Valesia Kennard v. Mid-South Transportation Management, Inc.

Syllabus

To resolve Employee's workers' compensation claim, Employee and Employer enteredinto a \doubtful and disputed\ settlement agreement under the Tennessee Workers'Compensation Law, Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-240(e). Employee thenbrought a tort action against Employer in relation to the same injuries. Employee movedfor partial summary judgment that the exclusive remedy provision did not bar her tortclaim, relying on the agreement's silence as to the issue of compensability. The trial courtgranted the motion, finding the injuries to not be compensable, such that Employee wasnot limited to workers' compensation remedies. Because such settlements are clearlyprovided for by statute, we conclude that the parties' agreement amounts to a workers'compensation remedy. Thus, we determine that Employee's tort action is barred by theexclusive remedy provision and the trial court's judgment must be reversed.