Langendoerfer v. Hazel, No. 41778

CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
Writing for the CourtCRIST; DOWD, P. J., and REINHARD
Citation601 S.W.2d 290
Docket NumberNo. 41778
Decision Date15 April 1980
PartiesAlma LANGENDOERFER, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Ernest HAZEL, Jr., Incorporated, Defendant-Respondent.

Page 290

601 S.W.2d 290
Alma LANGENDOERFER, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
Ernest HAZEL, Jr., Incorporated, Defendant-Respondent.
No. 41778.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, Division Three.
April 15, 1980.
Motion for Rehearing and/or Transfer to Supreme Court Denied
June 20, 1980.

Harry J. Nichols, St. Louis, for plaintiff-appellant.

Charles E. Gray, St. Louis, for defendant-respondent.

CRIST, Judge.

The issue presented by this appeal is did the filing of a workmen's compensation claim toll the five year statute of limitation applicable to common law negligence actions? We hold that the statute was not tolled.

Appellant (hereinafter "claimant") alleged that she was injured on March 21, 1972 while working for the defendant. She filed a claim for workmen's compensation. Her claim was denied on the ground that her injury was not accidental. This court affirmed that decision on November 28, 1978, and a rehearing was denied on January 12, 1979. Langendoerfer v. Hazel, 576 S.W.2d 553 (Mo.App.1978). Her workmen's compensation litigation ended approximately six and one-half years after the date of the alleged injury.

Claimant filed a common law negligence action on March 14, 1979, one week short of seven years from the time of the alleged injury. This common law action was based upon the same operative facts as the disposed of workmen's compensation claim. The lower court dismissed the complaint on the ground that it was barred by the five year statute of limitations, § 516.120, RSMo 1978. We affirm.

Because statutes of limitation are favored in the law, exceptions must be enacted by the legislature. These exceptions are strictly construed. Courts are not at liberty to extend them even in cases of hardship. Neal v. Laclede Gas Co., 517 S.W.2d 716, 719 (Mo.App.1974). In State ex rel. Kansas City Stock Yards v. Clark, 536 S.W.2d 142 (Mo.banc 1976) the Missouri Supreme Court held that the filing of a workmen's compensation claim does not toll a statutory wrongful death claim. Similarly, a common law action for negligence is not tolled. The situations are analogous even though one cause of action existed at common law while the other was statutorily created. Specific statutes of limitation were established for both causes of action by the legislature.

Although claimant would be entitled to only one recovery on the same set of operative facts, the negligence action could have been pending at the same time as the workmen's

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9 practice notes
  • Nitcher v. Newton County Jail, No. 15428
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Missouri (US)
    • May 31, 1988
    ...v. City of St. Louis, 499 S.W.2d 388, 389 (Mo.1973); Daniels v. Schierding, 650 S.W.2d 337, 338-39 (Mo.App.1983); Langendoerfer v. Hazel, 601 S.W.2d 290 (Mo.App.1980). Defendants insist, however, that Wilson should not be applied retroactively in the instant The reason defendants argue agai......
  • Bregant by Bregant v. Fink, No. 51593
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • February 10, 1987
    ...the courts cannot create judicial exceptions. Frazee v. Partney, 314 S.W.2d 915, 919 [4, 5] (Mo.1958); Langendoerfer v. Hazel, 601 S.W.2d 290 (Mo.App.1980); and Neal v. Laclede Gas Co., 517 S.W.2d 716, 719 [3, 4] (Mo.App.1974). In wrongful death actions, filing within the statute of limitat......
  • Naeter v. Treasurer of Mo., No. ED 106949
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Missouri (US)
    • March 12, 2019
    ...legislative enactments to limit the authority of courts to hear time-barred claims even in cases of hardship. Langendoerfer v. Hazel , 601 S.W.2d 290 (Mo. App. E.D. 1980) (citing Neal v. Laclede Gas Co. , 517 S.W.2d 716, 719 (Mo. App. 1974) ). Therefore, we deny Employee’s point on appeal, ......
  • McLeod v. Marion Laboratories, Inc., No. WD30865
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • June 9, 1980
    ...may be pursued concurrently. The failure to file concurrently may result in an injury occurring without remedy. Langendoerfer v. Hazel, 601 S.W.2d 290 (Mo.App.1980). The res judicata effect of a circuit court determination that a common law action does not lie because an accidental injury c......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
9 cases
  • Nitcher v. Newton County Jail, No. 15428
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Missouri (US)
    • May 31, 1988
    ...v. City of St. Louis, 499 S.W.2d 388, 389 (Mo.1973); Daniels v. Schierding, 650 S.W.2d 337, 338-39 (Mo.App.1983); Langendoerfer v. Hazel, 601 S.W.2d 290 (Mo.App.1980). Defendants insist, however, that Wilson should not be applied retroactively in the instant The reason defendants argue agai......
  • Bregant by Bregant v. Fink, No. 51593
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • February 10, 1987
    ...the courts cannot create judicial exceptions. Frazee v. Partney, 314 S.W.2d 915, 919 [4, 5] (Mo.1958); Langendoerfer v. Hazel, 601 S.W.2d 290 (Mo.App.1980); and Neal v. Laclede Gas Co., 517 S.W.2d 716, 719 [3, 4] (Mo.App.1974). In wrongful death actions, filing within the statute of limitat......
  • Naeter v. Treasurer of Mo., No. ED 106949
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Missouri (US)
    • March 12, 2019
    ...legislative enactments to limit the authority of courts to hear time-barred claims even in cases of hardship. Langendoerfer v. Hazel , 601 S.W.2d 290 (Mo. App. E.D. 1980) (citing Neal v. Laclede Gas Co. , 517 S.W.2d 716, 719 (Mo. App. 1974) ). Therefore, we deny Employee’s point on appeal, ......
  • McLeod v. Marion Laboratories, Inc., No. WD30865
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • June 9, 1980
    ...may be pursued concurrently. The failure to file concurrently may result in an injury occurring without remedy. Langendoerfer v. Hazel, 601 S.W.2d 290 (Mo.App.1980). The res judicata effect of a circuit court determination that a common law action does not lie because an accidental injury c......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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