Court Opinion

ID: 9790496
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 01:53:57.255559+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:29.905120
License: Public Domain

Munson, J.
(concurring)—While I agree with the majority, I would go further on the issue of the spouse's right to bring an action for loss of consortium when the other spouse's injury results from participating in professional sports. While Christie v. Maxwell, 40 Wn. App. 40, 696 *854P.2d 1256, review denied, 104 Wn.2d 1002 (1985) is presently the law, I would hold as a matter of public policy that for spouses of those who participate in professional sports, be it major sports of auto racing, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, horse racing, soccer, or any other professional sport where physical contact does occur, there is no cause of action for loss of consortium.
This would result whether the "offended" spouse agreed or disagreed with the other spouse's participation. This would have to be particularly true in a demolition derby where the object of the sport is to be the surviving car and driver and one attains that end by driving into other vehicles. While reasoning logically from the language of Christie, such an action as this may be maintainable, I find it incomprehensible that society is ready to countenance such actions.