, 705 So. 2d 26, 1997 WL 525241 (Fla. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

705 So.2d 26 (1997)

MARTIN ELECTRONICS, INC., a foreign corporation, Dave Chasteen, and Cathy Mink, Appellants,
v.
Gregory L. GLOMBOWSKI, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Gregory L. Glombowski, II, Deceased, on Behalf of the Estate and the Survivors, Appellee.
MARTIN ELECTRONICS, INC., a foreign corporation, Dave Chasteen, and Cathy Mink, Appellants,
v.
James M. PHILLIPS, Appellee.

Nos. 97-276, 97-278.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.

August 26, 1997.
Rehearing Denied October 6, 1997.

*27 Brian S. Duffy, Austin B. Neal and Brian C. Keri of McConnaughhay, Roland, Maida & Cherr, P.A., Tallahassee, for appellants.

Thomas M. Ervin, Jr. of Ervin, Varn, Jacobs & Ervin, Tallahassee; James D. Clark, Cunningham Law Group, P.A., Tampa, for appellee Gregory L. Glombowski.

Thomas M. Ervin, Jr. of Ervin, Varn, Jacobs & Ervin, Tallahassee; and C. David Fonvielle of Fonvielle, Hinkle, Lewis & Garvin, Tallahassee, for appellee James M. Phillips.

EN BANC

GENERAL DIVISION

VAN NORTWICK, Judge.

These two consolidated cases present the same jurisdictional issue — whether the denial of a motion to dismiss based upon workers' compensation immunity is a non-final order appealable under rule 9.130(a)(3)(C)(vi), Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure.[1] In each case, the appellants appealed an order denying a motion to dismiss the complaint based on workers' compensation immunity. For the reasons discussed below, we dismiss these appeals for lack of jurisdiction based upon Hastings v. Demming, 694 So.2d 718 (Fla.1997).

I

The appellees, the Estate of Gregory L. Glombowski and James M. Phillips, plaintiffs below, each filed suit against appellants, Martin Electronics, Inc., and two Martin supervisors, seeking damages for injuries to Phillips and the death of Glombowski which resulted from a magnesium powder explosion and fire at Martin's facility in Taylor County, Florida. In their separate lengthy and detailed complaints, appellees allege that Glombowski and Phillips were employees of Martin, a company engaged "in the business of... manufacturing highly flammable, explosive and intensely heat-producing magnesium decoy flares which are utilized for military purposes." The complaints also allege that the use of magnesium powder in Martin's manufacturing process was "an ultra-hazardous activity ... if magnesium powder is inappropriately handled or mishandled" and, as a result, "it is certain that persons handling magnesium powder in the manufacturing process will suffer death or serious injury in the absence of training in the proper safety, handling and manufacturing techniques required for magnesium powder." Each appellee alleges in pertinent part that he was assigned to temporary duty involving the handling of magnesium powder; but that he was neither advised by appellants nor aware through his own knowledge of the extreme dangers and hazards of the work or the specialized training and safety procedures and protections required to work safely with the magnesium powder. Further, each appellee alleges that he

did not receive any training with respect to safety procedures and received no instruction regarding the proper handling of magnesium powder nor was he reasonably or adequately trained in the proper and appropriate operation of the manufacturing equipment which compressed or otherwise applied pressure to the magnesium powder *28 which was utilized in the manufacturing process that was performed....

The complaints each allege that appellants "were aware of the inabilities of [appellees] to properly operate the ... equipment they were required to operate." Notwithstanding such knowledge, "[w]ith full knowledge of the certainty of death or serious injury under the circumstances, [appellants] instructed [appellees] to continue their attempts at production by operation of the machines which compressed or otherwise applied pressure to the magnesium powder." Finally, the complaints allege that "[t]he ignition of the magnesium powder was certain to occur under the circumstances set forth in this Complaint ... and the resulting fire was certain to cause death or serious injury to those within [the Martin building]." During the manufacturing process, the magnesium powder with which the appellees were working was ignited causing an explosion and fire which resulted in the death of Glombowski and serious injury to Phillips.

Martin filed motions to dismiss the appellees' complaints, asserting that it was immune from these suits pursuant to the provisions of section 440.ll(l), Florida Statutes,[2] because the appellees' injuries and death occurred on the job. The trial court, as required, assumed all allegations of material facts in the complaints were true, Clark v. Gumby's Pizza Systems, Inc., 674 So.2d 902, 904 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996), and denied the motions to dismiss. In its order, the trial court explained:

The issue of the appropriateness of the application of Worker's Compensation immunity requires a judicial determination dependent upon an analysis of facts. This Court determines that an analysis of the facts stated in the Complaint and construed most favorably to the Plaintiff requires a denial of the Motions to Dismiss. This determination does not mean that this Court may not ultimately be presented with sufficient facts to determine this issue as a matter of law. However, such determination is premature at this juncture.... Additionally, this Court notes specifically that the Plaintiff alleges in the Complaint... certain conduct, which if such conduct occurs, is substantially certain to result in death or serious injuries; thereafter, in... the Complaint, specific facts are alleged stating that the Defendants engaged in such conduct.... The Complaint also contains factual allegations which when taken as true as they must be at this juncture, and which when viewed in a light most favorable to the Plaintiff as they must be at this juncture, allows a factual determination that the Defendants withheld information from employees Glombowski and Phillips which precluded these employees from exercising informed judgment whether to perform the assigned tasks or not. (Citations omitted).

These appeals ensued. Sua sponte, this court raised the issue of its jurisdiction to review the trial court's orders under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.130(a)(3)(C)(vi).

II

The right to appeal a non-final order that determines a party is not entitled to workers' compensation immunity first arose in Mandico v. Taos Const., Inc., 605 So.2d 850 (Fla. 1992). In Mandico, the supreme court held that such orders were not subject to review by petition for writ of prohibition, but were appealable as non-final orders. The court adopted a new rule of appellate procedure, rule 9.130(a)(3)(C)(vi), which provided that *29 the parties could appeal a non-final order that determined "that a party is not entitled to workers' compensation immunity as a matter of law."

This rule was given differing interpretations by the district courts of appeal. Certain district courts interpreted the rule broadly and generally allowed appeals from orders which denied motions based on a claim of workers' compensation immunity. See Breakers Palm Beach, Inc. v. Gloger, 646 So.2d 237 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994); City of Lake Mary v. Franklin, 668 So.2d 712 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
705 So. 2d 26, 1997 WL 525241, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-electronics-inc-v-glombowski-fladistctapp-1997.