Brock v. Price

**Brock v. Price: Workers' Compensation Blocks Lawsuit Against Employer** This case involved a worker named Brock who was injured on the job at KS Industries, LLC. After participating in the workers' compensation system to get benefits for his injury, Brock also tried to sue his employer for negligence in a separate lawsuit, claiming the company was careless and caused his injury. The court ruled against Brock on the main issue. The North Dakota Supreme Court confirmed that once a worker accepts workers' compensation benefits, they cannot also sue their employer for the same injury. This is called the "exclusive remedy" rule - workers' compensation is meant to be the only way injured workers can get money from their employers for workplace injuries. However, the court did side with Brock on one smaller point about legal fees and costs that the employer was trying to collect from him. This ruling is important for workers to understand because it shows you generally have to choose one path or the other. If you accept workers' compensation benefits for a workplace injury, you typically give up your right to sue your employer later, even if you think they were negligent. Workers should carefully consider their options before accepting benefits.