Estate of Lyons v. CNA Insurance Companies

Strand Associates, Inc., a professional engineering firm, is accused of having negligently designed a highway bridge in the town of East Troy. Strand contends, however, that the state Department of Transportation (DOT) directed it to implement the allegedly faulty aspects of the bridge design and therefore argues that it should be entitled to immunity against claims arising out of this design choice. Although no Wisconsin case has extended governmental immunity to private parties who act under directives from state agencies, we adopt the reasoning of other jurisdictions which have. We hold…