Supreme Court Clarifies Appellate Jurisdiction when Defendant Appeals Denial of Claim of Immunity

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that an appellate court does not have jurisdiction to review a denial of summary judgment based solely on the fact that the denial involved a defendant’s claim of immunity under the Workers’ Compensation Act. In 2015, Steven Ray Sheets was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Shortly thereafter, Sheets filed suit against the Ford Motor Co. Sheets alleged he had worked for Rapid Industries, which was an independent contractor of Ford, in the 1970s and 1980s. Sheets claimed he was exposed to asbestos during that time. Within two weeks of the fili...