Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 342.690 (2026)

Exclusiveness of liability

✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) If an employer secures payment of compensation as required by this chapter, the liability of such employer under this chapter shall be exclusive and in place of all other liability of such employer to the employee, his legal representative, husband or wife, parents, dependents, next of kin, and anyone otherwise entitled to recover damages from such employer at law or in admiralty on account of such injury or death. For purposes of this section, the term "employer" shall include a "contractor" covered by subsection (2) of KRS 342.610, whether or not the subcontractor has in fact, secured the payment of compensation. The liability of an employer to another person who may be liable for or who has paid damages on account of injury or death of an employee of such employer arising out of and in the course of employment and caused by a breach of any duty or obligation owed by such employer to such other shall be limited to the amount of compensation and other benefits for which such employer is liable under this chapter on account of such injury or death, unless such other and the employer by written contract have agreed to share liability in a different manner. The exemption from liability given an employer by this section shall also extend to such employer's carrier and to all employees, officers or directors of such employer or carrier, provided the exemption from liability given an employee, officer or director or an employer or carrier shall not apply in any case where the injury or death is proximately caused by the willful and unprovoked physical aggression of such employee, officer or director. (2) If an employer fails to secure payment of compensation as required by this chapter, an injured employee, or his legal representative in case death results from the injury, may claim compensation under this chapter and in addition may maintain an action at law or in admiralty for damages on account of such injury or death, provided that the amount of compensation shall be credited against the amount received in such action, and provided that, if the amount of compensation is larger than the amount of damages received, the amount of damages less the employee's legal fees and expenses shall be credited against the amount of compensation. In such action the defendant may not plead as a defense that the injury was caused by the negligence of a fellow servant, that the employee assumed the risks of his employment, or that the injury was due to the contributory negligence of the employee. (3) An employer shall retain all common law defenses against any action by an employee who elects not to be covered, as provided under subsection (6) of KRS 342.650. (4) (a) Notwithstanding any voluntary agreement entered into between the United States Department of Labor and a franchisee, neither a franchisee nor a franchisee's employee shall be deemed to be an employee of the franchisor for any purpose under this chapter. (b) Notwithstanding any voluntary agreement entered into between the United States Department of Labor and a franchisor, neither a franchisor nor a franchisor's employee shall be deemed to be an employee of the franchisee for any purpose under this chapter. (c) For purposes of this subsection, "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the same meanings as in 16 C.F.R. sec. 436.1. Effective:June 29, 2017 History: Amended 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 24, sec. 4, effective June 29, 2017. -- Amended 1980 Ky. Acts ch. 188, sec. 274, effective July 15, 1980. -- Created 1972 Ky. Acts ch. 78, sec. 9, effective January 1, 1973.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 145 cases (33 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case: Travelers Indem. Co. v. Reker, 100 S.W.3d 756 (Ky. 2003).
Travelers Indem. Co. v. Reker, 100 S.W.3d 756 (Ky. 2003). · cites it 52× “That amendment would have added a new subsection (4) to KRS 342.690 to provide as follows: An employee shall retain the right to bring a cause of action pursuant to KRS 304.”
Brown v. Indiana Ins. Co., 184 S.W.3d 528 (Ky. 2005). · cites it 32× “Ordinarily, under KRS 342.690(1), the exclusive remedy available to the estates of Garcia and O'Banion would be death benefits payable under KRS 342.”
Fireman's Fund Ins. Co. v. Sherman & Fletcher, 705 S.W.2d 459 (Ky. 1986). · cites it 21× “In its reply brief filed in the Court of Appeals, Active Constructors stated: "The constitutionality of KRS 342.690 is not the question. Rather, it is whether the Appellants' indemnity claim is barred by KRS 342.”
Steve Black v. Dixie Consum. Prods., 835 F.3d 579 (6th Cir. 2016). · cites it 12× “See Ky. Rev. Stat. § 342.690. Other courts of appeals have applied the exception to private defendants as well.”
Labor Ready, Inc. v. Johnston, 289 S.W.3d 200 (Ky. 2009). · cites it 19× “610 and KRS 342.690 provided Mid-America with up-the-ladder immunity from a civil suit by a Labor Ready employee, the trial court held that Hudson and Johnston must be viewed as being co-employees.”
Gen. Elec. Co. v. Cain, 236 S.W.3d 579 (Ky. 2007). · cites it 10× “The Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Act is a legislative remedy which affords an injured worker a remedy without proof of the common law elements of fault.”
Wymer v. JH Props., Inc., 50 S.W.3d 195 (Ky. 2001). · cites it 8× “KRS 342.690. The Borman court said that the language of the statute demonstrated an intent to maintain the exclusivity of the remedy principle intact.”
Sand Hill Energy, Inc. v. Ford Motor Co., 83 S.W.3d 483 (Ky. 2002). · cites it 9× “03(1) states: "In civil cases each opposing side shall have three peremptory challenges, but co-parties having antagonistic interests shall have three peremptory challenges each.”
Hargis v. Baize, 168 S.W.3d 36 (Ky. 2005). · cites it 6× “In addition to the facts that Baize dispatched Hargis to pick up Baize's logs and transport them to Baize's place of business on a semi-trailer owned by Baize, are the facts that Hargis had worked exclusively for Baize for six months immediately preceding the accident and,…”
Philadelphia Indem. Ins. v. Morris, 990 S.W.2d 621 (Ky. 1999). · cites it 16× “I agree with the majority that KRS 342.690 does not preclude recovery of UIM benefits in this case, but I do not believe that the limitations clause in the UIM endorsement is unenforceable and violative of public policy.”
Burrell v. Elec. Plant Bd. of Franklin, Ky., 676 S.W.2d 231 (Ky. 1984). · cites it 16× “The General Assembly then enacted KRS 342.690 as a substitute for KRS 342.015(1).”
Franke v. Ford Motor Co., 398 F. Supp. 2d 833 (W.D. Ky. 2005). · cites it 15× “610 of the Act and therefore is entitled to common law tort immunity under section 342.690. Section 342.690(1) provides If an employer secures payment of compensation as required by this chapter, the liability of such employer under this chapter shall be exclusive and in place…”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 342.690(1) — 104 cases
Travelers Indem. Co. v. Reker, 100 S.W.3d 756 (Ky. 2003). “That amendment would have added a new subsection (4) to KRS 342.690 to provide as follows: An employee shall retain the right to bring a cause of action pursuant to KRS 304.”
Brown v. Indiana Ins. Co., 184 S.W.3d 528 (Ky. 2005). “Ordinarily, under KRS 342.690(1), the exclusive remedy available to the estates of Garcia and O'Banion would be death benefits payable under KRS 342.”
Labor Ready, Inc. v. Johnston, 289 S.W.3d 200 (Ky. 2009). “610 and KRS 342.690 provided Mid-America with up-the-ladder immunity from a civil suit by a Labor Ready employee, the trial court held that Hudson and Johnston must be viewed as being co-employees.”
Fireman's Fund Ins. Co. v. Sherman & Fletcher, 705 S.W.2d 459 (Ky. 1986). “In its reply brief filed in the Court of Appeals, Active Constructors stated: "The constitutionality of KRS 342.690 is not the question. Rather, it is whether the Appellants' indemnity claim is barred by KRS 342.”
Steve Black v. Dixie Consum. Prods., 835 F.3d 579 (6th Cir. 2016). “See Ky. Rev. Stat. § 342.690. Other courts of appeals have applied the exception to private defendants as well.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 342.690(2) — 12 cases
Brown v. Indiana Ins. Co., 184 S.W.3d 528 (Ky. 2005). “Ordinarily, under KRS 342.690(1), the exclusive remedy available to the estates of Garcia and O'Banion would be death benefits payable under KRS 342.”
Travelers Indem. Co. v. Reker, 100 S.W.3d 756 (Ky. 2003). “That amendment would have added a new subsection (4) to KRS 342.690 to provide as follows: An employee shall retain the right to bring a cause of action pursuant to KRS 304.”
Matthews v. G & B Trucking, Inc., 987 S.W.2d 328 (Ky. Ct. App. 1998).
Zurich Ins. Co. v. Mitchell, 712 S.W.2d 340 (Ky. 1986).
Gen. Accident Ins. Co. v. Blank, 873 S.W.2d 580 (Ky. Ct. App. 1993).
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 342.690(l) — 1 case
Haines v. Bellsouth Telecomm., Inc., 133 S.W.3d 497 (Ky. Ct. App. 2004).
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