Barrett v. Hecla Mining Co

Appellants Ronnel Barrett, Gregg Hammerberg, Eric Tester, and Matthew Williams were injured in a rock burst in 2011, and sued Hecla Mining Company, owner and operator of the Lucky Friday Mine. Appellants contended that Hecla knew the mine was unsafe and knowingly placed Appellants in danger of harm. Appellants claimed that such behavior constituted an act of “willful or unprovoked physical aggression” that was not exclusively covered by the Idaho Worker’s Compensation Act (IWCA). On cross motions for summary judgment, the district court ruled that because there was no evidence that Hecla specifically intended to harm Appellants, the claims were controlled exclusively by the IWCA. On that ground, the court granted summary judgment in favor of Hecla. On appeal, Appellants argued that the district court erred in its determination that the IWCA exclusively governed their claims. Finding no error, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Barrett v. Hecla Mining Co" on Justia Law