Court Opinion

ID: 9793885
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:54:52.795918+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:06:28.572100
License: Public Domain

*644Johnson, J.
(concurring in part, dissenting in part) — I agree with the majority’s holding that the undifferentiated damage award made offset impossible, and with the resolution of the attorney fees issue. However, I do not concur in the discussion of the interim earnings rule, which was not raised nor briefed by the parties. Nor do I agree with the majority’s discussion of the collateral source rule, which relies upon the unsupported statement the rule is not applicable because the case involves two "injuries”. The relevant event for purposes of the collateral source rule is the single period of lost wages. Regardless of the number of injuries, the collateral source rule would apply to prevent the intentionally tortious employer from escaping responsibility for its employee’s lost earnings. Instead, under the majority’s proposed application of offset, the unlawful employer receives a windfall; a windfall that comes at the expense of the public fund because the Department of Labor and Industries will not be able to recoup the wage loss paid under workers’ compensation. This is contrary to all our recent cases dealing with the collateral source rule. Xieng v. Peoples Nat’l Bank, 120 Wn.2d 512, 844 P.2d 389 (1993); Ciminski v. SCI Corp., 90 Wn.2d 802, 585 P.2d 1182 (1978); Hayes v. Trulock, 51 Wn. App. 795, 755 P.2d 830, review denied, 111 Wn.2d 1015 (1988).
Utter, J, concurs with Johnson, J.