Supreme Court Says Employer Can't Contract to Create Liability for Negligence

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that an employer may not contractually create common-law negligence liability by setting additional nonemployer roles or capacities when the liability is based on the same physical injury for a compensable workers' compensation award. Oklahoma Gas and Electric contracted with SunPower Corp. to develop a property for a solar facility. SunPower contracted with Moss & Associates to build the facility, and Moss contracted with BJ's Oilfield Construction Inc. to prepare the site. David Knox worked for BJ’s and suffered fatal injuries in a wo...