Employer's Immunity Shielded Truck Driver Trainee's Mentor From Suit

The U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals last week ruled that a truck driver trainee could not proceed with a tort claim against his mentor for negligently falling asleep behind the wheel as they were traveling across Iowa. Although Rigoberto Quiles never entered into an employment contract with Alan Johnson, the court said Johnson qualified as Quiles’ special employer and therefore had immunity from Quiles’ civil suit. Quiles had been a direct employee of the Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona. Swift hired Quiles in November 2014 as a driver trainee. Swift required all trainees t...