Smith v. Chepolis

In this appeal we must decide whether the judge of compensation claims had authority to hold the owner of a corporation liable for workers’ compensation benefits claimed by an employee of the corporation. Because the owner was not named as a party in the petition for benefits and did not receive notice that he could be held personally responsible for the injured worker’s claim against the corporation, we conclude that the judge erred in holding him individually liable.

The claimant, Karl Chepolis, was injured on July 29, 2002, in the course of his employment with Tower Contracting of Miami, a…