Opinion ID: 2608785
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: Aetna argues that the Industrial Commission does not have subject matter jurisdiction over a claim for reimbursement or contribution brought by a surety against another surety. In Anderson v. Gailey, 97 Idaho 813, 555 P.2d 144 (1976), this Court considered the issue of jurisdiction between the courts and the Industrial Commission. Although the Industrial Commission and the district court have mutually exclusive jurisdiction for the award of benefits to an injured claimant or damages to an injured plaintiff, they have concurrent jurisdiction to determine whether they have jurisdiction to consider the claim or hear the case. 97 Idaho at 824, 555 P.2d at 155. Idaho Code § 72-201 provides that all actions and claims which involve issues relating to a worker's injury are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Industrial Commission. In addition, the legislature has specifically granted jurisdiction over all disputes and questions arising under the worker's compensation laws to the Industrial Commission in order to provide sure and certain relief for injured workers. Idaho Code § 72-707 states: All questions arising under this law, if not settled by agreement or stipulation of the interested parties with the approval of the Commission, except as otherwise herein provided, shall be determined by the Commission. (Emphasis added.) In Anderson v. Gailey , this Court also adopted the rule that the decision of the tribunal in which the question of jurisdiction is first filed shall prevail and as to that issue the ruling is res judicata. The question of which of the two sureties is responsible for claimant's injury is a question arising under this law as provided in I.C. § 72-707, and is a proper case to be determined by the Industrial Commission. Unless error is shown on appeal, the Industrial Commission's ruling is res judicata as to the issue of jurisdiction. We hold that the Industrial Commission had jurisdiction to hear and rule on the claim for reimbursement and contribution between sureties.