O'BAUGH v. Drilling Well Control, Inc.

OPAL A, Justice:

The dispositive question on certiorari is whether the plaintiff [worker] in a negligent-tort action was barred by the Workers’ Compensation Act from pursuing his common-law remedy. He was injured while employed by one of several contractors on a drilling job. After collecting compensation from his own employer he brought this action against another contractor at the well site. The defendant — an independent contractor — was hired to supervise the drilling of a deep gas well. The worker’s employer — another contractor — was engaged to unplug shale from the same well. The two…