Vella v. Hartford Vermont Acquisitions, Inc.

¶ 1. Plaintiff Charles Vella, who suffered a work-related injury for which he collected workers’ compensation benefits from his employer, appeals the superior court’s order dismissing his tort suit against defendant Hartford Vermont Acquisitions, the owner of the commercial garage leased to his employer. The trial court determined that defendant is a “statutory employer” under 21 V.S.A. § 601(3) and thus immune from the suit filed by plaintiff, whose exclusive remedy is his workers’ compensation award. Based on our conclusion that defendant is not a “statutory employer,” we reverse the…