Tippmann v. Hensler

716 N.E.2d 372, 1999 Ind. LEXIS 798, 1999 WL 740895
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 22, 1999
Docket02S03-9603-CV-201
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 716 N.E.2d 372 (Tippmann v. Hensler) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tippmann v. Hensler, 716 N.E.2d 372, 1999 Ind. LEXIS 798, 1999 WL 740895 (Ind. 1999).

Opinion

SHEPARD, Chief Justice.

This case comes to us on interlocutory appeal from the denial of Dennis Tippmann, Jr.’s, motion for summary judgment. The Court of Appeals remanded the case to the trial court for more fact finding on the trial court’s subject matter jurisdiction. Tippmann v. Hensler, 654 N.E.2d 821, 826 (Ind.Ct.App.1995).

We grant transfer.

Facts

Brian S. Hensler and Dennis Tippmann, Jr., were co-employees at Tippmann Pneumatics, Inc. Hensler worked as a paintball gun assembler, and Tippmann worked in the service department repairing paintball guns shipped to the company for repairs. On or about October 19, 1990, Hensler, Tippmann, and other employees were taking a scheduled afternoon break in a large room where paintball guns were serviced. According to Hensler, 1 Tippmann began “playing around” by aiming a gun that Tippmann had just serviced at Hensler and asking him, “Where do you want me to shoot you at?” (R. at 97.) Hensler responded by leaving the room, getting another paintball gun, and returning. The employees then sat together conversing, with Tippmann no longer pointing the gun at Hensler.

At the far end of the room in one corner was a paint booth in which employees test fired paintball guns and paint grenades. At that same end of the room, but in the opposite corner, was the door through which one would enter or exit the room. “[J]ust for fun,” and not as part of their actual duties, (R. at 97), one of the employees fired a few shots down the length of the service room into the paint booth, and Hensler did likewise with the gun he now had. Tippmann angrily told the employees to stop firing their guns because, according to Tippmann, “it [was] kind of messy” and he “would probably have the clean it up.” (R. at 49.) Hensler, however, stated that it was not part of Tippmann’s job responsibilities to clean the paint booth, that in fact no one cleaned it. Regardless, Hensler responded to Tippmann’s order by “dry firing” his gun (firing without ejecting a paintball) at the ceiling. Tippmann responded to Hensler’s act of defiance by beginning to load his paintball gun, stating that he was going to shoot Hensler. Tippmann admitted that at this time he “may have wanted to hit Hensler while he was in the room.” (R. at 95.) Hensler responded, “Forget this. I’m going to get out of here,” (R. at 60), *374 and exited the service room. He did not state that he would be returning.

Tippmann testified that after Hensler left he decided to fire at the door through which Hensler had exited so as to make a loud sound against it and “scare” Hensler. (R. at 53-55.) Hensler, however, realizing after exiting that his break had not yet expired, re-entered the service room to continue his break “and talk to the guys.” (R. at 61.) He stated that he was not in fear of being shot by Tippmann if he reentered, believing that Tippmann had been “playing around” and was not really serious when he earlier threatened to shoot Hensler. (Id) He therefore approached the door and proceeded to re-enter unannounced. Tippmann says that just as he fired his shot at the door, Hensler unexpectedly reentered the room through it. Tippmann’s paintball struck Hensler in the left eye, causing severe and permanent damage.

Hensler filed a worker’s compensation claim with Tippmann Pneumatics, and entered a settlement agreement with the company regarding the claim. He then filed a complaint in Allen Superior Court against Tippmann, alleging that Tippmann’s negligence caused his injury, or alternatively that Tippmann intentionally caused his injury. Tippmann moved for summary judgment, claiming that the exclusivity provision of the Worker’s Compensation Act, Ind.Code § 22-3-2-6, barred Hensler’s action against him. The trial court denied Tippmann’s motion, finding that material issues existed as to whether Tippmann intended to injure Hen-sler; whether the injuries were the result of horseplay and, if so, whether Hensler was an active participant or an innocent victim; and whether Tippmann was “in the same employ” when he injured Hensler. Tippmann then sought and received leave to file an interlocutory appeal.

The Court of Appeals remanded for a factual determination only on the issue of whether Hensler actively participated in horseplay, stating that if so, the trial court could hear the case, but if not, the trial court should dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Tippmann, 654 N.E.2d at 826. The court based its holding on prior Indiana cases that denied worker’s compensation benefits to victims of horseplay injuries who themselves were actively engaged in the horseplay when the injury occurred. Id. at 826 (citing Weldy v. Kline, 616 N.E.2d 398 (Ind.Ct.App.1993)). It rejected the trial court’s rulings concerning the other two material issues. First, the Court of Appeals held that the litigants had been “in the same employ,” because “had Tippmann been injured under the same or similar circumstances, he would have been able to obtain worker’s compensation benefits to the same extent as Hensler.” Id. at 825. Second, it declared that the trial court must consider the question of Tippmann’s intent to harm Hensler when he fired the injurious volley. Id. at 826.

I. Standard of Review

As the Court of Appeals correctly noted, “[T]he use of a summary judgment motion is an inappropriate manner in which to claim that the exclusivity provision of the [Worker’s Compensation] Act bars a plaintiffs complaint.” Id. at 824 (citing Perry v. Stitzer Buick GMC, Inc., 637 N.E.2d 1282, 1286 (Ind.1994)). This is because such a claim “is an attack on the court’s subject matter jurisdiction, which cannot form the basis of a motion for summary judgment.” Perry, 637 N.E.2d at 1286 (footnote omitted). “Accordingly, we proceed to analyze this case as a question of jurisdiction on which the plaintiff carries the burden of proof and would, typically, have been required to present evidence.” Foshee v. Shoney’s Inc., 637 N.E.2d 1277, 1280-81 (Ind.1994).

II. Suits Against Co-Employee Tortfeasors

The Worker’s Compensation Act provides an exclusive remedy against an employer for accidental injuries that arise out of and in the course of the injured victim’s *375 employment. Ind.Code Ann. §§ 22-3-2-6, 22-3-6-l(e) (West Supp.1997); Evans v. Yankeetown Dock Corp., 491 N.E.2d 969 (Ind.1986). The Act extends the immunity provided by the exclusivity provision to those “in the same employ” as the injured employee when the injury occurred.

Thus, a suit against a co-employee can proceed at trial under one of two circumstances. First, if the plaintiff can show that the Act does not apply to that particular litigation, then the trial court, and not the Worker’s Compensation Board, has jurisdiction.

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Bluebook (online)
716 N.E.2d 372, 1999 Ind. LEXIS 798, 1999 WL 740895, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tippmann-v-hensler-ind-1999.