Kendall Vosburg v. The City of New Roads, and ABC Insurance Company ( 2020 )

NOT DESIGNATED FOR PUBLICATION
STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL
FIRST CIRCUIT
2019 CA 1292
and
2019 CW 0014
KENDALL VOSBURG
VERSUS
THE CITY OF NEW ROADS AND ABC INSURANCE COMPANY
Decision Rendered: MAY 1 1 207f1
APPEALED FROM THE
18th JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT,
POINTE COUPEE PARISH, LOUISIANA
DOCKET NUMBER 47, 296, DIVISION D
HONORABLE ELIZABETH A. ENGOLIO, JUDGE
Mark E. Hanna Attorneys for Defendant/ Appellant
Trevor M. Cutaiar City of New Roads
New Orleans, Louisiana
and
Willie G. Johnson Jr.
Sophia Riley
Derek E. Elsey
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
and
Chad Aguillard
New Roads, Louisiana
Donald J. Cazayoux Jr. Attorneys for Plaintiff/Appellee
J. Lane Ewing Jr. Kendall Vosburg
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
BEFORE: McDONALD, THERIOT, and CHUTZ, JJ.
McDONALD, I
The City of New Roads appeals a judgment against it for tort damages in favor of
a former Pointe Coupee Parish Police Jury employee, who was injured in a work-related
accident.
The City also filed a writ application challenging the district court's denial of
summary judgment on the issue of a borrowing employer/ employee relationship and
denial of the City's motion for jury trial. We affirm the judgment and deny the writ.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
Kendall Vosburg was employed as the Building Maintenance Supervisor for the
Pointe Coupee Parish Police Jury ( Police Jury). Mr. Vosburg also had a side air
conditioning business, which he engaged in outside of his Policy Jury employment. On
September 25, 2015, Mr. Vosburg met with City of New Roads ( City) employees at the
Scott Civic Center in New Roads to change elevated light fixtures at the tennis courts.
The Police Jury was responsible for maintaining the tennis courts, and the men were
using a City -owned bucket truck to change the light fixtures. As Mr. Vosburg entered
the truck's bucket, his left knee was punctured by a drill bit stored in a pouch on the
inside of the bucket.
Mr. Vosburg was treated at a local emergency room on the day of the accident,
and then Dr. Michael Frierson, an orthopedist, treated him conservatively for several
months. Although he continued to work, Mr. Vosburg' s knee problems persisted.
Eventually, on September 6, 2016, Dr. Frierson performed an arthroscopic procedure to
repair a medial meniscus tear of Mr. Vosburg' s left knee. After the surgery, Dr. Frierson
restricted Mr. Vosburg to no work for several months. During that time, the Police
Jury's workers' compensation insurer paid Mr. Vosburg benefits.
Dr. Frierson released Mr. Vosburg to begin light-duty work on February 3, 2017.
The Police Jury then implemented a " Transitional Duty Policy" designed to give
employees productive work during recovery from on- the-job injury or illness with the
ultimate goal of returning to their regular work duties. Under the Transitional Duty
Policy, the Police Jury temporarily transferred Mr. Vosburg to an administrative assistant
position at a reduced salary, effective April 1, 2017. The Police Jury informed Mr.
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Vosburg that he would remain in the temporary, light-duty position until his doctor
released him to full duty, or until October 1, 2017, the expiration date of the temporary
position.
In early June 2017, however, the Police Jury fired Mr. Vosburg for " harassing,
abusive[,] and disorderly conduct towards coworkers." Since then, Mr. Vosburg has
continued his air conditioning business with assistance from family members.
Earlier, in September 2016, Mr. Vosburg had filed a tort suit against the City' for
damages related to his knee injury. The City filed an exception of no cause of action
and a motion for summary judgment, claiming Mr. Vosburg was the City's borrowed
employee, which limited his recovery to workers' compensation benefits. After a
hearing, the district court signed a judgment in December 2018, denying the City' s
exception and motion. The City filed a writ application in this Court, challenging the
district court's judgment. Later, this Court referred the writ to this panel for decision.
Kendall Vosburg v. The City of New Roads et al., 2019 CW 0014 ( La. App. 1 Cir.
8/ 19/ 19) ( unpub' d writ action).
Ultimately, Mr. Vosburg' s suit against the City proceeded to a bench trial. On
May 23, 2019, the district court signed a judgment finding the City liable to Mr. Vosburg
for a total of $ 972, 642.46, including: $ 300, 000 in general damages; $ 42, 306. 46 in past
medical expenses; $ 50, 000 in future medical expenses; $ 47, 493 in past lost wages;
372, 401 in future lost wages; and $ 160, 442 in additional losses. The City filed a
motion for new trial, which the district court denied; the City then filed this appeal.
On appeal, the City contends the district court erred in failing to find the City was
Mr. Vosburg' s borrowing/ special employer; in awarding Mr. Vosburg future lost wages;
and, in failing to assign comparative fault to Mr. Vosburg for his accident.
BORROWING EMPLOYER/ EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP
The City first contends the district court erred in failing to find that the City was
Mr. Vosburg' s borrowing employer, thus precluding Mr. Vosburg' s tort suit and limiting
him to workers' compensation remedies.
1 Mr. Vosburg also named ABC Insurance Company as a defendant. In its answer, the City stated that it
was a self- insured entity.
3
Under the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Act ( LWCA), an employer is liable
for compensation benefits to an employee who is injured as a result of an accident
arising out of and in the course of employment. La. R. S. 23: 1031A. Generally, the
LWCA's rights and remedies provide an employee's exclusive remedy against an
employer for such injury. La. R. S. 23: 1032. These statutory protections apply to both
a " general"
or " immediate" employer/ employee relationship, as well as to a especial" or
borrowing" employer/ employee relationship. See La. R. S. 23: 1031C; Davis v.
Hoogacker, 18- 0921 ( La. App. 1 Cir. 12/ 21/ 18), 2018 WL 6718507, * 3. The issue of
whether a borrowing employer/ employee relationship exists is a matter of law for the
court to determine. There are, however, several factual inquiries underlying borrowed
employee status, and a district court's factual findings will not be upset unless they are
manifestly erroneous. Dustin v. DHCI Home Health Services, Inc., 95- 1989 ( La. App. 1
Cir. 5/ 10/ 96), 673 So. 2d 356, 359. The inquiries include: ( 1) who has the right of
control over the employee; ( 2) who selected the employee; ( 3) who pays the
employee' s wages; ( 4) who has the right to fire the employee; ( 5) who furnished the
tools and the place to perform the work; ( 6) the length of employment; ( 7) which
employer's work was being performed at the relevant time; ( 8) whether there was an
agreement, either implicit or explicit, between the lending and borrowing employers;
and ( 9) whether the employee acquiesced in the new work situation. Mejia v. Boykin
Bros, Inc., 10- 0118 ( La. App. 1 Cir. 9/ 10/ 10), 52 So. 3d 82, 84. If, in light of the entire
record, the district court's factual findings regarding borrowed employee status are
reasonable, then the appellate court may not reverse. See Fanguy v, Dupre Bros
Const. Co., Inc., 588 So. 2d 1251, 1257 ( La. App. 1 Cir. 1991).
The district court rejected the premise that the City was Mr. Vosburg' s borrowing
employer. Although the district court did not expressly state such a finding at or after
trial, its money judgment against the City and in Mr. Vosburg' s favor, as well as its
earlier denial of the City's motion for summary judgment on the issue, clearly indicate
its rejection of a borrowing employer/ employee relationship. In its written reasons for
denying the City's motion for summary judgment, the district court pertinently stated:
M
Vosburg was employed by the Parish of Pointe Coupee
and was performing the task of changing lights in a bucket
truck at tennis courts in New Roads. Vosburg was assisting a
C] ity employee in doing so. It was during this work that he
injured his knee.
This Court finds that Vosburg was not an employee or
borrowed employee of the [ City] because the Parish
maintained the right of control over him; Vosburg was being
paid by the Parish; Pointe Coupee Parish maintained their
right to hire and fire Vosburg; the Parish had the right to
control when and where Vosburg was working as
demonstrated by being instructed to help the [ City] change
the tennis court lights; and there existed no agreement
relinquishing control as employer from the Parish to the City.
The limited nature of the job performed at the tennis court
does not amount to employment by the [ City], even as a
borrowed employee.
After reviewing the record in light of the relevant factual inquiries set forth
above, we conclude the record contains a reasonable factual basis for the district
court's determination that Mr. Vosburg was not the City's borrowed employee at the
time of his September 25, 2015 accident. See Fanguy, 588 So. 2d at 1257. Thus,
finding no legal or manifest error, we conclude as a matter of law that Mr. Vosburg' s
tort suit against the City was not precluded by a borrowing employer/ employee
relationship.
In its writ application referred to this panel for decision, the City similarly argued
that the district court erred in denying its motion for summary judgment on the
borrowing employer/ employee relationship. For the reasons given above, we deny the
writ. 2
FUTURE LOST WAGES
The City next contends the district court erred in awarding Mr. Vosburg future
lost wages of $ 372, 401, contending there is no evidence that the Police Jury would
have terminated Mr. Vosburg' s employment at the end of his transitional period, if he
were unable to return to full duty without restrictions.
z In its writ application, the City also challenged the district court's denial of it motion to set this matter
for jury trial. We deny the writ on this issue, because both the City's motion for jury trial and its writ
application were not timely filed. See La. R. S. 13: 5105D and La. C. C. P. art. 1733C ( setting forth delays
within which a party must request a jury trial); also see La. C. C. P. art. 1914 and Uniform Rules — Courts
of Appeal, Rule 4- 3 ( setting forth delays within which a parry must file a writ application).
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To obtain an award for future lost wages and/ or loss of earning capacity, a
plaintiff must present medical evidence indicating with reasonable certainty that he has
a residual disability causally related to the accident. Fontana v. Louisiana Sheriffs' Auto.
Risk Program, 96- 1579 ( La. App. 1 Cir. 6/ 20/ 97), 697 So -2d 1030, 1033. The plaintiff
must also prove the amount of his lost wages, not with mathematical certainty, but by
such proof as reasonably establishes the claim. Shephard v. AIX Energy, Inc., 51, 965
La. App. 2 Cir. 5/ 23/ 18), 249 So. 3d 194, 215, writ denied, 18- 1266 ( La. 11/ 5/ 18), 255
So. 3d 1050. Awards for future lost income are intrinsically speculative, and as such,
the trier of fact must exhibit sound discretion in rendering awards that are consistent
with the record and do not impose a hardship on either party. See La. C. C. art. 2324. 1;
Pennison v. Carr% 14- 1098 ( La. App. 1 Cir. 4/ 24/ 15), 167 So. 3d 1065, 1082. Factors
to be considered in determining a proper future lost wages award are the plaintiffs
physical condition before and after the injury, the plaintiffs past work history and
consistency thereof, the amount the plaintiff probably would have earned absent the
injury complained of, and the probability that the plaintiff would have continued to earn
wages over the remainder of his working life. Id.There is no dispute that, due to his knee injury, Mr. Vosburg, 54 years old at the
time of trial, will have a residual disability restricting him to light-duty employment
during the 10. 26 years of his remaining projected work -life. The record supports a
finding that he has and will be able to continue with his air conditioning business, albeit
with restrictions. According to Dr. Randy Rice, an expert economist who testified at
trial and whose report is in the record, had Mr. Vosburg continued as the Police Jury
Building Maintenance Supervisor full- time for 10. 26 years, assuming a 2% increase per
year, he would have earned $ 497, 401 in that position. Reducing this amount by
125, 200, the projected estimated amount Mr. Vosburg could earn in his air
conditioning business, Dr. Rice concluded his lost future wages were $ 372, 401.
Contrary to the City's argument on appeal, the fact that the Police Jury
terminated Mr. Vosburg before the end of his transitional position is not relevant to the
lost future wage calculation. No matter what employment he had after his knee injury,
whether with the Police Jury or otherwise, Mr. Vosburg is medically restricted to light-
duty work for the remainder of his work -life expectancy. Thus, the City, the tortfeasor
responsible for his lessened work ability, must compensate him for the difference
between what he could have made if not injured and the lower amount resulting from
that lessened work ability. Noting that an award of future lost income is inherently
speculative, we conclude the district court did not abuse its discretion in awarding Mr.
Vosburg $ 372, 401 in future lost wages.
ALLOCATION OF FAULT
Lastly, the City contends the district court committed legal error by failing to
allocate some fault to Mr. Vosburg for his knee injury. Although the City's assignment
of error frames the issue as the district court's failure to make specific findings as
required by La. C. C. P. arts. 1917 and 1812C, the City's actual challenge is to the district
court's failure to allocate any fault to Mr. Vosburg for his accident. The City points out
that: Mr. Vosburg told Dr. Thad Broussard, one of his treating physicians, that he lost
his balance when entering the truck' s bucket; Kevin Smith, the City employee in the
bucket with Mr. Vosburg, testified that Mr. Vosburg misjudged his landing when
entering the bucket; and Dennis Howard, plaintiff's liability expert, admitted at trial that
Mr. Vosburg' s injury could partially be his fault, if due to his loss of balance.
In any action where a person suffers injury, the factfiinder shall determine the
degree of fault of all persons causing or contributing to the injury. See La. C. C. art.
2323A. If a person suffers injury partly because of his own negligence, his damages
shall be reduced in proportion to his fault. Id. An appellate court owes great deference
to a trier of fact's allocation of fault and reviews such under the manifest error -clearly
wrong standard of review. Schexnayder v. Bridges, 15- 0786 ( La. App. 1 Cir. 2/ 26/ 16),
190 So. 3d 764, 773. When two permissible views of the evidence exist, the factfinder' s
choice between them cannot be manifestly erroneous. Id.In this case, the district court was presented with conflicting evidence as to the
circumstances of Mr. Vosburg' s accident, and we cannot say from our record review
that the district court erred in allocating no fault to him. Perhaps the district court
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discounted any evidence that Mr. Vosburg lost his balance; or, even if Mr. Vosburg did
lose his balance, the district court was free, as the factfinder, to determine that such
was not negligence. Considering the entire record, we find it reasonably supports the
district court's conclusion that the City was 100% at fault and Mr. Vosburg was 0% at
fault in causing the accident.
CONCLUSION
For the above reasons, we affirm the May 23, 2019 judgment, and we deny the
City's writ application. We assess costs of this appeal, $ 981, to the City of New Roads.
AFFIRMED.