Roberts v. City of Alexandria

In this personal injury suit against a municipality brought by an employee of an independent contractor providing medical services at the municipality’s detention center, the broad question is whether the employee’s common-law action is barred on the ground that her exclusive remedy is under the Workers’ Compensation Act (the Act). More precisely, the issue is whether the municipality was the plaintiff’s statutory employer under the Act.

In 1987, the Sheriff of the City of Alexandria executed a contract with ARA Health Services, Inc., doing business as Correctional Medical Systems, Inc. (CMS),…