Opinion ID: 901298
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Whether the VFW was entitled to a jury trial on the worker's compensation claim.

Text: [¶ 18.] When an employer is not covered by workers compensation, SDCL 62-3-11 applies: Any employee, who is employed by an employer who is deemed not to operate under [workers compensation], may elect to proceed against the employer in any action at law to recover damages ... or may elect to proceed against the employer in circuit court under the provisions of [workers compensation], as if the employer had elected to operate thereunder ... and the measure of benefits shall be that provided under 62-4-1 plus twice the amount of other compensation allowable ... Id. [¶ 19.] Jennifer chose to bring this action under workers compensation provisions. Although the statute places the action in circuit court instead of the Department of Labor, the action is to progress as if the employer had elected to operate under workers compensation. As there is no right to a jury trial in an administrative workers compensation proceeding, there is no right to a jury trial in a circuit court proceeding based on SDCL 62-3-11. We affirm the trial courts denial of a jury trial.