Crow v. Boeing Co.
Crow v. Boeing Co.
Opinion of the Court
¶2 The facts are not substantially disputed. Crow’s primary job was to install “dry bay barriers” in the wings of the Boeing 777 aircraft to allow it to carry fuel. To install the dry bay barriers Crow used a scaffolding arrangement to gain access to the area between the ribs of a vertically standing wing. Crow claims he injured his knee due to the hazardous scaffolding in his work area.
¶3 Crow alleges two problems existed with the scaffolding apparatus. First, he claims that the scaffolding plank was difficult to secure and tended to slide from side to side. Second, he claims that the plank itself left a gap on both sides of approximately 12 to 18 inches between the edge of the plank and the wing rib.
¶4 The record shows that Boeing management became aware of safety concerns regarding the scaffolding dating from 1998. Before Crow’s injury, in June 2000, Boeing agreed to “create new tooling” for the scaffolding.
¶5 In July 2000, Crow was attempting to step from one scaffolding plank to another when he stepped into the gap
¶6 Crow obtained workers’ compensation benefits for his injuries. Nevertheless, Crow also sued Boeing for his workplace injuries. The trial court granted Boeing’s motion for summary judgment, dismissing Crow’s case based on the IIA’s exclusive remedy provision.
¶7 Crow appeals.
ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF CERTAIN INJURY
¶8 Crow first argues that the exception to the IIA applies here because Boeing had actual knowledge of a dangerous condition that was certain to cause injury. We disagree.
¶9 On review of summary judgment, we engage in the same inquiry as the trial court.
¶10 The IIA generally bars employee lawsuits against their employers in exchange for a system of compensation that provides “speedy, no-fault compensation for injuries sustained on the job . . . .”
¶11 In Birklid v. Boeing Co., our Supreme Court held that, in order for an employer’s actions to fall under the exception, the employee must prove: (1) “the employer had actual knowledge that an injury was certain to occur,” and (2) the employer “willfully disregarded that knowledge.”
¶12 The Supreme Court recently reiterated in Vallandigham v. Clover Park School District, “that in order for an employer to act with deliberate intent, injury must be certain; substantial certainty is not enough.”
¶13 In Vallandigham, the court applied the Birklid test in determining whether the Clover Park School District willfully disregarded actual knowledge of certain employee injury. The court recognized “that to some extent the two prongs of the Birklid test are not independent of each other.”
|14 In Vallandigham, the court addressed the conflict between the trial court and the Court of Appeals regarding
¶15 In Birklid, employees were required to handle chemicals that were known to be toxic without proper protective equipment. The employer (Boeing) anticipated that the chemical to be used would make workers sick. In spite of this knowledge, Boeing implemented use of the chemical in its manufacturing process, exposing workers to the chemical. “As Boeing’s supervisor predicted, when full production began, workers experienced dermatitis, rashes, nausea, headaches, and dizziness. Workers passed out on the job.”
¶16 Crow argues that his situation is identical to that of the employees in Birklid where the employer had actual knowledge of a dangerous condition that continually injured employees. However, taking the facts in the light most favorable to Crow, he still fails to show that Boeing had actual knowledge of certain injury as required under Birklid.
¶17 Crow also argues that the “scope of the hazard,” not only the mechanism in which Crow was injured, should be considered. However, even in doing so, the record indicates the type of repeated, continuous, certain injury sufficient to meet the first prong of the Birklid test did not occur here.
¶18 Crow’s admissions indicate that the certainty of injury involving the scaffolding does not rise to the level of certainty that existed in Birklid, Hope v. Larry’s Markets,
¶19 Here, by Crow’s own admission, there was no certainty that Crow would be injured by using the scaffolding. Crow’s misstep into the space between planks caused his injury; use of the scaffolding itself was not certain to cause injury.
¶20 In Hope v. Larry’s Markets,
¶21 Here, unlike the plaintiff in Hope, Crow presents no evidence that use of the scaffolding was certain to cause injury. Crow further fails to present evidence that Boeing observed its employees being continuously injured by the scaffolding.
¶22 In Baker v. Schatz,
¶23 In Stenger v. Stanwood School District,
¶24 The certainty of injury present in Stenger is not present in this situation. Crow was not injured frequently by use of the scaffolding. He fails to produce evidence that the injuries he suffered occurred repeatedly either to him or to any other co-worker using the scaffolding.
¶25 The injuries Crow claims were caused by the scaffolding system do not reach the level of certain injury, as exposure to known toxic chemicals or daily exposure to a student who continually assaulted teachers in Birklid, Hope, Baker, and Stenger. Accordingly, we conclude there was no genuine issue of material fact whether Boeing had actual knowledge that injury caused by the scaffolding was certain to occur. As a matter of law, the trial court properly dismissed Crow’s claim.
Prior Incidents
¶26 Crow argues that evidence of prior injuries creates a genuine issue of material fact whether the certainty of injury prong of the Birklid test is met. We disagree.
¶27 Crow cites Howland v. Grout,
¶28 The court concluded that although previous injuries had occurred and the employer’s attempt to repair the floor was negligent, the employer’s actions did not come within the deliberate injury exception of the exclusivity provision of IIA of willful disregard of certain injury.
¶29 Similar to the plaintiff in Howland, there was evidence here of prior complaints about a dangerous condition, the scaffolding. Other workers who used the scaffolding submitted a “Production Action Request” (PAR) to Boeing on June 1, 2000, six weeks before Crow’s injury. The PAR stated that the “Primary concern is that plank [sic] is too narrow and possibility of mechanic falling through the gap between rib and plank exists.” However, a prior complaint does not meet the actual knowledge of certain injury requirement of the Birklid test.
f 30 A careful review of the record shows incidents that Crow presents as evidence of injury, do not show as a matter of law injury was certain to occur. Further, the evidence presented indicates other employees may have been injured, but it was not certain that an individual would be injured when they went to work on the scaffolding unit.
¶31 We conclude the evidence of prior injuries from working on the scaffolding was not evidence that Boeing had actual knowledge of certain injury. Crow fails to meet
WILLFUL DISREGARD
¶32 Crow also claims that Boeing willfully disregarded the certainty of injury. Because there is no showing of actual knowledge that injury is certain to occur, there can be no willful disregard by the employer of such an injury. Thus, there is no genuine issue of material fact as to this prong of the test. We affirm the order granting summary judgment in favor of Boeing.
Baker and Becker, JJ., concur.
Review denied at 156 Wn.2d 1028 (2006).
RCW 51.04.010; Vallandigham v. Clover Park Sch. Dist. No. 400, 154 Wn.2d 16, 17-18, 109 P.3d 805 (2005).
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 18 (citing Birklid v. Boeing Co., 127 Wn.2d 853, 865, 904 P.2d 278 (1995)).
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 18 (citing Birklid, 127 Wn.2d at 865).
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 26.
CR 56(c).
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 26.
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 26.
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 26 (quoting Atherton Condo. Apartment-Owner Ass’n Bd. of Dirs. v. Blume Dev. Co., 115 Wn.2d 506, 516, 799 P.2d 250 (1990)).
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 26.
Folsom v. Burger King, 135 Wn.2d 658, 664, 958 P.2d 301 (1998).
RCW 51.24.020 states: “If injury results to a worker from the deliberate intention of his or her employer to produce such injury, the worker or beneficiary of the worker shall have the privilege to take under this title and also have cause of action against the employer as if this title had not been enacted, for any damages in excess of compensation and benefits paid or payable under this title.” (Emphasis added.)
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 27; see also Judy v. Hanford Envtl. Health Found., 106 Wn. App. 26, 32, 22 P.3d 810, review denied, 144 Wn.2d 1020 (2001).
Birklid v. Boeing Co., 127 Wn.2d 853, 865, 904 P.2d 278 (1995).
Birklid, 127 Wn.2d at 865.
Vallandigham v. Clover Park Sch. Dist. No. 400, 154 Wn.2d 16, 18, 109 P.3d 805 (2005).
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 27.
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 27.
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 29.
Shellenbarger v. Longview Fibre Co., 125 Wn. App. 41,47,103 P.3d 807 (2004) (citing Folsom, 135 Wn.2d at 667).
Shellenbarger, 125 Wn. App. at 48 (citing Birklid, 127 Wn.2d 853; Hope v. Larry’s Mkts., 108 Wn. App. 185, 189-91, 29 P.3d 1268 (2001)).
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 28.
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 29.
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 29.
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 34-35.
Vallandigham, 154 Wn.2d at 35.
Birklid, 127 Wn.2d at 856.
Birklid, 127 Wn.2d at 863.
108 Wn. App. 185, 29 P.3d 1268 (2001).
80 Wn. App. 775, 778, 912 P.2d 501 (1996).
95 Wn. App. 802, 977 P.2d 660 (1999) (We note that the court in Vallandigham, 154 Wn. App. at 35, rejected the court’s holding in Stenger that willful disregard can be shown when remedial measures are ineffective.).
108 Wn. App. 185, 29 P.3d 1268 (2001).
Hope, 108 Wn. App. at 189-90.
Hope, 108 Wn. App. at 193-94.
Hope, 108 Wn. App. at 194.
Baker, 80 Wn. App. at 778-79.
Baker, 80 Wn. App. at 784.
Baker, 80 Wn. App. at 784.
Stenger, 95 Wn. App. at 812.
Stenger, 95 Wn. App. at 812.
Stenger, 95 Wn. App. at 813.
123 Wn. App. 6, 94 P.3d 332 (2004), review denied, 153 Wn.2d 1027 (2005).
Howland, 123 Wn. App. at 11-12.
Howland, 123 Wn. App. at 8.
Howland, 123 Wn. App. at 11-12.
Howland, 123 Wn. App. at 12 (quoting Judy, 106 Wn. App. at 33); see also Shellenbarger, 125 Wn. App. at 48 n.14 (number and frequency of injuries in Stenger was sufficient to determine a certainty of injury).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Scott Crow v. The Boeing Company
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