Court Overturns Claim Denial, Finds Truck Driver Not Independent Contractor as Matter of Law

A divided Louisiana appellate court overturned the denial of an injured truck driver’s claim for benefits, finding he was not an independent contractor as a matter of law. Case: Smith v. RNK Construction LLC, No. 2026-CA-0078, 10/02/2026, published. Facts: Melvin Smith was driving a dump truck down the highway after delivering a load of sand from RNK Construction LLC to one of its customers. As Smith was returning to RNK’s truck yard, he failed to negotiate a 90-degree turn, crashed into a protective barrier and suffered injuries that required medical treatment. Procedural histo...