Rodriguez

FACTS

Michael Harding was employed by Grayd A Metals as a welding fabricator on April 13, 2012, the date of the car accident. That day, Harding worked a shift from 4:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. After he left work, he had two accidents. The first was a minor “fender bender” in which he was not hurt. The second, the accident at issue, was a more serious accident. It resulted in Harding being hospitalized for three to four weeks with a fractured ankle, injuries to his rib cage, internal bleeding, injury to his spleen, and a broken nose. Plaintiffs allege they were also injured in this accident. Harding does not remember how the accident was caused. He describes having a hole in his memory. He simply remembers waking up in the hospital. Grayd A Metals had a policy of reimbursing welders, such as Harding, for attending classes pertaining to the metal fabricating industry. Harding would be eligible for promotions by increasing his knowledge. Harding was told by his supervisor that he would have to attend classes to do so. Harding had informed William Gray, the vice president of the company, that he was taking a mechanical drawing class, to which Gray responded, “[G]ood job.” He was taking…