Opinion ID: 1058416
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Interpretation and Application of Section 20-1-119

Text: With these provisions of section 20-1-119 in mind, the first question certified to this Court requires us to determine whether this statute provides any authority under which a complaint seeking workers' compensation benefits may be amended in order to add potential third party tortfeasors. In construing statutes, we first look to the language of the statute itself, keeping in mind that the proper role of the Court is to ascertain and give effect to the legislative intent without unduly restricting or expanding a statute's coverage beyond its intended scope. Owens v. State, 908 S.W.2d 923, 926 (Tenn.1995). To this end, we are restricted to applying the natural and ordinary meaning of the language used. Browder v. Morris, 975 S.W.2d 308, 311 (Tenn.1998). When the language of the statute is plain, clear and unambiguous, the legislative intent must be derived from the statute's face. See Bryant v. Genco Stamping & Mfg. Co., 33 S.W.3d 761, 765 (Tenn.2000). Therefore, courts must follow the natural and ordinary meaning of a statute unless an ambiguity requires resort elsewhere for clarification. Id. By its plain terms, Tennessee Code Annotated section 20-1-119 applies only to civil cases in which comparative fault is or becomes an issue. This necessarily leads us to inquire whether comparative fault is, or can ever become, an issue in a workers' compensation action.