Court Opinion

ID: 9570352
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:22:36.387729+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:06:49.398481
License: Public Domain

ERICKSON, Justice,
specially concurring:
The difference in the interpretation of Crownover v. Gleichman, 194 Colo. 48, 574 P.2d 497 (1977), cert. denied, 435 U.S. 905, 98 S.Ct. 1450, 55 L.Ed.2d 495 (1978), and DeCaire v. Public Serv. Co., 173 Colo. 402, 479 P.2d 964 (1971), reflected in the majority and dissenting opinions requires an explanation. The Crownover and DeCaire cases lack clarity as demonstrated by the strong dissent from Justice Carrigan in Crownover. Crownover states that the wrongful death action was commenced “more than two years from the ‘discovery’ of the alleged negligence,” implying the court’s adoption of the discovery doctrine. Crownover, 194 Colo. 48, 51, 574 P.2d 497, 499 (1977) (citing Owens v. Brochner, 172 Colo. 525, 474 P.2d 603 (1970)). In my view, Justice Kelley who authored Crownover, DeCaire, and Owens, interpreted the Colorado wrongful death statute to include the tolling of the statute of limitations until the negligence was discovered. The General Assembly accepted Justice Kelley's interpretation of the wrongful death statute in the amendments to the statute of limitations that were made subsequent to the announcement of Crownover.
Accordingly, I specially concur in the majority opinion.