MacDonald & Kruse, Inc. v. San Jose Steel Co.

This appeal arises out of indemnity litigation involving the State of California, a general construction contractor, and certain subcontractors. In brief, the state contracted with MacDonald & Kruse, Inc. (MacDonald) to have widened an existing overpass of the Long Beach freeway. MacDonald, as the general contractor, subcontracted with San Jose Steel Company, Inc. (San Jose) for the fabrication and erection of the steel that was to be used on the project, and San Jose, in turn, subcontracted the erection of the steel to California Erectors, Inc. (Erectors). During the course of the construction, an employee of Erectors (hereinafter, the employee) suffered physical injuries as a result of his falling from the overpass to the ground, a distance of some 32 feet. The employee instituted an action for personal injuries against the state, MacDonald, and. San Jose, and was awarded judgment in the amount of $294,140 against the state and MacDonald, but not San Jose. Through cross-complaints, the state sought contractual indemnification from MacDonald; MacDonald sought contractual indemnification from San Jose; San Jose sought contractual indemnification from Erectors. The trial…