Split Court Overturns Summary Judgment on Statutory Employer Defense

A narrowly divided Superior Court of Pennsylvania overturned a grant of summary judgment to two corporate entities who asserted a statutory employer defense to an injured worker’s tort claim. Eric Dobransky suffered injuries after being exposed to barite at Scott's Run, a natural gas well site leased and operated by the EQT Production Co. in 2012. In order to drill and produce natural gas at Scott's Run, EQT subcontracted with Halliburton Energy Services Inc. Pursuant to a master services agreement, HESI provided EQT with mud services at Scott’s Run. Mud is a w...