Bonneville Asphalt v. Labor Commission

# Bonneville Asphalt v. Labor Commission **What Happened** A worker died, and their surviving dependent—a minor child—was entitled to death benefits under workers' compensation. The employer, Bonneville Asphalt, argued that the claim was filed too late because the deadline to request benefits had passed. The company pointed out that the minor never had a legal guardian to file the claim on their behalf. **What the Court Decided** The Utah Court of Appeals sided with the dependent. The court ruled that the time limit for filing a workers' compensation death benefit claim can be extended (tolled) while a minor lacks a legal guardian. This means the clock pauses until proper legal representation is arranged. The court ordered Bonneville Asphalt to pay the death benefits owed to the surviving dependent. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling protects family members of deceased workers. It ensures that technicalities like missed deadlines don't prevent children from receiving benefits they're legally entitled to when a parent dies on the job. The decision recognizes that minors deserve extra time to pursue claims.