Lambert v. Affiliated Foods, Inc.
Danny Lee Lambert and his family appealed a trial court's summary judgment favoring Affiliated Foods, Inc., on a personal injury claim. Lambert, injured while employed by non-subscriber Affiliated, had waived his right to sue in exchange for benefits from the company's disability plan. After accepting $57,698.32 in benefits, Lambert filed suit, but the trial court upheld Affiliated's defenses of waiver, ratification, and estoppel. On appeal, Lambert contended the waiver was void against public policy and argued that the plan benefits were not equivalent to workers' compensation. The appellate court affirmed the summary judgment, declining to invalidate the waiver on public policy grounds and citing prior case law that upheld such waivers against non-subscribing employers.