DocketNumber: No. CV 31 27 10 S
Citation Numbers: 1996 Conn. Super. Ct. 4517, 17 Conn. L. Rptr. 240
Judges: BALLEN, J. CT Page 4518
Filed Date: 6/4/1996
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 7/5/2016
The defendants filed a motion for summary judgment on February 16, 1996, on the ground that the plaintiff is barred from recovery based upon the legal insufficiency of the complaint. The defendants also filed a memorandum of law and documentary evidence in support. The plaintiff filed a memorandum, an affidavit and documentary evidence in opposition on April 29, 1996.
"Practice Book § 384 provides that summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, affidavits and any other proof submitted show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Barrett v. DanburyHospital,
The defendants maintain that in order to bring a bad faith CT Page 4519 claim the employee must establish that he is entitled to receive workers' compensation benefits. The plaintiff contends that he is entitled to workers' compensation benefits.
The defendants rely on Rotz v. Middlesex Mutual, Superior Court, judicial district of Fairfield at Bridgeport, Docket No., 307488 (December 16, 1993) (Ballen, J.), in which this court held that "[a]n employee must first establish his right to receive workers' compensation benefits before he can seek economic and punitive damages based on allegations that the insurer engaged in misconduct with respect to either the handling, settlement, or payment of the employee's claim. "There are only three ways to establish an employer's liability: first, by the employer's failure to contest liability within twenty days of receiving notice of the injury as required by General Statutes §
The defendants argue that because the plaintiff has not alleged his employer's liability pursuant to any of the three enumerated methods his claim in bad faith is legally insufficient. However, when contesting the legal sufficiency of a complaint on a motion for summary judgment, the moving party must meet the standard applicable to a motion for summary judgment, not that standard used on a motion to strike. Putnam Resources v. FrenkelCo., Superior Court, judicial district of Stamford/Norwalk at Stamford, Docket No. 123838 (July 10, 1995) (Karazin, J.). The plaintiff has repeatedly alleged throughout his complaint that he is entitled to benefits under the workers' compensation act. Moreover, the plaintiff has presented evidence of a voluntary agreement approved by the worker's compensation commissioner. Therefore, the plaintiff's action in bad faith against the defendants is legally sufficient in the context of a motion for summary judgment.
The defendants next contend that the second and third counts of the plaintiff's complaint are legally insufficient in that the plaintiff has alleged that the defendants engaged in wrongful conduct "with such frequency to indicate a general business CT Page 4520 practice" under General Statutes § 38-61 (6).
The Supreme Court stated in Lees v. Middlesex Insurance Co.,
In counts two and three the plaintiff has alleged that "the [d]efendants . . . have acted as aforesaid on other occasions such that its conduct appears to be a general business practice to discourage Workers' Compensation claims . . . ." The defendants argue that this is legally insufficient. However, they have failed to submit any evidence to contradict the plaintiff's allegation. Therefore, as discussed above, the defendants have not met the standard required on a motion for summary judgment, and under that standard, the plaintiff has sufficiently alleged a general business practice. Furthermore, as the plaintiff has sufficiently alleged a claim in CUIPA he has also sufficiently alleged a cause of action in CUTPA. See Lees v. Middlesex Insurance Co., supra,
The defendants further argue that the plaintiff cannot recover counts four and five, alleging breach of contract and breach of oral contract, in that the plaintiff was a third party beneficiary and not an insured.
The defendants rely upon Carroll v. Safeco Insurance Co.,
Superior Court, judicial district of Waterbury, Docket No. 117750
Finally, the defendants contend that the plaintiff cannot prevail on count six, alleging a violation of public policy, and count seven, alleging conversion, because the defendants never had an obligation to pay the plaintiff. However, as discussed above, the plaintiff has alleged that he is entitled to workers' compensation benefits, and has also presented evidence of an agreement to pay workers' compensation. Therefore, there is a genuine issue of material fact as to whether the plaintiff is entitled to workers' compensation benefits. Accordingly, the defendants' motion for summary judgment is denied as to all seven counts of the plaintiff's complaint.