DocketNumber: I.C. NO. TA-20660.
Judges: <center> DECISION AND ORDER for the Full Commission by DANNY LEE McDONALD, Commissioner, N.C. Industrial Commission.</center>
Filed Date: 4/22/2010
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 7/6/2016
2. Plaintiff alleges in his Affidavit filed on May 6, 2008, with the North Carolina Industrial Commission under the State Tort Act that:
*Page 3(a) On or about May 1, 2007, defendant's officers, employees and/or agents named individually were negligent in their duties to assign plaintiff to a smoke-free dormitory environment which has exposed him to second-hand-smoke which has caused plaintiff physical and emotional harm and generally failed to perform their job duties effectively;
(b) Defendant has failed to process his repeatedly filed grievances in violation of defendant's policies and procedures;
(c) Plaintiff has included examples of defendant's officers discussing the no smoking policies with inmates and then allowing the inmate(s) to continue to smoke in designated non-smoking areas and make jokes about the matter. Plaintiff has even stated that the facility will not fully enforce the no smoking rule nor take the necessary steps to protect [his] health;
(d) Plaintiff alleges that defendant's officers are committing retaliatory and harassing acts against him and conspiring with each other to cover it up;
(e) Plaintiff alleges defendant's officers participate in illegal activity such as providing inmates with lighters/matches;
(f) Plaintiff also alleges that his mail is not being forwarded to him from the mailroom staff properly despite his repeated complaints about the alleged negligence;
(g) Plaintiff has cited Woodson v. Rowland as a basis to support his position that defendant's conduct which he complains of is the type of negligence over which the Industrial Commission is authorized to exercise jurisdiction, conduct a trial and issue an order and award;
(h) Plaintiff requested monetary damages in an amount in excess of $10,000.
3. Defendant moved to dismiss plaintiff's claim on the grounds that the allegations were of intentional acts committed by officials, and that plaintiff failed to allege and base his claim upon negligence of the named employer or officer of the State as required by the Tort Claims Act.
4. Plaintiff has brought this claim against the defendant based on his disagreement with administrative decisions arising from the defendant's discretionary authority to implement and enforce policies and procedures for inmates as well as intentional conduct of named officers, employees and/or agents. The Industrial Commission does not have the power to conduct a trial and issue an order in these types of cases. The Woodson case cited by plaintiff is not applicable as it applies to very limited and narrow exceptions in workers' compensation actions. Plaintiff must file a complaint in a court of proper jurisdiction to pursue his claims.
2. Under the provisions of the Tort Claims Act, negligence is determined by the same rules applicable to private parties.Bolkhir v. N.C. State University,
3. Plaintiff has failed to allege any negligence on the part of any named officer, employee, involuntary servant, or agent of the state while acting within the scope of his or her office, employment, service, agency, or authority that proximately caused plaintiff an injury. N.C. Gen. Stat. §
4. Plaintiff's affidavit and argument at hearing show alleged constitutional violations and intentional acts on the part of defendant. Intentional acts and constitutional violations are not torts and therefore are not within the scope of the Tort Claims Act. N.C. Gen. Stat. §
2. Each side shall pay their own costs.
This the 7th day of April, 2010.
S/___________________ DANNY LEE McDONALD COMMISSIONER
CONCURRING:
*Page 1S/___________________ CHRISTOPHER SCOTT COMMISSIONER
S/___________________ PAMELA T. YOUNG CHAIR
Crawford v. Wayne County Board of Education , 275 N.C. 354 ( 1969 )
Bolkhir v. North Carolina State University , 321 N.C. 706 ( 1988 )
Braswell v. NC a & T STATE UNIVERSITY , 5 N.C. App. 1 ( 1969 )
Northwestern Distributors, Inc. v. N. C. Department of ... , 41 N.C. App. 548 ( 1979 )
Jenkins v. North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles , 244 N.C. 560 ( 1956 )
Northwestern Distributors, Inc. v. NC Dept. of Transp. , 298 N.C. 567 ( 1979 )