A statutory workers' compensation policy's common law extension does not indemnify an employer for liability arising from a contractual indemnity obligation to a head contractor, even where the employer is a concurrent tortfeasor liable for 100% of the worker's damages. The policy only responds to actual common law loss suffered by the employer qua employer. The phrase 'becomes liable' in the statutory policy means when the cause of action arises, not when liability is crystallised by settlement or judgment.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 9 later cases that cite this judgment.
2 of the 9 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.