Fonner v. Shandon, Inc.

OPINION OF THE COURT

CASTILLE, Justice.

The issue on appeal is whether, following changes in 1974 to the Workers’ Compensation Act (the “Act”)1 that made it mandatory for employers to provide workers’ compensation coverage, a general contractor is a “statutory employer” under the Act so that the general contractor is immune from suit by an injured worker for common law negligence, where the subcontractor directly employing the injured worker carried workers’ compensation insurance which paid benefits to the worker. Because we find that a general contractor in this *373situation is entitled to the…