Opinion ID: 2602446
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: applicability of the utah workers' compensation act

Text: ¶ 9 The UWCA is the exclusive remedy available to an employee's heirs for  any. . . injury or death, in any way contracted, sustained, aggravated, or incurred by the employee in the course of or because of or arising out of the employee's employment.  Utah Code Ann. § 34A-2-105(1) (Supp.2001) (emphasis added). In an attempt to circumvent this language, plaintiffs argue on appeal that Zions did not aggravate Cook's cancer within the meaning of the UWCA because Cook's cancer progressed naturally. In other words, they claim that Zions' denial of an opportunity for treatment of Cook's condition did not aggravate her condition or cause her death under the UWCA. ¶ 10 Notwithstanding plaintiffs' attempt to characterize their claim so as to avoid application of the UWCA, however, the language of their complaint clearly invokes the application of the Act. Indeed, plaintiffs allege in their complaint that Zions Bank's refusal to allow Mrs. Cook a full day off work to have the bump on her lip removed and biopsied caused a critical and significant delay of over three months in her cancer diagnosis and treatment, resulting in the progression of the cancer and a loss of any reasonable opportunity to stop the aggressive melanoma . . . and her subsequent death. (Emphasis added). ¶ 11 Because plaintiffs assert, at heart, that Cook sustained her death due to her employment, the UWCA clearly governs their claim. The Act expressly covers any... death ... in any way ... sustained ... in the course of or because of or arising out of the employee's employment, Utah Code Ann. § 34A-2-105(1), and the phrase in any way modifies and broadens the term sustained such that the Act covers any death resulting from an employee's employment. Cook therefore sustained her death within the meaning of the UWCA because Zions allegedly denied her the opportunity to take advantage of her contractually-based sick leave [3] and to obtain the medical attention necessary to arrest the progression of her cancer. ¶ 12 Alternatively, if plaintiffs' claims are true, Zions aggravated Cook's cancer within the meaning of the UWCA's plain language. It did so by refusing her requests for sick leave, thereby allowing the cancer to progress unchecked. The fact that Cook's cancer was already progressing as a natural disease process makes no difference [4] because, as already noted, the UWCA covers injuries  in any way ... aggravated ... in the course of or because of or arising out of the employee's employment, id. (emphasis added), and the word aggravate means to make worse, more serious, or more severe, as in a problem[]... aggravated by neglect.  Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 22-23 (10th ed.1998) (emphasis added). Plaintiffs' contention that the conduct of Zions resulted in the progression of Cook's cancer and in her subsequent death falls within this definition. ¶ 13 Finally, the actions of Zions that plaintiffs allege aggravated Cook's cancer and caused her death clearly occurred in the course of Cook's employment with Zions. Indeed, Zions allegedly refused Cook's requests for sick leave during business hours and in violation of her employment contract. As such, the conduct of which plaintiffs complain occurred in the course of Cook's employment with Zions. Zions' workplace treatment of Cook is thus the sole basis for plaintiffs' wrongful death claim. The UWCA therefore covers plaintiffs' claim and provides the exclusive remedy available to them. [5]