Court Opinion

ID: 9727460
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 13:38:33.331265+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:38.397443
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE McLAREN, specially concurring: I believe the best disposition is a determination that concurrent jurisdiction exists between the circuit court and the Commission. See People v. NL Industries (1992), 152 Ill. 2d 82, 94-101. However, based upon the limited facts in this case, I concur in the majority opinion. In this case, all the parties involved in the controversy are in fact before the Commission. Exclusive jurisdiction in the Commission may result in further and prolonged litigation before the Commission or the failure of the employee’s claim against an insurer for the failure to exhaust administrative remedies if and when the employee attempts to satisfy a judgment against an insurer who has not been made a party to the administrative proceedings. I submit the legislature should consider the practical problems extant and should consider how to achieve the most plain, speedy, and efficient remedy to determine whether there is coverage under an insurance contract which would inure to the benefit of an employee injured and covered under the scope of the Workers’ Compensation Act.