Jimenez v. Community Asphalt Corp.
Jimenez v. Community Asphalt Corp.
Opinion of the Court
ORDER ON JURISDICTION
Appellant Jimenez was injured when a truck, which was owned by his employer, Rinker, overturned while he was driving it. He brought this suit against his employer, Rinker, and other defendants. His claims against Rinker included the intentional misconduct exception to worker’s compensation immunity, a claim which remains pending in the trial court. The court dismissed additional claims Jimenez alleged against Rinker based on spoliation of evidence and a violation of section 440.39(7), Florida Statutes (2002), which requires an employer to cooperate with the employee in the prosecution of claims against third party tortfeasors.
The trial court dismissed with prejudice the spoliation and breach of duty to cooperate claims. The question before us is whether the dismissal of the counts based on spoliation or the statutory violation are appealable, while the tort claim is still pending in the trial court.
Under Mendez v. West Flagler Family Ass’n, 303 So.2d 1 (Fla. 1974), an order disposing of a separate and distinct cause
Because the claim still pending below involves a breach of duty by the employer occurring before the truck accident occurred, and the dismissed claims involved different conduct which occurred after the accident, we accordingly agree with appellant that under Mendez we have jurisdiction of this appeal.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Orlando JIMENEZ and Magaly Jimenez, his wife v. COMMUNITY ASPHALT CORP., a Florida corporation, Condotte America, Inc., a Florida corporation, and Rinker Materials of Florida, Inc., a Florida corporation
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published