Poynor v. BMW of North America, LLC

441 S.W.3d 315, 2013 WL 3498695, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 1743
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 21, 2013
DocketNo. 05-10-00724-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 441 S.W.3d 315 (Poynor v. BMW of North America, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Poynor v. BMW of North America, LLC, 441 S.W.3d 315, 2013 WL 3498695, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 1743 (Tex. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

OPINION

Opinion by

Justice BRIDGES.

Before the Court is appellants’ motion for en banc reconsideration. On the [318]*318Court’s own motion, we withdraw our opinion and vacate our judgment of July 31, 2012. We overrule appellants’ motion for en banc reconsideration and affirm the trial court’s judgment. This is now the opinion of the Court.

Appellants Scott and Kimberly Poynor, Individually and as Next Friend of Spenser Miles, a Minor, appeal the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of appellees BMW of North America, LLC (“BMW NA”) and BMW (US) Holding Corp. (“BMW US”). In three issues, appellants contend: (1) the record contains sufficient evidence to raise a fact issue as to negligent undertaking by BMW NA; (2) the principles of respondeat superior apply to the relationship between BMW NA and Classic BMW despite a contractual provision which states Classic BMW is an independent contractor; and (3) the denial of appellants’ motion for continuance was improper. We affirm.

Background

In July of 2005, appellants went to Classic BMW to shop for a new car. Christopher Homer, a salesperson, took appellants for a test drive in a 2006 BMW325Í. Homer explained it was the dealer’s policy to have a sales person drive the car first to explain the vehicle’s features. During the test drive, Homer drove recklessly and lost control of the vehicle, crashing the car into a traffic sign, guardrail, a retaining wall and pillar.1 Appellants were injured as a result of the accident.

Appellants filed suit against fourteen defendants.2 Their third amended petition specifically asserted the following causes of action against BMW NA and BMW US:3 (1) negligence; (2) negligent hiring, training and supervision; (3) negligence per se; (4) intentional infliction of emotion distress; and (5) respondeat superior, vicarious liability and agency. BMW NA and BMW U.S. filed separate traditional motions for summary judgment, which the trial court granted.

In their brief before this Court, appellants claim BMW NA is directly liable because it negligently undertook to train Homer. Appellants further contend BMW NA is vicariously liable for the acts of Homer due to its agency relationship with Classic BMW. Finally, appellants argue the trial court improperly denied their motion for continuance when appellees failed to produce evidence subject to an order to compel.

Analysis

A. Standard of Review

The standards for reviewing a traditional summary judgment are well established. The party moving for summary judgment has the burden of showing no genuine issue of material fact exists and that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Tex.R. Civ. P. 166a(c); Nixon v. Mr. [319]*319Prop. Mgmt. Co., 690 S.W.2d 546, 548 (Tex.1985). In deciding whether a disputed material fact issue exists, precluding summary judgment, evidence favorable to the non-movant will be taken as true. Nixon, 690 S.W.2d at 548-49. Further, every reasonable inference must be indulged in favor of the non-movant and any doubts resolved in his favor. Id. A motion for summary judgment must expressly present the grounds upon which it is made and must stand or fall on those grounds alone. McConnell v. Southside Indep. Sch. Dist., 858 S.W.2d 337, 341 (Tex.1993); Espalin v. Children’s Med. Ctr. of Dallas, 27 S.W.3d 675, 688 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2000, no pet.).

B. Vicarious Liability

We begin with appellants’ second issue in which they argue the principles of respondeat superior apply to the relationship between BMW NA and Classic BMW despite a contractual provision which states Classic BMW is an independent contractor. Appellants contend the record contains sufficient evidence that BMW NA is vicariously liable for the actions of Classic BMW and Homer, specifically that there is sufficient evidence to raise a fact issue as to: (1) the negligent training and supervision claims against BMW NA vicariously through Classic BMW; (2) the negligent entrustment claims against BMW NA vicariously through Classic BMW; and (3) the negligence per se claims against BMW NA vicariously through Homer.

Under the doctrine of respondeat superior, an employer may be vicariously liable for the negligence of its agent or employee who was acting within the scope of employment even though the employer did not personally commit a wrong. See St. Joseph Hosp. v. Wolff, 94 S.W.3d 513, 541-42 (Tex.2002). But a person or entity that hires an independent contractor is generally not vicariously liable for the tort or negligence of that person. See Baptist Mem’l Hosp. Sys. v. Sampson, 969 S.W.2d 945, 947 (Tex.1998). The right of control is the “supreme test” for determining whether a master-servant relationship exists. See Golden Spread Council, Inc. No. 562 of Boy Scouts of Am. v. Akins, 926 S.W.2d 287, 290 (Tex.1996). In determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor, the focus is on who had the right to control the details of the work. See Exxon Corp. v. Tidwell, 867 S.W.2d 19, 23 (Tex.1993). An independent contractor is one who, in pursuit of an independent business, undertakes specific work for another using his or her own means and methods without submitting to the control of the other person as to the details of the work. Farlow v. Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hosp., 284 S.W.3d 903, 911 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 2009, pet. denied).

We may consider several factors in determining the extent of the right of control: (1) the independent nature of the person’s business; (2) the person’s obligation to furnish necessary tools, supplies, and material to perform the job; (3) the right to control progress of the work, except as to final results; (4) the time for which the person is employed; and (5) the method of payment, whether by time or by the job. See Tex. A & M Univ. v. Bishop, 156 S.W.3d 580, 584-85 (Tex.2005). However, to trigger vicarious liability, the right to control must extend to the specific activity from which the injury arose. Exxon, 867 S.W.2d at 23; Farlow, 284 S.W.3d at 911-12; Ely v. Gen. Motors Corp., 927 S.W.2d 774, 778 (Tex.App.-Texarkana 1996, writ denied).

A contract expressly providing that a person is an independent contractor is determinative of the relationship absent evidence that the contract is a mere sham [320]*320or subterfuge designed to conceal the true legal status of the parties or that the contract has been modified by a subsequent agreement between the parties. See Bell v. VPSI, Inc.,

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441 S.W.3d 315, 2013 WL 3498695, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 1743, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/poynor-v-bmw-of-north-america-llc-texapp-2013.