Hartford Insurance Group v. Carter

Conley Byrd, Justice.

The issue on this appeal by The Hartford Insurance Group is whether a release executed by an employee to a third party tortfeasor before the filing of a workmen’s compensation claim is a defense to the employer’s subsequent action against the tortfeasor brought pursuant to Ark. Stat. Ann. § 81-1340 (b) (Repl. 1960).

The record shows that appellant, The Hartford Insurance Group, hereinafter referred to as the compensation carrier, was the workmen’s compensation insurance carrier for Bill Yates Buick-GMC, Inc., on October 2, 1969. On that dáte Paul Ruth, an employee of Bill…