Betty Matthews v. United States of America William French Smith, Attorney General of the United States of America

The sole issue raised by this appeal is whether the defendant, the United States of America, is immune from suit in this action because it is a statutory employer within the meaning of the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Act. The district court concluded that the United States did qualify as a statutory employer and granted summary judgment for the defendant. We reverse.

Plaintiff, Betty J. Matthews, initiated this action against the United States pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2671, et seq., for injuries she received in January of 1984 when she slipped and fell on a…