News

Judge: Pizza Hut not at fault for alleged attack by employee

July 26, 2011

The South Dakota Supreme Court last week upheld a lower court's ruling in favor of Pizza Hut following an alleged attack by one of its employees.

According to Legal News Line, the Court backed the decision on July 13 of the Minnehaha County Circuit Court that granted summary judgment for the pizza chain.

The plaintiff, David Iverson, said Pizza Hut Employee Norman Williams attacked him at a restaurant in Sioux Falls, S.D. Iverson also had worked at the Pizza Hut but was fired for his inability to complete tasks.

Iverson filed suit against Williams and Pizza Hut, asserting four theories of liability: Vicarious liability, negligent hiring, breach of duty to control an employee and negligent supervision.

Justice Judith K. Meierhenry, who retired in June, authored the Court's 16-page opinion outlining how Iverson's four complaints did not meet the standards to hold Pizza Hut liable for the alleged attack.