Rosario v. Montalvo & Son Auto Repair Center, Ltd.
This case involves an appeal by the defendant, Montalvo & Son Auto Repair Center, Ltd., from an order that granted the plaintiff's motion to confirm a referee's report and partially granted the plaintiff's cross-motion for summary judgment. The referee's report found that the plaintiff was injured while employed by the defendant on April 24, 2007, during the course of such employment. The appellate court reversed the order, holding that questions of fact regarding the plaintiff's employment status and injury in the course of employment should have been referred to the Workers' Compensation Board, as it has primary jurisdiction over such determinations. Additionally, the court found that the Supreme Court misapplied the doctrine of inconsistent positions or judicial estoppel because there was no prior legal proceeding where the defendant had successfully argued the plaintiff was its employee. The matter was remitted for a new determination of the plaintiff's cross-motion after resolution by the Workers' Compensation Board.