Court Opinion

ID: 9883372
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 01:41:09.830723+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:22.921643
License: Public Domain

NIERENGARTEN, Judge,
concurring specially.
I concur. As the majority notes, the problem presented here is a statutory one “which demands a comprehensive solution in statutory form.” The language adopted by the Lambertson court put it nicely.
It is rather inconsiderate to force courts to speculate about legislative intention on the strength of statutory language, in the framing of which the draftsmen had not the remotest trace of the present question in their minds.
Lambertson v. Cincinnati Corp., 312 Minn. 114, 129, 257 N.W.2d 679, 689 (Minn.1977).
Both Lunderberg and Lambertson stress the fact that the Workers’ Compensation Act is not intended to affect the rights of third parties against the employer. The Workers’ Compensation Act gives to both employer and employee some benefits which they did not have at common law. The employer’s liability is limited and the employee need not show negligent conduct. This quid pro quo relationship does not exist as to third parties. Why should they be burdened by the Workers’ Compensation Act when they receive no benefits from it?
It is unfair * * * to pull the third party within the principle of mutual sacrifice when his part is to be all sacrifice and no corresponding gain.”
Lambertson, 312 Minn. at 129, 257 N.W.2d at 689.