Opinion ID: 2608708
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: city of spokane

Text: Robert Wilson suffered an injury while employed by the City of Spokane. The Department of Labor and Industries awarded him 25 percent permanent disability. On review, the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals found Wilson totally disabled. The City of Spokane appealed the Board's determination to the Superior Court. A jury reversed the Board and reinstated the Department's smaller award. Wilson appealed to the Court of Appeals on substantive grounds. The majority affirmed the trial court decision, and Wilson's motion for reconsideration was denied. Wilson then filed a second motion for reconsideration, raising for the first time the issue of proper service of the notice of appeal on the Director of the Department. The notice of appeal was directed on its face in the following manner: TO: BOARD OF INDUSTRIAL INSURANCE APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES However, there was no evidence, such as an affidavit of mailing, that the Director had been properly served. Attached to the second motion for reconsideration were affidavits purporting to demonstrate that there was no proof of proper service on the Director. It seems beyond doubt that the Department had notice of the proceeding. The State briefed and argued the substantive issues appealed. On the basis of the second motion for reconsideration, however, Division Three withdrew its earlier opinion and dismissed the appeal to Superior Court because the court lacked jurisdiction. Besides the major issue of the adequacy of service upon the Director, Spokane also raises issues regarding Wilson's ability to raise the issue of proper service for the first time in his second motion for reconsideration and regarding the propriety of the Court of Appeals disposition of the factual question of service on the basis of affidavits attached to the motion for reconsideration.