Supreme Pork, Inc. v. Master Blaster, Inc.

2009 SD 20, 764 N.W.2d 474, 2009 S.D. LEXIS 22, 2009 WL 867870
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedApril 1, 2009
Docket24645
StatusPublished
Cited by45 cases

This text of 2009 SD 20 (Supreme Pork, Inc. v. Master Blaster, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Supreme Pork, Inc. v. Master Blaster, Inc., 2009 SD 20, 764 N.W.2d 474, 2009 S.D. LEXIS 22, 2009 WL 867870 (S.D. 2009).

Opinions

GILBERTSON, Chief Justice.

[¶ 1.] Master Blaster, Inc. (Master Blaster) appeals several evidentiary and legal rulings made at the jury trial in which it was found liable for damages caused to Supreme Pork, Inc. (Supreme Pork). We affirm.

FACTS

[¶ 2.] In 1999, a small fire broke out in the pressure washer room of Supreme Pork’s pig farrowing facility near Lake Benton, MN. The power washer sustained some damage but was completely repaired. In restoring the pressure washer room, Supreme Pork contracted with Master Blaster to add and install a second power washer. It was decided that the power washers’ venting system needed to be redesigned and a new chimney installed. Master Blaster did not perform these services.

[479]*479[¶ 3.] The parties disagree about the details of the subsequent conversation; however, it is undisputed that Master Blaster recommended Pipestone Plumbing and Heating (PP & H) for the venting and chimney work. Following this discussion, Master Blaster contacted PP & H. PP & H provided a price quote to Master Blaster. Master Blaster included the price of PP & H’s quote, plus an additional fee, in Master Blaster’s quote and bill to Supreme Pork.

[¶ 4.] On March 21, 2002, a second fire ignited above the ceiling of the pressure washer room, near the exhaust chimney. This fire did significant damage to Supreme Pork’s facilities. Fire investigation experts were retained by a number of parties for post-fire causation analysis.

[¶ 5.] During the June 2007 trial, several of these experts testified about the cause of the fire and the surrounding circumstances. The trial court permitted testimony regarding: an expert’s pretrial preparations made after his deposition; the existence of non-causal building code violations in the chimney installation; the power washer manufacturer’s recommendation that a more insulated type of chimney be used; a different fire in 1999 which resulted from PP & H’s installation; and, a theory of ignition called “pyrolysis.”

[¶ 6.] The trial court determined that PP & H served as Master Blaster’s subcontractor/agent for this project, which, under Minnesota law,1 made Master Blaster liable for PP & H’s negligence. Master Blaster appeals these rulings.

ISSUES

1. Whether the trial court erred when it failed to give jury instructions on the issue of agency and independent contractors.

2. Whether the trial court erred when it admitted particular testimony from expert witnesses, in regard to:

a. Mr. Rallis’ testimony regarding the use of Class A vents.

b. Dr. Schroeder’s testimony regarding “undisclosed underlying information.”

c. Mr. Rallis’ testimony regarding attic shield “top covers.”

3. Whether the trial court erred when it admitted evidence of non-causal code violations on the same project or evidence regarding a 1999 fire at another facility.

4. Whether Dr. Schroeder’s testimony regarding “pyrolysis” failed to meet the Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. standard.

ANALYSIS AND DECISION

[¶ 7.] 1. Whether the trial court erred when it failed to give jury instructions on the issue of agency and independent contractors.

[¶ 8.] Both parties concede that PP & H was an independent contractor. After considering the briefs and oral arguments presented by Master Blaster and Supreme Pork on appeal, we find that the issue of “agency” was not an issue in this case.2 Because agency was not an issue, no jury instruction was required.

[480]*480[¶ 9.] However, the briefs go beyond this initial concern and deal with the issue of vicarious liability. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the discussion beyond a narrow focus on the “agency” issue to the liabilities that arise from independent contractor relationships. The issue on appeal is better phrased as “Whether a primary contractor is liable for its subcontractor’s negligence.”3

[¶ 10.] In 1937, the Minnesota Supreme Court held that a boiler company that contracted to manufacture steel plates and attach them to a water tank was not relieved of its duty of care to its customer by delegating work, attaching the plates, to a subcontractor. Instead, the boiler company was liable for the damage caused by the negligence of its subcontractor. See Pacific Fire Ins. Co. v. Kenny Boiler & Mfg. Co., 201 Minn. 500, 277 N.W. 226 (1937).

[¶ 11.] The court explained:

As a limitation to the doctrine of respon-deat superior this court has laid down the rule that an employer is not liable for the consequences of the negligent acts of an independent contractor.... But the tendency is to enlarge the operation of the doctrine of respondeat superior, and it is a limit which has often been exceeded. Indeed it would be proper to say that the rule is now primarily important as a preamble to the catalog of its exceptions.
[[Image here]]
Where one person owes another a contractual duty to act, the law imposes upon the person owing that duty the further duty of acting with due care in the performance of his contract so as not to injure the contractee’s person or property. This duty is nondelegable. That is, the performance of the contract may be delegated to another, but this delegation does not relieve the contractor of the duty to act, or of his duty to act with due care. Consequently defendant is subject to liability for damage suffered by the contractee as a result of the negligence of the independent subcontractor.

Id. at 228 (citations omitted). This principle survives to this day. See Brasch v. Wesolowsky, 272 Minn. 112, 138 N.W.2d 619 (1965); Theissen-Nonnemacher, Inc. v. Dutt, 393 N.W.2d 397 (Minn.Ct.App.1986); Federal Ins. Co. v. Westurn Cedar Supply, Inc., 2008 WL 686556 (D.Minn. March 13, 2008) (Slip copy) (applying Minnesota law). Under Minnesota’s rule, the principal contractor is liable for the negligence of its subcontractor.4

[¶ 12.] Master Blaster is vicariously liable for PP & H’s negligence through their contractor/sub-contractor relationship. This issue was properly decided by the trial court as a matter of Minnesota law.5

[481]*481[¶ 13.] 2. Whether the trial court erred when it admitted particular testimony from expert witnesses.

[¶ 14.] In Kaiser v. University Physicians Clinic, 2006 SD 95, 724 N.W.2d 186, and Papke v. Harbert, 2007 SD 87, 738 N.W.2d 510, this Court examined the issue of undisclosed expert testimony. The Court recognized that the purpose of pretrial discovery is to allow “the parties to obtain the fullest possible knowledge of the issues and facts before trial.” Papke, 2007 SD 87, ¶ 55, 738 N.W.2d at 529 (quoting Kaiser, 2006 SD 95, ¶ 31, 724 N.W.2d at 194). To fulfill this purpose, the parties are “under a duty seasonably to supplement [their] response[s] with respect to any question directly addressed to ...

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Huante
2026 S.D. 6 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2026)
Coyle v. McFarland
2025 S.D. 63 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2025)
Hauck v. Clay County Commission
994 N.W.2d 707 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2023)
State v. Hankins
982 N.W.2d 21 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2022)
State v. Nohava
960 N.W.2d 844 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2021)
State v. Thoman
955 N.W.2d 759 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2021)
Frye-Byington v. Rapid City Medical Center
2021 S.D. 3 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2021)
Johnson v. UPS
2020 S.D. 39 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2020)
Graff v. Children's Care Hospital and School
943 N.W.2d 484 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2020)
Sedlacek v. Prussman Contracting, Inc.
941 N.W.2d 819 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2020)
Excel Underground, Inc. v. Brant Lake Sanitary District
941 N.W.2d 791 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2020)
Knecht v. Evridge
940 N.W.2d 318 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2020)
Weber v. Rains and K & L Constr., Inc.
2019 S.D. 53 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2019)
Leighton v. Bennett
2019 S.D. 19 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2019)
State v. Abdo
2018 SD 34 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2018)
State v. Quist
2018 SD 30 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2018)
State v. Hi Ta Lar
908 N.W.2d 181 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2018)
State v. Lar
2018 SD 18 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2018)
State v. Bertram
2018 SD 4 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2018)
O'day v. Nanton
2017 SD 90 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2017)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2009 SD 20, 764 N.W.2d 474, 2009 S.D. LEXIS 22, 2009 WL 867870, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/supreme-pork-inc-v-master-blaster-inc-sd-2009.