Republic Franklin Ins. v. Advanced Ironworks, Inc.

19 Mass. L. Rptr. 103
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedJanuary 24, 2005
DocketNo. SUCV20040228C
StatusPublished

This text of 19 Mass. L. Rptr. 103 (Republic Franklin Ins. v. Advanced Ironworks, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Republic Franklin Ins. v. Advanced Ironworks, Inc., 19 Mass. L. Rptr. 103 (Mass. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

Smith, J.

I. Introduction

Defendants/Third-Party Plaintiffs, Advanced Ironworks, Inc and Martin E. Richards (collectively hereinafter “Ironworks”) brought a third-party complaint impleading certain individual employees of Fisher College for contribution in this negligence action. This matter is before this Court on the joint Motion to Dismiss all claims filed by four of the five Third-Party Defendants. The Third-Party Defendants aver that the third-party claims against them should be dismissed on the grounds of futility since employees’ torts, committed during the course of their employment, are imputed to the employer. Furthermore, the Third-Party Defendants make the related argument that because of this imputation all potential tort liability should be consolidated into one action solely against their employer, Fisher College. Ironworks asserts that each named third-party defendant is individually liable and can be named separate from their employer, Fisher College, for contribution as third-party defendants. For the reasons set forth below, the Third-Party Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss is DENIED.

II. Background

Third-Party Defendants, Sheldon Barron, Roberta Cantor, Gail Murphy, and Thomas Pistorino (collectively hereinafter the “Third-Party Defendants”)3 have moved to dismiss all third-party claims by Ironworks. This action arises from a subrogation claim initiated by Republic Franklin Insurance Co. (“Republic”) on behalf of Fisher College. Four people were injured when a balcony on Fisher College property collapsed and brought suit against Fisher College (hereinafter the “Benedetti Action”).4 Advanced Ironworks and its employee, Martin Richards, were hired by Fisher College to inspect and certify the safety of the balcony that later collapsed. Advanced Ironworks and Martin Richards were also named defendants in the initial Benedetti Action lawsuit. Republic, as subrogor of Fisher College, has filed suit to recover damages from Ironworks for the costs to repair the building and balcony it paid under an insurance policy to Fisher College. Republic claims negligence and breach of contract against Ironworks.

Upon answering the complaint Ironworks im-pleaded five employees of Fisher College as individuals for contribution. The third-party complaint against the five employees of Fisher College alleges that each [104]*104employee’s negligence proximately caused or contributed to the underlying tort damages as follows:

i) that Sheldon Barron allegedly failed to properly oversee and direct the work performed by Advanced Ironworks as well as failed to keep the balcony in a reasonably safe condition;
ii) that Roberta Cantor allegedly failed to properly manage the physical plant facilities and the balcony and also failed to supervise and train qualified facilities managers who reported to her;
iii) that Gail Murphy allegedly failed to keep the balcony in reasonable safe condition and did not properly perform her duty to supervise the balcony’s maintenance; and
iv) that Thomas Pistorino, as supervisor of Sandro Mendes, allegedly failed to notify Mendes that recreational use of the balcony violated Fisher College’s safely rules.5

The Third-Parfy Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss contends that any individual negligence on their behalf should be imputed to their employer, Fisher College, as all alleged acts were committed within the scope of their employment. Also, any negligence of any of the Third-Party Defendants should be consolidated with and imputed to Fisher College as one joint tort-feasor in accordance with G.L.c. 23IB and the principles of agency law. Finally, the Third-Parfy Defendants state that separate claims between the employee and employer result in futility, since their individual negligence, if any, is imputed to their employer, Fisher College.

III. Discussion

A. Motion to Dismiss Standard

The Third-Party Defendants move to dismiss Ironworks’s third-party plaintiff complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.6 When evaluating the sufficiency of a complaint pursuant to Mass.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), the court must accept as true the well pleaded factual allegations of the complaint, as well as any inference which can be drawn therefrom in the [third-party plaintiffs) favor. Fairneny v. Savogran Co., 422 Mass. 469, 470 (1996); Eyal v. Helen Broad. Corp., 411 Mass. 426, 429 (1991). “[The] complaint should not be dismissed for failure to state a claim unless it appears beyond doubt that the [third-party plaintiffs] can prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle him to relief.” Nader v. Citron, 372 Mass. 96, 98 (1977), quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46 (1957).

“[A] complaint is not subject to dismissal if it would support relief on any theoiy of law.” Whitinsville Plaza, Inc. v. Kotseas, 378 Mass. 85,89 (1979). Furthermore, a complaint should not be dismissed simply because it asserts a new or extreme theoiy of liability. New England Insulation Co. v. General Dynamics Corp., 26 Mass.App.Ct. 28, 30 (1988); Bell v. Mazza, 394 Mass. 176, 183 (1985). All inferences should be drawn in the [third-party plaintiffs] favor in the complaint “so as to do substantial justice.” Ourfalian v. Aro Mfg. Co., Inc., 31 Mass.App.Ct. 294, 296 (1991). A third-party complaint may be properly dismissed, however, if it does not allege conditions upon which the third-party defendant is responsible for the defendant/third-party plaintiffs potential liability to the original plaintiff. Gabbidon v. King, 414 Mass. 685, 686-87 (1993).

B. Impleading Third Parties

Mass.R.Civ.P. 14 allows a defending party to im-plead a third person who may be liable through indemnification, subrogation, or contribution. Mass.RCiv.P. 14 provides that “at any time after commencement of the action a defending party, as a third-party plaintiff, may ... cause a summons and complaint to be served upon a person who is or may be liable to him for all or part of the plaintiffs claim against him.” Mass.R.Civ.P. 14(a). Third-party practice is appropriate in cases where the third-party plaintiff is seeking either contribution or indemnification. Gabbidon v. King, 414 Mass. 685, 686 (1993). In Massachusetts, a right to indemnification exists only if there is a binding contract between indemnitor and indemnitee; either expressed or implied. Kelly v. Dimeo, Inc., 31 Mass.App.Ct. 626, 628 (1991), citing H.P. Hood & Sons, Inc. v. Ford Motor Co., 370 Mass. 69, 77 (1976). Contribution is applicable where “two or more wrongdoers negligently contribute to the personal injury of another by their several acts.” O’Connor v. Raymark Indus., Inc., 401 Mass. 536, 591 (1988), quoting Chase v. Roy, 363 Mass. 402, 408 (1973) (emphasis added).

Ironworks argues that the named Fisher College employees are liable as third-party defendants by way of contribution. In Massachusetts, contribution is available “where two or more persons become jointly liable in tort for the same injury to person or property . . .” G.L.c. 231B, 1(a). Contribution is permitted between joint tortfeasors.

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Related

Conley v. Gibson
355 U.S. 41 (Supreme Court, 1957)
Bell v. Mazza
474 N.E.2d 1111 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1985)
Whitinsville Plaza, Inc. v. Kotseas
390 N.E.2d 243 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1979)
Liberty Mutual Insurance v. Westerlind
373 N.E.2d 957 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1978)
Elias v. Unisys Corp.
573 N.E.2d 946 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1991)
Ourfalian v. Aro Manufacturing Co.
577 N.E.2d 6 (Massachusetts Appeals Court, 1991)
New England Insulation Co. v. General Dynamics Corp.
522 N.E.2d 997 (Massachusetts Appeals Court, 1988)
Kane v. Fields Corner Grille, Inc.
171 N.E.2d 287 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1961)
Kelly v. DIMEO, INC. WATERPROOFING CO.
581 N.E.2d 1316 (Massachusetts Appeals Court, 1991)
Eyal v. Helen Broadcasting Corp.
583 N.E.2d 228 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1991)
Mullins v. Pine Manor College
449 N.E.2d 331 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1983)
Chase v. Roy
294 N.E.2d 336 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1973)
Nader v. Citron
360 N.E.2d 870 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1977)
H. P. Hood & Sons, Inc. v. Ford Motor Co.
345 N.E.2d 683 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1976)
Hopper Feeds, Inc. v. Cincinnati Milacron, Inc.
581 N.E.2d 1023 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1991)
Gabbidon v. King
414 Mass. 685 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1993)
Fairneny v. Savogran Co.
422 Mass. 469 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1996)
Lyon v. Morphew
424 Mass. 828 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1997)

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Bluebook (online)
19 Mass. L. Rptr. 103, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/republic-franklin-ins-v-advanced-ironworks-inc-masssuperct-2005.