Opinion ID: 2524542
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: part iv. the majority of the coca erred in ruling sif was still subject to suit in contract and potentially liable for the same damages recoverable in tort, but for the gtca immunity.

Text: ¶ 30 The damages recoverable against an insurance carrier under a tort theory of liability for breach of the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing, i.e. for bad faith, are not coextensive with damages recoverable under a contractual theory. In Taylor v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Co., 1999 OK 44, 981 P.2d 1253 we made this clear. There we said: In an ex contractu claim it is solely the insured loss that may be recovered, while the elements of recovery in the bad faith suit are for more than the insured loss: (a) the loss to be indemnified under the policy plus (b) the harm from insurer's bad faith refusal to settle. (italics in original) 981 P.2d at 1258 f. n. 22. Therefore, appellants may not avoid the GTCA immunity provided to SIF merely by recasting their tort theory of liability into a contractually-based one. ¶ 31 Furthermore, to allow appellants to proceed on a contractual theory would unnecessarily thwart and/or eviscerate the exclusivity provisions of the WCA. As we stated in Part III(B), this Court has recognized that the WCC is vested with exclusive jurisdiction to determine and enforce a compensation risk carrier's liability to a claimant. State Insurance Fund v. Brooks, supra . The WCA provides a procedure for collecting a workers' compensation award. 85 O.S. Supp.1999, § 42(A) provides: A. If payment of compensation or an installment payment of compensation due under the terms of an award, except in the case of an appeal of an award or an award from the Multiple Injury Trust Fund, is not made within ten (10) days after the same is due by the employer or insurance carrier liable therefor, the Court may order a certified copy of the award to be filed in the office of the court clerk of any county, which award whether accumulative or lump sum shall have the same force and be subject to the same law as judgments of the district court. Any compensation awarded and all payments thereof directed to be made by order of the Court, except in the case of an appeal of an award or an award of compensation from the Multiple Injury Trust Fund, shall bear interest at the rate of eighteen percent (18%) per year from the date ordered paid by the Court until the date of satisfaction. Compensation ordered to be paid from the Multiple Injury Trust Fund shall bear interest at the rate of interest applicable to judgments in civil cases pursuant to Section 727 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes from the date of the award. Any award from the Multiple Injury Trust Fund prior to November 4, 1994, shall bear interest at the rate of interest applicable to judgments in civil cases pursuant to Section 727 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon the filing of the certified copy of the Court's award a writ of execution shall issue and process shall be executed and the cost thereof taxed, as in the case of writs of execution, on judgments of courts of record, as provided by Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes; provided, however, the provisions of this section relating to execution and process for the enforcement of awards shall be and are cumulative to other provisions now existing or which may hereafter be adopted relating to liens or enforcement of awards or claims for compensation. Mr. Fehring's workers' compensation award was subject to enforcement under § 42(A) and there is simply no warrant to allow a contract action which would sanction monetary recovery over that which is allowed by the WCA. Thus, the COCA majority erred by reversing in part the trial court judgment and remanding for further proceedings. Instead, the trial court summary judgment in favor of SIF should have been affirmed.