Conover v. Northern States Power Co.

SIMONETT, Justice.

In this case we consider the duty of care owed by one who possesses land to an employee of an independent contractor hired by the landowner. The trial court set aside a verdict for the plaintiff employee, holding the landowner-employer was not liable to the independent contractor’s employee as a matter of law. We reverse the judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and we affirm the conditional order for a new trial but only as to liability.

Plain tiff-appellant John Conover was injured on August 12, 1977, while working on a powerline owned and operated by defendant-respondent…